Barbecued mackerel with fennel and orange salad recipe
Mackerel is the perfect barbecue fish as the smell can linger in the house for days. Fabulously good for you, you must buy the freshest fish – straight off the boat if you’re holidaying on the coast is your best bet. As mackerel is so high in oil, which is why it’s such a healthy choice, it does go off quickly.
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus marinating time Cooking Time: 15 minutes Serves 4
4 ultra-fresh mackerel, scaled, gutted and heads removed
2 fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 oranges, peeled and segmented
3tbsp olive oil
juice 1 lemon
1 First you need to get the bone out of the mackerel. Slit down the belly with a sharp knife. Put the fish skin side up on a chopping board, flatten it with the back of your hand, then turn it over. Gently pull out the backbone – you’ll be amazed how easily it comes out – and snip it off at the tail end. With tweezers or (clean) pliers, remove any remaining bones. Brush lightly with oil, season and place on an oiled fish grill and barbecue for a few minutes each side or until cooked through.
2 Mix together the fennel and orange segments with the olive oil, lemon juice and some seasoning. Serve with the fish.
Per serving: 521cals, 36g fat, 7g saturated fat, 14g carbohydrate
w&h TIP To segment an orange, remove the top and base with a serrated knife, place on a chopping board, then remove the skin, moving around the orange and cutting off any pith. Carefully hold the orange in the palm of your hand and over a bowl, cut out the segments of flesh between the skin. Work your way around the fruit. Any excess juice can be used with the fennel together with the lemon juice, or chill it for drinking.
