Stokes Sauces: Fish Friday - the magic of Mackerel

Marvellous Mackerel

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-mackerel

As well as being rich in Omega 3, Mackerel is rich in taste. It is too often overlooked in favour of simpler looking fish such as cod loins and salmon steaks.

It is easy to cook and in so many different ways - baked, grilled, barbecued, pan-fried. It also makes great fishcakes and burgers.

Our friends at Great British Chefs have an excellent guide to Mackerel - how to buy it, fillet it, cook it. It makes an elegant dinner party plate as easily as it does a casual supper or simple lunch.

This Mackerel has been pan fried and is dressed in a salad of cucumber, spring onion, Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce, lime juice (lots) and olive oil. If you want a crispier skin, pop the fish skin side up under a hot grill. It takes practically no time to cook.

Baked Mackerel
& Leek Ratatouille

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

Here's how:

This shows just how easy it is to bake a whole Mackerel. Your fishmonger or the fish counter will have prepared the fish .

The fish won't take long to cook so get the ratatouille under way first. Simply simmer leeks, carrots, pepper, fennel and tomatoes in a little vegetable stock with 2 tbsp of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup.

Let the vegetables soften and the stock reduce for 20 to 30 minutes.

Cut the fins and tail off the fish (1 each for a good main course) and stuff the cavity with grapes, then put them in an ovenproof dish with 250 ml of white wine. Put the dish in the oven at 200°C/Gas mark 6.

And that's it - truly delicious.

Soba Mackerel Salad

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/cooking-sauces

Here's how:

Take a 140 g pack of hot smoked Mackerel. Remove the skin and tear the fish into large pieces and set it aside.

Cook about 180 g of Soba noodles to the pack's instructions, then stop them cooking by running cold water through the sieve. Drizzle them with sesame or vegetable oil and set these aside also.

For the dressing, mix 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce, 1 tbsp of brown sugar, 1 garlic clove (grated) and 1 inch of ginger (grated). Mix this together and then, you guessed it, set this aside too.

Now, slice 2 courgettes very thinly with a peeler then cut the ribbons into 2 inch pieces. In a hot wok with sesame or vegetable oil and 2 tsp of roasted sesame seeds, cook the courgette until it browns then add 2 or 3 finely sliced spring onions and the noodles to warm through. Pour over the dressing and fold in the Mackerel then serve.

Mackerel Escabeche

An escabeche is popular in Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine. It lightly pickles the fish in a marinade of either vinegar or, as in this case, citrus juice. It adds a fragrance to the fish and can be served hot or slightly chilled.

You'll need:

1 garlic clove, grated
1 onion,thinly sliced
1 fennel, thinly sliced
1 or 2 carrots,ditto
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of sugar
2 tbsp of coriander seeds
2 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard
300 ml of fruity white wine (Riesling)
150 ml of orange juice
2 tbsp of cider vinegar
The zest and juice of 1 lime
2 small or 1 large mackerel fillets each

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/traditional-condiments

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Sweat the onion, carrot, fennel and garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes then add the mustard, sugar and bay leaves for 2 minutes more.

Now add the wine, orange and lime juice, zest and vinegar. Bring this up to the boil and simmer gently for 6 or 7 minutes.

Put the Mackerel in a shallow ovenproof dish, skin up, and pour over the marinade. Now into the oven with it for just 5 or 6 minutes as it poaches and bakes at the same time.

The Food Lovers Collection