Salt Grilled Mackerel Food

WHOLE GRILLED MACKEREL

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 3 or 4 seconds). Using a sharp knife, make a few slashes in skin on both sides of fish. Open fish like a book. Season inside with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Thinly slice 1 lemon; arrange lemon and thyme sprigs over 1 side of fish. Close fish, and rub oil all over skin.
• Grill fish until skin is charred on 1 side, about 10 minutes. Carefully turn fish; cover, and cook until flesh inside is opaque, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer fish to a platter, and open like a book. Drizzle with oil and juice from remaining lemon.

SALT-BROILED MACKEREL

Steps:

• Slash the skin side of the fish about 1/4-inch deep, at 1-inch intervals. Put it on a rack set over a sink or bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt on both sides (you should use at least 1 teaspoon per side for each fillet). Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat the broiler, with the heat source within 4 inches of the broiling rack. Put a grate or rack on a sturdy pan (lined with aluminum foil, if you like, to ease cleanup) and heat it for about 5 minutes. Rinse the fillets and pat them dry.
• When the pan is hot, put the fillets on the rack, skin side up. Broil, carefully turning once about 3/4 of the way through cooking, until the fish is opaque and the tip of a knife flakes the thickest part easily, no more than 10 minutes. Carefully remove the fillets with a spatula and serve, skin side up, with lemon wedges and soy sauce.

SALT-GRILLED SPANISH MACKEREL

Steps:

• Rinse each of the fish steaks under fresh cold water, then pat them dry. Let the fish marinate in the rice wine for 5 to 10 minutes, turning the fish once halfway through.
• Preheat your broiler to the highest setting possible, or if you are grilling outdoors, make sure your coals are burning hot.
• Remove the fish from the marinade, and very lightly salt the flesh on both sides. Salt the surrounding skin a bit more generously. Place the fish on a rack set over a foil-lined tray, or use disposable foil broiling pans for easier cleanup. If you are broiling outdoors, you may wish to lightly oil the rack on which the fish will be laid. Broil the fish for 6 to 7 minutes, or until it is opaque and slightly browned around the edges. Flip the fish with a large metal spatula, and broil for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.
• Cut the lemon into 4 wedges, and serve each piece of fish with one of them. The Japanese typically serve a small mound of grated radish to the side of the fish. Each person then dribbles some soy sauce over the radish and spread this mixture on the fish just before conveying it to the mouth. If you wish to follow suit, drain the grated radish of excess liquid before mounding it on the plates.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH TOASTED GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat and oil the grates with a brush or towel.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the smashed garlic.
• Make 3 deep cuts on each side of the fish. Season fillets generously with salt and pepper. Place flesh side-down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fish over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from grill and brush with some of the garlic butter (about 2 tablespoons).
• Squeeze 1/2 of a lime over each fillet and serve immediately.

GRILLED MACKEREL FILLETS

Steps:

• Mix all the marinade ingredients, then pour over the fish. Set aside for 20 mins.
• For the salad, combine the sesame oil, lime juice, soy, honey and sweet chilli to make a dressing, then toss with the leaves.
• Grill the marinated mackerel under a hot grill for 5 mins, basting two or three times with any excess marinade, until the flesh begins to flake. Slice and serve with the dressed salad leaves.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH SWEET SOY GLAZE

Steps:

• Score the mackerel fillets a couple of times on the skin, then lay them in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with the lime zest and juice, and leave to marinate for 5-10 mins.
• Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small pan with a splash of water and gradually bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 mins to thicken slightly, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Turn the grill to its highest setting and place the mackerel on a greased baking tray, skin side up. Sprinkle the fillets with the olive oil and some sea salt, then grill for 5 mins until the flesh is opaque and cooked through.
• Divide bok choi between plates, lay 2 mackerel fillets on top, drizzle with the sauce and serve with a wedge of lime.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH SOY, LIME & GINGER

Steps:

• To make the marinade, mix all the ingredients together and pour over the mackerel. Cover and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat grill and put the mackerel, skin-side up, on a baking sheet lined with foil. Grill for 5 mins, then turn and baste with remaining marinade. Grill for 5 mins more.
• Cook the rice following pack instructions, then drain and toss with the spring onions and pepper. Serve with the mackerel.

CHERMOULA-MARINATED MACKEREL

Steps:

• Pound the ingredients for the filling together using a pestle and mortar. Make 3 diagonal incisions along both sides of each mackerel, then push in the filling. Chill for up to 2 hrs before cooking.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the chermoula, place the garlic, spices, lemon juice, coriander and a pinch of sea salt into a blender. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending.
• Brush the mackerel with a little olive oil on both sides, then place on a hot griddle or frying pan and sear for 2 mins on each side. Carefully transfer to an oven tray and bake for about 10 mins, or until the mackerel is cooked through. Drizzle with some of the chermoula and serve with the Carrot, olive & lemon couscous (recipe, below), lemon wedges and the remaining chermoula on the side.