Creamy date snack with smoked mackerel

This delicious creamy date snack with smoked mackerel combines the sweet, creamy taste of dates with the smoky saltiness of mackerel. A perfect balance between sweet and savory, ideal as an aperitif or snack. This simple yet flavorful appetizer will undoubtedly impress your guests! Plus, the leftovers make the perfect topping for your sandwich the next day!

How to make a creamy date snack with smoked mackerel?

Get your ingredients and food processor ready. In 15 minutes, you'll have this enchanting appetizer ready. Moreover, you can prepare the paste in advance, and only need to finalize just before serving.

First, soak the dates in some water for an hour. This will make them softer and creamier. An hour later, get the food processor ready. Now drain the dates and place them in the food processor. Cut the smoked mackerel into a few pieces, and along with the Skyr, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, add them to the food processor. Finally mix everything into a smooth paste. That's all the prep done.

For the finishing touch, pipe or spoon the paste onto crackers as appetizers. If you choose the piping option, ensure there are no chunks of dates or mackerel left in the paste, as they may block the nozzle. Alternatively, you can spoon the paste onto the crackers.

Further Variations for This Creamy Date and Smoked Mackerel Appetizer

Still fancy another bite? You can also mash the mackerel separately with a fork. In this case, briefly blend the dates with the Skyr and lemon juice in the food processor. Mix everything together and present it on the crackers.

Want a more festive garnish? You can go green or red. For a green garnish, place a leaf of parsley, coriander, or chervil on each appetizer. And for a red garnish, use a currant or a pomegranate seed.

By the way, Leftovers are no issue at all. As the creamy date and smoked mackerel paste makes the perfect spread for your sandwich the next day.

What is Skyr?

Skyr is a dairy product from Iceland. The taste is somewhere between yogurt and quark: slightly sour and a bit sweet. Skyr also contains more protein, so you feel fuller for longer after eating it.

Although Skyr was brought to Iceland by the Vikings, it disappeared from mainland Europe. That's what makes it so hard for us to place. We only know yogurt and quark and always try to fit it into one of these categories. Technically, it's a fresh cheese, but it's often eaten as a yogurt alternative.

Read more about skyr and the differences between quark and yogurt in the following articles:

• Skyr - Wikipedia
• Skyr versus Greek yogurt: Are they the same thing? Here is what you need to know. (Real Simple).
• Yogurt, Kefir or Skyr: what are the differences? (Mad Millie).
• The more nutritionally rich dairy: Skyr or Greek yogurt? (Live gusto).

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.