Today’s quick recipe is a variation on a simple summer salad from my new book. The original features fresh broad beans and peas. I just happened to have some baby spinach leaves and a lonesome courgette lurking in the salad drawer of my fridge. I love Cornish new potatoes. They are just so incredibly tasty. Buy them dirty and scrub clean with a little brush just before cooking; this will protects the delicate skin, taste and texture.

I use smoked mackerel in this salad, but you could use pilchards, or another sustainable naturally smoked fish. Preserving fish and shellfish increases their shelf life and adds new and interesting flavours. There are a small number of artisanal smokehouses preserving sustainable fish and shellfish according to traditional methods in Cornwall and across the United Kingdom. Smoked salmon is very popular, but much of it is intensively farmed, unsustainable and loaded with artificial flavourings and colourings. I suggest you choose organically farmed  smoked salmon instead. Look for the MSC blue logo certification or at the very least, freedom food accreditation.

Fish and shellfish smoked the old fashioned way has a wonderfully rich, smoky flavour and aroma. The type of material used in the smoking process greatly affects the final product. Alderwood, oak and beech are some of the types of wood traditionally used for smoking. Some artisan producers use other ingredients like tea, molasses or herbs. It is down to a matter of personal taste which style you prefer. Vacuum packed and stored in the refrigerator, smoked fish and shellfish have a shelf life of two to three weeks. Once opened, they should keep anywhere from three to ten days.

There is some concern as to whether the smoking process creates chemicals that cause cancer. Some studies have shown that smoked foods can increase the risk of developing cancer of the stomach and colon, but they would have to be consumed in large amounts to be considered dangerous. Smoked fish and shellfish have been eaten and enjoyed for centuries and are part of our traditional diet. The best advice I can give you is to eat them in moderation and make sure they are as natural as possible.

Smoked Mackerel with New Potatoes, Young Spinach and Courgette

Serves: 2

Prep time: 30 mins

350g Cornish new potatoes

2 fillets of naturally smoked mackerel

1 medium-sized courgette, peeled into ribbons

A couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed

½ a clove of fresh garlic, finely chopped

A small handful of fresh chives, finely sliced

A small handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1 – 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive or avocado oil

The zest and juice of a lemon

1 teaspoon apple cider vingear

1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of capers

Wash the potatoes and cut into halves or bite-size pieces, depending on the size. Place the potatoes in the steamer and cook until tender (there should only be the slightest resistance when poked with a small knife). This should take about 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and leave on the side to cool down.

Prepare the garlic, courgette, baby spinach leaves, herbs, spring onions and lemon zest and place in a large mixing bowl. Leave the skin on the courgette and try to keep a slither on each each ribbon. Wash and spin dry the baby spinach leaves in a salad spinner, if you have one. Otherwise, gently pat dry with a clean tea-towel.

Next, add the cooked potatoes. Break the fillets of smoked fish into bite-sized chunks and scatter over the rest of the salad ingredients. Just before serving, add the vinegar, lemon juice and oil to each salad. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss the salad with your hands. Taste it. Add more lemon juice, oil and seasoning, if needed. Divide between 2 bowls and serve.