Fishy recipe – Devilled Mackerel with tomato and onion salad

Devilling food is not a new thing - in fact this English tradition goes back at least a couple of centuries. The ingredients for what may seem to be a bit of an Indian recipe does include essentially British flavourings; mustard, cayenne, pepper and vinegar. This coating/marinade compliments this oily fish perfectly and sits very well with the salad to make an ideal light summer dish, cooked either under a grill or over barbeque coals.

SERVES 4 Mackerel (one per person - gutted and cleaned) 40g Butter 1 tsp Caster Sugar 2 tsp Salt 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar A mixture of spices: English mustard powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground coriander, black pepper(about 1 tsp of each according to taste. METHOD 1. Pre-heat the grill to high or wait for the barbeque coals to turn white 2. Slash the skin of the mackerel at intervals on both sides without cutting too deeply into the flesh 3. Melt the butter then stir in the sugar, mustard, cayenne, coriander, paprika, vinegar, pepper and salt, mixing them well 4. Now coat the mackerel rubbing the marinade into the cuts and the cavity of the fish

5. Grill or barbeque (taking care not to allow the skin to stick and tear off) for approximately 4 minutes on each side until the fish is cooked through This is adapted from a Rick Stein recipe and he serves devilled mackerel with a tomato and onion salad but if you prefer just to grill your mackerel without the spices, then try a tomato and chilli salsa to give the dish a kick. FOR THE TOMATO AND ONION SALAD 8oz Vine-ripened Tomatoes ½ Red Onion A little chopped Mint 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice FOR THE TOMATO AND CHILLI SALSA ½ Red Onion 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 red and I green chilli, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, skinned and diced 1 tblsp each of red and yellow pepper, finely diced Chopped coriander Olive oil

TIP As with any fish, mackerel can be a little bony so an appreciation of the skeletal structure of the fish can increase the enjoyment of eating it. I suggest that the flesh can be drawn away from the bones by inserting a knife laterally down the flank of the fish and pushing the knife and therefore the flesh towards the back or belly of the fish leaving the bones in place. Enjoy! Gianlucca Bazooka