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Overhead white bowl of flaked smoked mackerel, ruby beet wedges, potatoes and arugula on a wooden table

Smoked Mackerel and Beet Salad Bowl with Dill Yogurt

A 30-minute bowl of hot-smoked mackerel, beets, warm potatoes, and arugula with horseradish yogurt. Serves 4, and the parts keep 3 days for lunches.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: European-inspired
Calories: 236
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bowls
  • 400 g baby potatoes halved
  • 1 tsp fine salt for the potato water
  • 400 g cooked beets vacuum-packed, plain, cut into wedges
  • 300 g hot-smoked mackerel fillets 2 to 3 fillets, skin removed
  • 100 g arugula
  • 200 g cucumber 1 medium, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • 80 g radishes about 6, thinly sliced
  • 30 g red onion about 1/4 small, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp capers drained
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped, plus a few fronds
  • 1 lemon 1 tbsp juice for the dressing, the rest cut into wedges
For the horseradish yogurt dressing
  • 150 g plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Put the potatoes in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan, cover with cold water by 2.5 cm / 1 inch, and add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 12 minutes, until a knife slides into a potato with no resistance.
  2. While the potatoes cook, whisk the yogurt, horseradish, olive oil, Dijon, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a small bowl. It should fall off the spoon in a thick ribbon. Taste and add more horseradish if you want more heat.
  3. Slice the cucumber, radishes, and red onion. Flake the mackerel into chunks about 3 cm / 1 inch wide, checking for pin bones as you go. Cut the beets into wedges, pat them dry, and keep them separate.
  4. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry in the colander for 2 minutes. Toss them with about 3 tbsp of the dressing while they're still warm.
  5. Divide the arugula among 4 bowls. Arrange the potatoes, cucumber, radishes, onion, and mackerel in sections, then place the beets last in their own spot. Spoon over the remaining dressing, scatter the capers and dill, and squeeze a lemon wedge over each bowl. Serve within 30 minutes.

Notes

  • Buy plain vacuum-packed beets, not pickled, or the dressing turns sharp.
  • Salt the potato water well, since the mackerel and capers add salt later.
  • Add the beets last and keep them apart to avoid a pink bowl.
  • Assemble within 30 minutes of eating so the arugula stays crisp.