Ingredients
For the main:
jersey royal potatoes
700g
radishes
1 bunch
whole mackerel, gutted and butterflied
4
olive oil
flaky sea salt
small handful of fennel tops, roughly chopped
1
For the dressing:
parsley
1 small bunch
fennel, chopped
2tbsp
capers, chopped
1tbsp
garlic clove, finely grated
1
lemon, zest and juice
½
olive oil
4tbsp
This mackerel doesn’t need much interference, just enough heat to blister the skin and keep the flesh just cooked. Around it, the jersey royals and radishes bring earthiness, pepper and a little bitterness where they catch the grill. The dressing is there to bring things together – not to dominate. It’s easy to overdo fish like mackerel, so it’s better to stay slightly under rather than cook it too far.
Serves
4
| Time60 mins
For the main:
jersey royal potatoes
700g
radishes
1 bunch
whole mackerel, gutted and butterflied
4
olive oil
flaky sea salt
small handful of fennel tops, roughly chopped
1
For the dressing:
parsley
1 small bunch
fennel, chopped
2tbsp
capers, chopped
1tbsp
garlic clove, finely grated
1
lemon, zest and juice
½
olive oil
4tbsp
Serves
4
| Time60 mins
Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender, then drain and steam dry. Clean the radishes and halve any larger ones. Toss the potatoes and radishes with olive oil and salt.
Pat the mackerel dry. Lightly score the skin and season generously with salt.
Put a cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Grill or roast the potatoes and radishes, until the potatoes blister and the radishes soften and char at the edges, about 6-8 minutes. (Allow some of the potatoes to catch and char, the bitterness really helps the dish.) While still warm, toss them with half the fennel so that it wilts slightly.
To cook the mackerel, oil the fish lightly. Fry on the hob in a cast-iron pan over a medium heat (or you can use a very hot overhead grill, or grill over hot embers). Cook the fish for about 3 minutes on the skin side first, then turn over and cook flesh down for 1 minute. The skin should blister and darken, and the flesh should be just opaque.
For the dressing, finely chop the parsley, fennel herb, capers and garlic. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Season to taste – it should be bright, salty and lightly anise-scented and not heavy or creamy.
To serve, spread the warm potatoes and radishes on a plate. Spoon a little dressing through the potatoes so it coats lightly. Lay the grilled mackerel on top and scatter with extra fennel herb. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil.
Ingredients
For the main:
jersey royal potatoes
700g
radishes
1 bunch
whole mackerel, gutted and butterflied
4
olive oil
flaky sea salt
small handful of fennel tops, roughly chopped
1
For the dressing:
parsley
1 small bunch
fennel, chopped
2tbsp
capers, chopped
1tbsp
garlic clove, finely grated
1
lemon, zest and juice
½
olive oil
4tbsp
Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender, then drain and steam dry. Clean the radishes and halve any larger ones. Toss the potatoes and radishes with olive oil and salt.
Pat the mackerel dry. Lightly score the skin and season generously with salt.
Put a cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Grill or roast the potatoes and radishes, until the potatoes blister and the radishes soften and char at the edges, about 6-8 minutes. (Allow some of the potatoes to catch and char, the bitterness really helps the dish.) While still warm, toss them with half the fennel so that it wilts slightly.
To cook the mackerel, oil the fish lightly. Fry on the hob in a cast-iron pan over a medium heat (or you can use a very hot overhead grill, or grill over hot embers). Cook the fish for about 3 minutes on the skin side first, then turn over and cook flesh down for 1 minute. The skin should blister and darken, and the flesh should be just opaque.
For the dressing, finely chop the parsley, fennel herb, capers and garlic. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Season to taste – it should be bright, salty and lightly anise-scented and not heavy or creamy.
To serve, spread the warm potatoes and radishes on a plate. Spoon a little dressing through the potatoes so it coats lightly. Lay the grilled mackerel on top and scatter with extra fennel herb. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil.