Pan-fried mackerel and caramelised radicchio with crushed butter beans

Portion size: Serves 2
Prep time 15 min . Cook time 20 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Emily Gussin

Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

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Rich, oily mackerel stands up to sweet and bitter caramelised radicchio beautifully. Add a bed of creamy, lightly crushed butter beans and you have an elegantly simple supper for two.

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Before you start

Unwrap the fish before you start cooking anything else. Dab it dry and let it breathe – this will help achieve crisp skin and a delicate texture to the fish.

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Ingredients

2½ tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp carraway seeds
570g jar butter beans
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 head radicchio or 2 chicory bulbs, halved lengthways
1 tsp soft brown sugar
2 mackerel fillets
1 tsp capers
1 tsp cider vinegar
Small handful parsley, chopped, to serve (optional)

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Method

Heat ½ tbsp oil in a medium saucepan, then add the onion and carraway seeds with a pinch of salt. Cook for 6 minutes until softening. Tip in the butterbeans with their liquid and add the mustard. Bring to a simmer, then leave to bubble gently while you cook everything else.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based non-stick frying pan and add the radicchio/chicory, cut-side-down. Cook over a medium heat for about 3 minutes until golden. Flip over and cook for another 3 minutes. Sprinkle the cut side of the chicory with the sugar, then turn over to cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate and cover with an upturned plate to keep warm.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the frying pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the mackerel and add to the pan skin-side-down. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin is golden and the edges of the fish are turning opaque. Add the capers to one side of the pan. Flip over and cook for another minute until cooked through.
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Crush some of the beans to thicken the sauce, then season with salt, pepper and the vinegar. Serve topped with the mackerel, radicchio/chicory, crispy capers and parsley.