Janey mackerel – why now's the time to make the most of this fish

It’s that time of year again when the mackerel are almost jumping ashore themselves, asking for directions to the nearest hot pan. Enthusiastic fishing trips have meant that my fridge is bursting with shimmering skinned fillets.

I usually stick to simple and safe when it comes to fish as beautifully fresh as this but when you have a huge amount of mackerel it’s fun to play around with flavours too. For a very speedy supper I usually paint the fillets with a layer of Dijon mustard and grill them, served with new potatoes and a green salad.

You could baste them in harissa paste too and serve on a bed of herb packed couscous.

Or I pan-fry the mackerel and serve with some piquant pickled beetroot to balance the oily fish. Horseradish sauce is divine with it too. Ginger is always delicious with fish and can stand up to the oiliness of mackerel. Paired with lime juice and soy sauce, it’s a winning combination.

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To keep with the maritime theme of this dish I’ve sliced the aubergine in half lengthways, making little boats to sit on the plate alongside the fish. The textures are great together especially with some crunchy toasted sesame seeds and a few bursts of freshness from the herbs. I serve it all with a snowball of sticky sushi rice. I use a wet ice cream scoop to serve the rice. Noodles would be perfect to serve alongside it too.

There may seem like a long list of ingredients in this recipe but really the marinade and dressing list is very similar using the same ingredients, many that are pantry staples. This is really delicious, fuss-free food that tastes so much better than a takeaway and is much cheaper, especially if you know someone that enjoys going fishing.

Grilled mackerel with aubergine boats

Serves 4

For the marinade:
400g mackerel, about 8 fillets
2tsp finely grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
4 aubergine
3 tbsp. olive or avocado oil

For the dressing:
1 tbsp. sunflower or avocado oil
1 tbsp. sesame seed oil
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Juice of ½ lime
1 tbsp. maple syrup or honey
1 tsp. very finely diced fresh ginger
¼ tsp finely chopped red chili
1 tsp finely chopped coriander

To serve
Sesame seeds, fresh coriander and freshly cooked white rice.

Method
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large Ziploc bag. Add the mackerel fillets and ensure they are evenly covered in the marinade. Place in the fridge for half an hour at least.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Halve the aubergine lengthways. With a knife, score a criss-cross pattern on to the flat of the aubergine. Rub some olive oil over each flat side and place on a roasting tray cut side up. Roast for 30-35 minutes until golden and the black skin is collapsing on the outside. Set aside.

Heat the grill and line a baking tray with foil. Lay the mackerel skin side up on the tray.

Grill for five minutes then turn the fillets over. Baste with any remaining marinade and grill for a further five minutes.

Finally make the dressing. Place all of the dressing ingredients into a jam jar and shake well to combine. Taste for seasoning adding more acid or sweetness if you feel it needs it.

To serve, divide the mackerel between four plates. Add an aubergine boat and a scoop of rice to each plate. Scatter with fresh coriander and sesame seeds and drizzle with the dressing. Serve right away.