There was a time when the only tinned fish you’d find in my cupboard was tuna, and it was packed in water at that. Through the years, I’ve grown to love all kinds of jarred and canned seafood – hairy little anchovies, whole silver sardines and rich oily fish fillets.

On nights when I don’t have the energy to cook, I’ll reach for a little can and build a light supper around it with whatever I have on hand, such as sliced vegetables and crackers.

Sometimes, I’ll take it a step further and whip up a little something that uses the canned seafood as the protein: a salad or pasta dish, or a spread like this Smoked Mackerel from “The Grazing Table” by Natalie Thomson.

I thought I was tiring of this board concept, but Thomson, a caterer, food stylist and private chef who lives just outside London, relit my enthusiasm with her cookbook on boards and platters. She wrote it as the board craze was taking off. She watched the fever build for butter boards and “girl dinners” and realized this is how she has been eating for years. She gathers a bit of this and that, what she calls the dregs, from her refrigerator and pantry, and makes supper.

“I did this without realizing it at home. It makes you feel like you’ve got your life put together,” she joked, adding that since she had her son two years ago, she finds herself creating these “grazing boards” as a quick way to get supper on the table even more often.

“When you lay it down together, you get a sense that you’ve really made something,” she said. “You get that quick sense of achievement.

“This isn’t just Saturday night dinner or special occasion when you’ve got friends around,” she said. “This is Tuesday night dinner, Wednesday night with your kids, Saturday and the grandparents are coming over. You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to use this book.”

The boards are also a wonderful way to draw people together, to encourage conversation and interaction, Thomson said. “It’s fascinating how quickly people gravitate to it. I don’t know if it’s just my friends, but people just swarm when you put it out. You get a lot back as a creator when you put food out this way.” She turns just about anything into a board, including breakfast, nachos and poke bowl. The cookbook includes about 60 recipes for whipping up a homemade centerpiece for your board, too.

Because Thomson has created little boards when fending for herself as well as elaborate ones for weddings where 120 people will be grazing, she has insights into building satisfying boards with ease.

“You need to think about the ratios of your main ingredients, such as meats, cheese and breads, to get a good balance,” she said.

When she’s deciding on amounts, she considers whether the board is a snack or a meal and, of course, how many it serves. She offers guidance on selecting boards or surfaces and tips for keeping foods fresh and safe. Among her more general tips:

Work from largest to smallest elements, adding bigger items and then filling in with smaller ones. “It’s quite logical. You can fill in the little gaps and make it all beautiful.”

Slip wax paper under soft, messy cheeses. “Especially if it is a wooden board as well. That white wax paper is beautiful and looks so lovely.”

Get creative with slicing. Some cheese or vegetables can be sliced into sticks, others into wedges.

Include a variety of colors and textures, creamy spreads and crunchy toasted breads. Add a bottle of wine or sparkling water.

If money is tight or the group is small, keep the board on the smallish side so it looks full and festive.

And, if possible, Thomson tries to add one special thing: an uncommon cheese or meat, a surprising pickled vegetable, or edible flowers – an item that might give the diner a new experience and spark conversation – mixed in with foods dining companions know and love.

Before the pandemic, Thomson said, she used to lean into fancier dinner parties for friends. “Now, I’ve realized people want to come over and just want to see you. Being a mom as well, we’re all exhausted and we just want to be together.”

The boards show that, yes, you’ve made some effort, but they’re also casual and welcoming. I was drawn to Thomson’s book because her creations sparked fresh ways to look at the concept of fending for supper. The mackerel recipe resulted in a scrumptious little meal for me and my husband, and the leftover fish spread served was a terrific snack for us the next night. But I’m also going to try this concept for other meals, including a baked potato board, multiple toppings for bruschetta and DIY loaded soups …

And I can’t wait for my next dinner party, because I want to try her dessert boards: the lovely build-your-own eclair, or the make-your-own Pavlova boards, or maybe just that dipping station for mini doughnuts.

“To come out with this whole exciting thing again,” Thomson said of the dessert boards, “it’s lovely for people and brings a lot of joy.”

Smoked Mackerel Pâté Board

Total time: 20 minutes

4 servings (makes 2 cups of pâté)

A smoked mackerel spread with crunchy vegetables and toasted bread can be an appetizer or a quick weeknight meal. This is cookbook author Natalie Thomson’s favorite recipe for what she calls smoked fish pâté. We recommend vegetable options below, but you can use just about any of your favorites. It is best to use vacuum-packed fish or fish canned without oil. If using fish canned in oil, drain and pat it dry before flaking it.

Where to buy: Smoked fish can be found at well-stocked supermarkets and online.

Storage note: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Substitutions: No smoked mackerel? Try this dish with smoked trout.

INGREDIENTS

For the pâté

1/2 cup plain cream cheese, softened or whipped, plus more as needed

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1 teaspoon grated horseradish or 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, plus more as needed

Juice of 1 large lemon, plus more as needed

12 to 13 ounces smoked mackerel fillets, preferably not in oil (see headnote), skin removed

For the board

1 baguette, sliced and toasted

2 celery ribs, sliced as desired

1/2 large red or orange bell pepper, cut into strips

2 radishes, halved or quartered if large

2 Persian or mini cucumbers, halved

Lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Make the pâté: In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and crème fraîche or sour cream until well combined. Add the horseradish and lemon juice and mix well. Taste, and add more lemon and/or horseradish, if needed.

Using a fork or your fingers, flake the mackerel into large pieces and stir it into the cream cheese mixture. The fish will naturally break up as you stir, but try to keep some larger chunks, if possible.

Assemble the board: Place the bowl of the pâté on a cutting board or platter, arrange the bread and vegetables and lemon wedges around it and serve.

Nutritional Facts per serving (1/2 cup of pâté) | Calories: 320, Carbohydrates: 3 g, Cholesterol: 91 mg; Fat: 26 g, Fiber: 0 g; Protein: 19 g; Saturated fat: 12 g; Sodium: 545 mg; Sugar: 2 g.

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