Mackerel
June 8, 2010
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Our first starter on the new summer menu is saffron orange soused mackerel, gooseberries, crisp bread wrap, Arran mustard & oxalis.
With its sparkling, silvery belly and iridescent blue-grey stripes, the mackerel is an eye-catching fish, almost showy. It’s bound to be the subject of enviously dismissive gossip amongst shoals of less flashy sardine and cod.
The mackerel isn’t a delicately flavoured fish and its richness doesn’t always lend itself well to a simple ‘lemon and herbs’ pairing. But given the right treatment it is a fantastically moist, flavoursome fish that makes an inexpensive and very healthy meal.
The mackerel has 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.
The mackerel is an oceanic fish that swims in very large shoals. The variety Scomber scombrus is a common fish in North Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. Several other varieties are found in the Indo-Pacific and are an important food source in Thailand and the Phillippines.
Health experts recommend eating at least one serving of oily fish, such as mackerel, each week. Mackerel is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Look for mackerel with shiny bodies and bright eyes. They should be firm-feeling and rigid; fresh mackerel won’t droop if held horizontally by the head. The freshest specimens are likely to be found in good fishmongers or markets. After buying mackerel be sure to keep it cool until you get home.
Ask your fishmonger to gut the fish. At home, wash under cold running water and pat dry before cooking. Baking, grilling, barbecuing, or pan-frying are excellent cooking methods. To check if mackerel is cooked, slit the fish at the thickest part with a small knife: the flesh should appear just opaque but still moist.
Due to mackerel’s richness, cream or butter-based sauces are best avoided. A spicy treatment works well, as does matching with something sharp. Gooseberry or rhubarb sauces are traditional accompaniments, or try experimenting with citrus flavours such as ortanique or pomelo.
