Baked potatoes with smoked-mackerel pate

Serves 6 Christopher Lloyd was the master of the baked potato, and under his tutelage I came to love them. The first step is to choose the right variety of potato. For us at Great Dixter there is only one choice: the Picasso. It is the right size, with sweet-flavoured skin and fresh-tasting flesh. The mackerel pâté recipe comes from a great friend, Harriet Parsons. Christopher loved it, especially with drinks on the lawn. It is best made the day before and left in the refrigerator overnight to set.

For the pâté

— 4 smoked mackerel fillets — 500g cream cheese — juice of 1 lemon — 1 tsp strong horseradish

sauce — freshly ground black

pepper

For the potatoes

— 6 large baking potatoes (Picasso variety, if available) — olive oil — roasted beetroot or green

salad, to serve — chopped spring onions and

parsley, to serve First make the pâté. Take the skin off the mackerel fillets and remove any small bones. Put into a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients and blend briefly. Don’t overdo it – you’re making a pâté not a paste.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6.

Scrub the potatoes, pat them dry and prick all over with a fork. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 1 hour, or until soft when pressed. Serve with the pâté and roasted beetroot or a green salad. Garnish with spring onions and parsley, if desired.