Savoury profiteroles with spicy tomato dip

Method
Prep:30min  ›  Cook:30min  ›  Ready in:1hr 

For the choux pastry:

1. Start by making the profiteroles. In a saucepan over a high heat, combine the water, butter and salt and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add all the sifted flour and stir vigorously until well mixed and the pastry dough is smooth, shiny and comes away from the sides of the pan. Leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease a baking tray and lightly dust with flour.
3. When the pastry dough is cool place it in a blender with the plastic blade attached. Blitz at full speed and add the eggs one by one. The mix should be just heavier than a dropping consistency. Place spoon sized blobs on the baking tray. Brush with egg yolk.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven until risen and golden then switch off the oven and leave with the oven door slightly open for another five minutes to cool very slowly. Remove from the oven then cool on a wire rack.

For the mackerel pate:

5. Prepare the mackerel by removing the skin and any bones and cutting into chunks. Place in a food processor and start to blitz slowly adding the cream and the horseradish sauce. If you are not keen on the latter then use Dijon mustard instead. Continue to process until it is to the thickness you want. Add a little milk if it is too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Slice open the profiteroles and use a teaspoon to fill the cavity with mackerel pate; be generous. Place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. One option is to store before filling and then heat in the oven for 5 minutes and fill before serving.

For the tomato dipping sauce:

7. Chop 3 to 4 shallots or one small onion very finely. (I only used shallots because I had a surfeit of them from the garden.) Gently fry in the butter for about 4 to 5 minutes until tender.
8. Add the chilli and the paprika and fry for a little longer. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 to10 minutes. Use a handheld liquidiser to blend to desired consistency. Stir in the basil and transfer to a small bowl.
9. Place the mackerel profiteroles on a serving plate next to the dipping sauce. Serve.

Tip

I have no qualms about using ready-made things like the chopped tomatoes. I even use ready made puff pastry in my pies and pasties. Sometimes life is too short.