Mackerel With Onions And Capers Food

SOUSED MACKEREL WITH CRèME FRAîCHE & CAPERS

Steps:

• Put the vinegar, 300ml water, carrot, red onion, allspice berries, peppercorns, cloves, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a pan and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for 10 mins until the carrot is just cooked, then take off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Lay the mackerel fillets, flesh-side down, in a shallow dish and pour the sousing liquid on top, allow everything to cool, then cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 24 hrs.
• The following day, drain the mackerel fillets from the liquid and cut into slices. Toast the rye bread, then pile a few mackerel slices on top with a dollop of crème fraîche and a scattering of capers, chopped red onion and chives.

PAN-SEARED MACKEREL WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND THYME

Steps:

• Season mackerel with salt, black pepper and paprika. Let fillets rest at room temperature while preparing vegetables.
• Set a large skillet over medium heat and add 5 tablespoons oil. Then add leeks, carrots, bell peppers and thyme, cooking them until they soften, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, stirring gently, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add wine and cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and sherry vinegar, then transfer to one side of a serving platter.
• Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, add remaining oil, and set over high heat. When oil is hot, add mackerel in one layer, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, until fish is cooked through. Add fillets to platter and spoon vegetables on top of fish.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH ESCALIVADA & TOASTS

Steps:

• Heat the grill as hot as it will go. Line the grill pan or a large baking tray with foil. Using a potato peeler, remove most of the skin from the peppers, then remove the seeds and slice into 1cm strips. Toss with the onion and 1 tbsp oil, then grill for 15 mins, stirring halfway, until soft and charring here and there.
• Cut the aubergines into 1cm half moons and brush sparingly with 2 tbsp oil. Lay the slices over the peppers, season well, then grill for 5 mins until golden. Turn the aubergines over, scatter with the lemon zest and rosemary, then grill for 5 mins more until golden and soft in places. Stir the capers and the lemon juice into the vegetables. Season and set aside. Make and chill up to 3 days ahead; the flavours will intensify as it matures. Make sure you serve it just warm, with the parsley folded through it.
• For the toasts and fish, mix the rosemary, crushed garlic, oil and some seasoning. Brush half of this over one side of the ciabatta slices. Mix the chilli into the remainder, then brush over the fish and let it marinate for anything from 5 mins to 1 hr in the fridge. Grill the fish, skin-side up (or barbecue skin-side down), for 4-5 mins, depending on the thickness of flesh, until just cooked through and the skin is crisp. Grill the bread until sizzling and golden. Top the toasts with the escalivada, followed by the fish, and serve with another drizzle oil, if you like.

MACKEREL WITH ONIONS AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cut onions in half lengthwise. Place each half cut side down on a flat surface and cut onions into very thin slices. There should be about 3 cups.
• Heat one tablespoon of the oil and one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan. Add onions and cook, stirring fairly often, about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Add wine and cloves and cover closely. Bring to the boil and let cook over low heat about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the milk in a flat dish and add salt and pepper. Put the fillets in the milk and turn. Let stand until ready to use.
• Sprinkle the flour on a flat surface. Lift the fillets from the milk, one at a time, and shake off excess milk. Do not pat dry. Dip the fillets in the flour to coat well on both sides. Shake off excess.
• Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a skillet large enough to hold the fillets in one layer and when it is quite hot add the fillets, skin side up. Cook on one side over moderately high heat 3 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook on the other side about 3 minutes. Tilt the pan and baste the fillets occasionally as they cook.
• Arrange the fillets on a serving dish and spoon an equal portion of the onion mixture over each fillet.
• Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet and cook, shaking the skillet vigorously around and around until the butter starts to brown and takes on a hazelnut color.
• Add the vinegar and pour the mixture over the onion-topped mackerel. Sprinkle with parsley and capers and serve immediately.