Certain
ingredients are so under-estimated that we seen to forget just how good they
are when perfectly fresh and cooked with a little care and attention.
This week I wandered around the fish market and
noticed that little by little, as we move into the high season, fresh fish
prices are starting to escalate. It’s getting harder and harder to find a
bargain, but there are a few exceptions that are big on flavour and come with a
small price tag. One such ingredient is Mackerel. I know they sometimes get a
bit of bad press, but for me they are always a real treat. Mackerel is a firmed
fleshed, oily fish, very flavoursome and moist with a tender flesh. It has a
distinctive silver-blue skin with dark bands and a
pale belly. Their skin should shine, if it doesn't, don't buy them. Mackerel is a
delicious nutritious and sustainable fish, with intense creamy meat packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
pale belly. Their skin should shine, if it doesn't, don't buy them. Mackerel is a
delicious nutritious and sustainable fish, with intense creamy meat packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
They have been a consistently popular fish throughout
European history. The Romans used mackerel to make garum, a fermented fish
sauce similar to those essential to Thai and Vietnamese cooking today. They are
good grilled, Pan-fried, barbecued or poached in white wine. Stuffed mackerel
is also a popular option. The work well with sweet and sour ingredients along
with mustard, horseradish and curry powder. Due to mackerel's richness, cream
or butter-based sauces are best avoided.
Another fantastic inexpensive treat are fresh
sardines. I know a lot of people refuse to eat them, but they are really
missing out. The humble sardine is great in about 100 different ways, and is also
loaded with Omega-3s and calcium. In addition, some people are turning to
sardines since they are at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, feeding solely
on plankton, you don’t have as many concerns with mercury and other toxins that
can accumulate in larger predator fish like tuna…and they are sustainable.
Sardines are named after Sardinia, the Italian island
where large schools of these fish were once found. They date back to time
immemorial, but it was the emperor Napoleon Bonaparte who helped to popularize
these little fish by initiating the canning of sardines, the first fish ever to
be canned, in order to feed the citizens of the land over which he presided. The
aroma of fresh sardines being grilled over hot coals is one of my all time
favourite cooking smells and they are just delicious coated with olive oil,
garlic and parsley.
FILLET OF MACKEREL WITH BABA GANOUSH
AND A TOMATO, SESAME
VINAIGRETTE
Ingredients: serves
4
4 fillets
of Mackerel (150g each)
Tomato
& Sesame Vinaigrette.
2 tomatoes,
peeled & diced
50ml Olive
oil
1tsp sesame
seeds, toasted
1tbsp fresh
coriander
1tsp preserved
lemons, finely chopped
seasoning
Baba Ganoush (Aubergine Dip)
This smoky, lightly spiced aubergine purée can be
mixed with a little yogurt for a more mellow flavour.
2 large
aubergines
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sesame seeds
pinch ground cumin
Pinch ground white pepper
2tbsp natural yogurt
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
2tbsp Chopped flat leaf parsley
Pinch ground white pepper
2tbsp natural yogurt
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
2tbsp Chopped flat leaf parsley
Preheat the grill to high.
Prick the aubergines with
a fork and grill them, turning
occasionally, until the skin blisters and blackens all
over. When cool, peel off the skin. Leave
the aubergine flesh in a colander for 15 minutes to drain off excess liquid.
Pound the garlic and salt
in a food processor. Add the
aubergine flesh, lemon juice, sesame seeds, cumin, pepper and yogurt. Blend to
a thick purée. Adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a
bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with parsley and
serve.
Vinaigrette.
Mix all the ingredients together and leave to sit for
2 or 3 minutes
To serve:
Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.
Season the fish fillets and fry them skin side down in the hot oil until crisp
and golden brown. Turn over the fillets and place in a moderate oven for 2-3
minutes to finish cooking.
Place a spoonful of baba ganoush in the centre of 4
serving plates. Lay the fish fillets on top and place a spoonful of vinaigrette
over the fish. Serve immediately.
ESCABECHE
OF SARDINES
Ingredients serves
4
12 sardines, cleaned (Gutted, scaled and heads
removed)
50g seasoned flour
200ml olive oil
100ml sherry vinegar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
5 cm strip of Orange Zest
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 fresh bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 dried red chillies
1 teaspoon salt
1 small bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 fresh bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 dried red chillies
1 teaspoon salt
1 small bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Dry the sardines, then dust them in the seasoned
flour. Fry them in half the olive oil for 1 minute on each side, then transfer
to a shallow dish. Add everything except the parsley and the remaining oil to
the pan, bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Add the
parsley and the rest of the olive oil, pour the hot marinade over the sardines
and leave until cold.
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