Mary Berry Smoked Haddock Mousse

Mary Berry’s smoked haddock mousse is a chilled starter made with smoked haddock, soft cheese, mayonnaise and turmeric for colour. From her Complete Cookbook, it serves 6 at just 217 calories per portion, baked at 160°C (140°C fan) for 7 to 10 minutes.

Berry keeps this recipe remarkably simple in the Complete Cookbook (2024), with only six ingredients and no gelatine. The soft cheese and fish fat set the mousse naturally after three hours in the fridge. This produces a texture that’s softer than anything gelatine could achieve.

The turmeric is what sets this apart from Berry’s other fish mousses. It turns the mousse a warm golden colour rather than the usual pale beige. The subtle earthiness pairs well with the smokiness of the haddock.

Mary Berry Smoked Haddock Mousse

Recipe by Pinch PerfectCourse: AppetizersCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

217

kcal

A six-ingredient starter from Berry’s Complete Cookbook that relies on soft cheese rather than gelatine for its set. Serve in small bowls with wholemeal toast. Berry notes the cheese adds enough richness that you don’t need butter.

Ingredients

• 250g (8 oz) smoked haddock, skinned
  

• Juice of ½ lemon
  

• Salt and black pepper
  

• 250g (8 oz) full-fat soft cheese
  

• 2 tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
  

• 1 tbsp turmeric
  

Directions

• Line a baking sheet with a long, wide piece of foil, and place the haddock on it. Sprinkle the fish with the lemon juice, and season with pepper. Bring the long edges of the foil together, and fold to seal. Bring each of the short edges together, and fold to seal, forming a parcel.
  
• Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C (140°C fan, Gas 3) for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked and flakes easily with a fork. Set aside in the foil parcel until cold.
  
• Flake the fish, removing any bones. Place in a food processor or blender, adding any juices left on the foil. Add the cheese, mayonnaise, and turmeric. Season lightly with salt.
  
• Process or blend the mixture until smooth, then check and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  
• Lightly oil the bowls and spoon in the fish mixture. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, when the mixture will be set to a soft mousse.
  
• Serve with a sprig of parsley and slices of plain wholemeal toast (the cheese adds richness so no butter is needed).
  

FAQs

Why does Berry use turmeric in a fish mousse?

Turmeric serves two purposes here. It gives the mousse a warm golden colour that looks more appetising than the grey-beige of plain blended haddock and cream cheese. It also adds a gentle earthiness that complements the smoke.

Berry doesn’t use turmeric in any of her salmon mousses or terrines, which suggests she reserves it specifically for haddock. The pairing makes sense because haddock has a more neutral base flavour than salmon, so it benefits from that extra layer of warmth.

Can I use any smoked haddock for this?

Berry specifies smoked haddock but doesn’t mention whether to use natural or dyed in the Complete Cookbook. For the Smoked Haddock and Egg Mousse in Foolproof Cooking, she specifically calls for “undyed” fillets.

Undyed haddock is a better choice here because the turmeric provides all the colour you need. Dyed haddock would add a second artificial yellow tone that could look unnatural once blended with turmeric. Check the packet carefully, as some supermarkets still default to dyed fillets unless you specifically seek out the natural ones.

How is this different from Berry’s other haddock mousse?

Berry’s Smoked Haddock and Egg Mousse with Caper Vinaigrette from Foolproof Cooking is a more complex recipe. It uses gelatine, boiled eggs folded through, and crème fraîche instead of soft cheese. It also serves 8 and needs ramekins lined with cling film.

This Complete Cookbook version is the simpler one, with just six ingredients and no gelatine. It’s better suited to a midweek dinner party where you want something impressive but don’t want to fuss with gelatine leaves and quail’s eggs.

How far ahead can I make this?

Berry says to chill for at least 3 hours, but you could easily make this a full day ahead. The mousse firms up further overnight, which actually makes it easier to scoop and serve neatly. Keep the bowls covered with cling film so the surface doesn’t dry out.

The Complete Cookbook doesn’t give a specific prepare-ahead window for this recipe. Berry’s smoked salmon mousse from Family Sunday Lunches keeps for up to 2 days. Since both recipes use similar dairy bases, a day ahead is a safe bet for the haddock version too.

What should I serve alongside this mousse?

Berry pairs this with plain wholemeal toast and a sprig of parsley. She specifically notes that the cheese adds enough richness that butter isn’t needed on the toast. That practical, no-fuss approach is typical of the Complete Cookbook’s style.

For a more substantial starter, add a small dressed salad alongside with a squeeze of lemon. Berry often serves her fish starters with mixed leaves and brown bread, which works just as well as toast here. A few capers scattered over the top would echo Berry’s caper vinaigrette from her other haddock mousse.

Can I swap the haddock for another smoked fish?

Smoked trout would work well as a direct swap. Berry uses it with the same soft cheese base in her Three Fish Terrine from the Complete Cookbook, so the technique transfers directly. The technique transfers directly because trout has a similar fat content.

Smoked salmon would also work, though the flavour profile changes significantly. Salmon is richer and fattier than haddock, so you’d end up with something closer to Berry’s smoked salmon mousse. I’d reduce the turmeric to half a tablespoon if using salmon, since the fish already has a strong natural colour.