Mackerel Pâté

Spicy mackerel pâté with bell pepper from Portugal

The Mackerel Pâté from Briosa Gourmet is a spicy mackerel cream made from mackerel, olive oil, bell pepper, and tomato, stirred by hand into a mousse in Figueira da Foz. Not firm canned fish, but a savory spread for bread, crackers, and the aperitif hour.

The Mackerel Pâté from Briosa Gourmet is a delicate mackerel cream from Portugal, made by processing robust mackerel with olive oil, bell pepper, and tomato into a smooth fish mousse. Warm in tone, spicy in flavor, and spreadable on the knife. The bell pepper gives it a soft reddish hue and a mild spice that beautifully frames the hearty mackerel.

Spicy, creamy, warm-toned

The mackerel cream is creamy, spicy, and velvety, with the full tone of the mackerel, which bell pepper and tomato round off warmly.

The color alone whets the appetite: a warm rose-orange that brings to mind sun-ripened bell peppers. It yields immediately on the knife and remains creamy on bread. The mackerel provides strength, the bell pepper brings color and a mild sweetness, and the tomato holds it all together. No sharp notes, just a rounded, hearty spice. This is what the sunny south of Portugal tastes like.

While the salmon cream remains delicate and light, the mackerel version is bolder. A spread for those who enjoy the full flavor of fish and aren't afraid of spice. So boldly seasoned, the small tin is emptied accordingly fast.

For the aperitif, as a dip, on flatbread

Mackerel pâté is perfect on crispy crackers or freshly toasted bread—a dollop is enough.

Serve it as an aperitif with a glass of chilled white wine or a beer, accompanied by a few olives. It looks great on an appetizer platter next to a sardine pâté and a mackerel fillet in olive oil—three tastes of mackerel and the sea on one board.

The cream also works as a dip: stirred smooth with a little cream cheese, served with crunchy vegetable sticks like carrot, cucumber, and red bell pepper. A spoonful on an egg, a dollop in potato salad, and the small starter is ready.

When you have guests, pour the cream into a small bowl, sprinkle some paprika powder over it, and serve with warm flatbread. A good aperitif doesn't require more effort than that, and your table will look inviting right away.

Hand-stirred in Figueira da Foz

Briosa Gourmet is a brand by A Briosa, which has been at home in the fishing port of Figueira da Foz for over 30 years, founded in 1991 by António Faustino on the Portuguese Atlantic coast.

Directly at the port of Cabedelo, the fish arrives fresh and without long transport routes. Diligent hands clean and fillet the mackerel before they are stirred together with olive oil, bell pepper, tomato, and a finely balanced spice blend to create a flavorful cream. Up to 60,000 tins are produced this way in a single day, each wrapped by hand in paper with an azulejo pattern. Mackerel, sardine, and tuna are transformed here into spreadable creams, each with its own unique seasoning.

Briosa Gourmet has been reaching us for many years via the house of Conservas Portugal Norte from Matosinhos, founded in 1912, which has been fostering Portuguese canned fish for over 100 years. The classic brand Porthos also comes from the same house. Browse through more fish preserves from Briosa Gourmet.