Ingredients

• 200ml/7fl oz cold water
• 4 tsp caster sugar
• 85g/3oz unsalted butter
• plus extra for greasing
• pinch salt
• 115g/4oz plain flour
• sifted
• 3 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 400g/7oz smoked mackerel
• skin removed
• 8 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
• plus more if required
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• melted
• pinch salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 435g tin pineapple chunks
• drained
• 1 large handful fresh coriander
• stalks included
• 2 small green chillies
• 1 unwaxed lime
• juice and zest

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease two baking trays and line them with baking paper.
• For the choux
• put the cold water
• sugar
• butter and salt into a small saucepan and pop it on to the hob. On a medium heat
• heat the mixture
• taking it off as soon as it comes to the boil and all the butter has melted.
• Add all the flour at once
• stirring vigorously to avoid any lumps.
• Take off the heat and step away for a few minutes to allow it to cool just slightly. Now add the eggs a little at a time
• making sure to stir all the time – it will look bitty and not smooth
• but the more you mix
• the more the mixture will come together. It should be a smooth paste. When the spoon is lifted the mixture should drop in a ‘V’ shape
• and that’s the perfect consistency.
• Pop the mixture into a piping bag
• or a zip-lock bag
• and snip off the end
• 2cm/¾in wide. Pipe small mounds on to the prepared baking trays. Or you could just dollop teaspoons of the mixture on to the baking trays.
• Wet the tips of your fingers and pat down any peaks – this will prevent the choux from burning in the oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Once baked
• the choux should be light and crisp. Remove from the oven
• cut in half horizontally
• then put them back into the oven to dry a little more.
• While the choux are crisping up
• make the mackerel pâté. Put the mackerel
• yoghurt
• butter
• salt and pepper into a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. If the mixture is too stiff
• keep adding a little more yoghurt
• a spoonful at a time
• until the mixture is smooth and glides effortlessly in the processor. Transfer to a serving bowl
• cover and place in the fridge.
• For the chutney
• drain the pineapple chunks in a sieve and use the back of a spoon to squeeze out any extra moisture. Pop the chunks into a blender
• along with the coriander
• chillies
• lime juice and zest. Blend to a smooth green paste. Have a taste – there should be a good balance of sweet and salty. Adjust by adding sugar or salt
• if needed.
• I like to put the crisp choux in the centre of the table
• with the pâté and chutney
• and let everyone make their own by sandwiching the choux halves with the pâté and adding a generous helping of chutney. But if I’m having people round
• I will assemble it in advance.