Smoked fish and tasty vegetables in a creamy sauce nestle under a golden, cheesy, savoury crumble topping. Wonderful warming food for autumn, or any time.
I hadn’t made a savoury crumble for at least 15 years, probably longer. But for some reason, it was exactly what I fancied. Perhaps it’s the nip in the air that signals autumn is on its way? Perhaps the shorter evenings? Whatever it was, a creamy, comforting filling topped with crisp, golden, savoury crumbs was called for.
Retro cuisine
I’ve always thought of savoury crumble as being vaguely retro, although I’ve never quite pinned down which era it belongs to. It seems like it should fall into the wholesome herby whole-food category of the late-60s/early-70s, but I’m sure I never actually ate one until at least the 1980s. Poor thing, the savoury crumble just never seemed to fit in.
Image problems
When I announced what was for dinner, DH muttered something about, “cheesy porridge” which might give some indication of the savoury crumble’s PR problem.
Everyone loves an apple crumble, or a rhubarb crumble, but when you take away the sugar and put the crumbs on top of vegetables or some other savoury filling, then you often get funny looks. Which are entirely undeserved, unless you serve it with custard…
Ingredients in this delicious savoury crumble
To make a scrumptious savoury crumble for dinner yourself – which I very much recommend! – you will need the following ingredients:
- Leeks – milder and sweeter than onions, but still give a lovely depth of flavour
- Spinach – rich in iron and other essential nutrients
- Smoked mackerel – adds a delicious smoky flavour, plus plenty of protein and healthy fats
- Butter, milk and cream – to create a silky sauce to bind everything together
- Oats, flour and butter to make a simple crumble
- Parmesan cheese – to make the topping delicious and golden
- Dried thyme – for a wonderful herby flavour
Savoury crumble – fragrant aromas
My daughter Kipper, who is unaffected by the cultural baggage that surrounds the savoury crumble, was bouncing about, squealing unintelligibly while this was in the oven.
Once I’d persuaded her to calm down and speak in a (more) normal voice, it turned out she was excited about how yummy the dinner smelled as it was cooking. She was right – it smelled delicious!
The proof of the (savoury) pudding!
The savoury crumble didn’t disappoint. Even DH cleared his plate and made approving noises. No need to wait another 15 years to make this again – it was a hit!
This made enough for the three of us and a small portion left over for my lunch the next day. I’d say serves 3-4.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy leek, spinach and smoked mackerel savoury crumble
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 leeks
- 150 g fresh spinach leaves
- 1½ tablespoon butter
- 2½ tablespoon flour
- 100 ml milk
- 150 ml double cream
- 200 g smoked mackerel (approx 3-4 fillets)
For the crumble
- 50 g butter
- 60 g plain flour
- 40 g rolled oats
- 35 g grated parmesan (or similar hard cheese)
- 1-2 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
To make the filling
- 2 leeks, 150 g (5 ⅓ oz) fresh spinach leavesTrim the leeks, wash them well, and cut into 8-10mm (⅓-½ inch) slices. Wash and spin or pat dry the spinach. Remove the stems and discard, and shred the leaves.
- 1½ tablespoon butterMelt 1½ tablespoon butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Saute the leeks for 5 minutes until soft. Add the spinach, cover and allow to wilt. Mix with the leeks.
- 2½ tablespoon flour, 100 ml (3/7 cup) milk, 150 ml (⅝ cups) double creamSprinkle over 2½ tablespoon flour and stir to combine. Gradually stir in the milk, followed by the cream, and mix well. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and allow the sauce to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat.
- 200 g (7 oz) smoked mackerelRemove the skin from the smoked mackerel and flake into large pieces. Stir the mackerel pieces into the leek/spinach mixture. Transfer to a baking dish.
To make the crumble
- 50 g (⅕ cup) butter, 60 g (½ cup) plain flour, 40 g (½ cup) rolled oatsIn a food processor, whizz the butter, flour, and half the oats to give coarse crumbs. (Alternatively, rub in by hand.)
- 35 g (⅓ cup) grated parmesan (or similar hard cheese), 1-2 teaspoon dried thymeAdd the remaining oats, the cheese and the thyme and pulse to just combine. (Or mix well with a spoon.)
- Spread the crumble topping evenly over the filling, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for around 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve at once.
Nutrition
More delicious smoked fish recipes
Other delicious recipes using smoked fish include:
Savoury crumble FAQs
This delicious crumble contains fish (smoked mackerel) so it is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. It can be made vegetarian by swapping the fish for more vegetables or cubed/mashed smoked tofu. The dish contains butter, milk, cream and cheese, so I would not attempt to make a vegan version of this dish.
Both the sauce and the crumble topping use flour, which contains gluten. However you can substitute this for a gluten-free alternative instead. Oats do not contain gluten but may have traces so look out for certified gluten-free brands. Oats also contain a similar protein to gluten called avenin, so may not be suitable for all people with celiac disease.
Yes! Prepare the filling and topping separately, and store in closed containers in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, assemble the crumble in a dish and pop it into a hot oven.
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Delicious.