Buy whole fresh mackerel for this recipe – it’s good value, and a little goes a long way as the meat is rich and oily. It freezes well too.
Ingredients
- 400g potatoes, cut into chunks
- 300g baby beetroot, halved
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 fresh mackerel, filleted or 8 mackerel fillets
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- Handful fresh chives, snipped
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Place the potatoes and beetroot in a roasting tin with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
- 2. When the veggies have been cooking for 20 minutes, prepare the mackerel. Slash along the skin side of the fillets and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan with the lemon zest and fry the fish over a high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until the skin is crisp.
- 3. Put the potatoes and beetroot in a bowl and stir in the lemon juice, crème fraîche and chives. Season and serve with the mackerel.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 532kcals, 35.8g fat (8.3g saturated), 31.4g protein, 22.4g carbs, 6.6g sugar, 0.4g salt
Chef's tip
Fresh mackerel has a texture and flavour similar to sea bass, but is much cheaper to buy. Try roasting slashed whole fresh mackerel in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes until it is just cooked through and serve with cherry tomatoes, fresh rosemary sprigs, lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil and serve with salad and buttered potatoes for a tasty and colourful midweek supper with friends.
Wine Recommendation
A shot of cool, plain vodka is excellent here, but a dry, snappy white wine also fits the bill well. Try French Muscadet.