Mary Berry’s Hot Smoked Mackerel Tian dinner party menu

Hot Smoked Mackerel and Tomato Tian

“These are perfect for a light supper or even a starter,” says Mary. “Smoked mackerel come usually in vacuum pack and just needs the skin removed, which slips off easily. Prepare up to 12 hours ahead and keep in the fridge and cook when needed for a few minutes longer as they will be straight out of the fridge. ”

Not suitable for freezing.

Ingredients
(Serves 6)
4 large tomatoes, skinned and each one thickly sliced into 3
25g (1oz) butter
175g (6oz) button chestnut mushrooms, sliced
250g (9oz) smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
150mls (1/4pint) double cream
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Method
You will need 6 x 2 ¾ metal cooking rings. Sit them on non-stick paper on a baking sheet.

Put 1 slice of tomato in the base of each ring.

Heat a frying pan and add the butter. Fry the mushrooms and season, divide between each ring on top of the tomato.

Flake the mackerel fillets into large pieces and place on top of the mushrooms, sprinkle with black pepper. Arrange the remaining tomato slices on top of the mackerel.

Cook on the top set of runners in the roasting oven for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile heat the double cream and bring to the boil. Stir in the mustard, lemon and seasoning. 

Using a fish slice each tian on to a plate. Pour the mustard sauce around the tians and sprinkle with parsley.

Conventional oven
Bake in the preheated oven 200°C/180°Fan/gas mark 6 for about 10 minutes until hot.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Mango Glaze

“A very smart way of cooking chicken breasts,” says Mary. “You can now buy smooth mango chutney (with no bits). If you only have the traditional mango chutney for the glaze, this is fine just avoid the bits. The chicken can be totally prepared ahead and left in the fridge covered with clingfilm up to 24 hours ahead. The sauce can be made ahead too in a pan rather than the roasting tin – it will be pale in colour but once reheated and the juices from the roasting tin are added it will be a good colour.”

Ingredients
(Serves 6)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 very large onion, finely chopped
100g (4oz) bacon lardons or chopped streaky bacon
100g (4oz) spinach, chopped
Leaves from a large sprig of thyme
6 small chicken breasts, boneless with skin on
About 2 tablespoons mango chutney sauce
A little paprika

For the sauce
25g (1oz) butter
1 heaped teaspoon flour
100ml (3 floz) Madeira or port
300ml (1/2 pint) cranberry juice
2 tablespoons mango chutney

Method
Butter and season a large roasting tin, so the chicken breasts will have plenty of room around them.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion. Fry for a few minutes, stir in the bacon, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 15 minutes until tender.

Add the spinach, stirring continually until just wilted and drive off any liquid on the boiling plate. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in thyme leaves.

Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally (keeping them in pairs). Place the bottom halves in the roasting tin and season. Divide the spinach mixture between each and top with the other piece of chicken, skin side uppermost. Spread mango chutney over the skin of each breast and sprinkle with a little paprika.

Roast the chicken at the top of the roasting oven for about 15-20 minutes until just done; keep them warm in the simmering oven while making the sauce.

Add butter to the tin, with all the chicken juices, melt over a low heat, whisk in the flour, add the Madeira and cranberry juice, slowly whisking, bring to boil, and add mango chutney. Reduce a little over a high heat and check the seasoning.

As you serve the chicken, slide the top slice to the side a little to reveal the lovely green filling.  Pour the sauce around each chicken breast and sprinkle with parsley if liked.

Conventional oven
Cook in preheated oven 220ºC/200º fan/gas 7 for about 20 minutes, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from the tin and keep warm while making the sauce.

Lemon Fudge Cake

“Lucy, my assistant, adores this recipe and so we tested it time and time again!” says Mary. “Serve as a dessert cake, as a pudding or for tea with a fork. This can be made and baked up to three days ahead, ice on the day of serving. Freezes well un-iced.”

Ingredients
(Serves 6-8 or more – it is very rich!)
For the base
7 plain digestives, crushed
50g (2oz) butter, melted
25g (1oz) demerara sugar

For the filling
2 eggs
150g (5oz) caster sugar
300ml (1/2 pint) double cream
50g (2oz) plain flour
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

For the topping
1 x 150g (5oz) tub Greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon curd

Method
Base line 20cm (8”) round spring form tin with baking parchment.

Mix the crushed biscuits in a bowl with the melted butter and sugar. Stir until all the biscuit is coated and press into the base of the prepared tin.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until blended, pour in the cream, sift in the flour and whisk until blended. Stir in lemon juice and zest and whisk again until combined.

Pour into tin on top of biscuit base. Slide onto lowest set of runners in the roasting oven with the cold sheet on the second set of runners for about 30 minutes until forming a crust on top. Transfer the hot cold sheet into the simmering oven and sit the cake on top and bake for a further 20-30 minutes until just set.

Remove and cool in tin. Mix the topping ingredients together and spread over the cold cake.

Conventional oven
Preheat oven 180°C/160° fan/gas mark 4. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes until filling has set and pale golden brown on top.