Mackerel with a Cucumber, Radish and Red Onion Pickled Salad
This recipe works well as both a fresh, summery starter or a lighter lunch dish, served with a good sourdough and well chilled bottle of dry white.
Spanking fresh mackerel needs little intervention, with barbecuing being the exception. The smoky charred flavour it imparts works well with oily fish, and at the opposite end of the scale the bright clean flavours of cucumber pepped up with a sweet pickle dressing brokers the ensemble.
The skin of oily fish is not only delicious but packed with omega-3, so it makes sense to cook the fillets in a way which will produce crispy skin; if barbecuing isn’t an option then pan frying would be the next best thing.
Ingredients
(serves 4 as a starter)
4 x small mackerel fillets
1 x large cucumber
1 x red onion
12 x radish – about three per person
50g caster sugar
50ml white wine vinegar
Pinch of sea salt and a few twists of black pepper
6 x fresh mint leaves
The pickle dressing for the salad can be made in advance, but only dress the salad at the last minute to keep the vegetables crisp and crunchy.
Bruise the mint leaves and combine with the dressing ingredients in a small pan. Warm together over a low heat to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer then set to one side to cool.
Using a potato peeler, shave the cucumber into long ribbons, rotating it as you go to leave behind the seeds in a central column.
Slice the radish thinly and add it to the cucumber. Peel and halve the onion, and slice as thinly as possible. Toss together with the cucumber and radish.
When you are ready to eat, season the skin side of the mackerel and pan fry skin-side-down over a medium heat in a little vegetable oil, pressing firmly on the flesh for the first minute of frying to prevent it from curling.
Whilst the mackerel is finishing off, remove the mint from the dressing and toss together with the salad ingredients.
Spoon on to plates and serve topped with the mackerel.