Gooseberries cut through the richness of this oily fish and using a blow torch to cook it is extremely fast, convenient and enhances the flavour.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a large sterilised jar with a lid and a silicone mat.
Ingredients
- For the mackerel
-
- 2 whole
mackerel, filleted and pin boned - 6
pickled onions, thinly sliced
- 2 whole
- For the gooseberry chutney
-
- 1 tbsp
olive oil - 1
onion, finely chopped - 2½cm/1in piece fresh root
ginger, peeled and shredded - 1 tbsp soft
brown sugar - 500g/1lb 2oz
gooseberries - generous dash of
ginger wine or cordial - 1 tsp
fennel seeds - 1-2 sprigs
thyme, leaves picked and chopped
- 1 tbsp
- To serve
-
- 2 baby
onions, trimmed and sliced - 200g/7oz
crème fraîche - 2 tbsp fresh
chives
- 2 baby
Preparation method
-
For the mackerel, place mackerel fillets on a baking tray and lay the pickled onions over the top. Use a chef’s blow torch to cook the fish and onions. Alternatively cook under a very hot grill for 2-3 minutes.
-
For the gooseberry chutney, heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add in the onion and fry gently until softened, approximately three minutes. Then add in the ginger and sprinkle over the sugar.
-
Cook gently, stirring often, for two minutes. Add the gooseberries and the ginger wine or cordial. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then until the mixture has thickened into a chutney.
-
Stir in the fennel seeds and thyme leaves in the final minutes of cooking. Transfer the hot chutney into a warm, sterilised jar. Cool and seal the lid.
-
To serve, place the mackerel on serving plates and serve with the chutney and a few slices of baby onions. Mix the chives and crème fraîche and serve alongside.