Home Cooking Weekend Marinated mackerel with green olive & celery dressing
Mackerel is undoubtedly a British superfood, but it can leave your kitchen full of pungent aromas. One way to avoid that is to lightly pickle it, as I’ve done here. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins plus 1 hr pickling and overnight marinating COOK 5 mins EASY Mackerel As an oily fish, mackerel spoils quickly. Try to buy it from a fishmonger on the day you are going to use it. Look for clear, bright eyes, firm bodies and pink or bright-red gills. Avoid mackerel with dull, wrinkled skin.
2 mackerel, filleted and pin bones removed 1 /2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 150ml olive oil 3 banana shallots, sliced into rings 11/2 tbsp golden caster sugar juice 1/2 lemon 150ml red wine vinegar 10 green olives, pitted and halved 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced at an angle 1 tsp chopped celery leaves lemon wedges and crème fraîche, to serve
1 Lay the mackerel fillets, skinside down, in a shallow dish, then sprinkle with the fennel seeds and 11/2 tbsp flaky salt, making sure you cover the fish evenly. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for 1 hr, then remove, wash off the salt and fennel seeds, and pat the fish dry with kitchen paper. 2 Return the fish to the shallow dish, skin-side up, pour over the olive oil and scatter over the shallots. Put the sugar, lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to the
boil, then pour the hot liquid over the fish. Leave to cool, cover in cling film and put in the fridge to marinate overnight. 3 The next day, remove the fish from the fridge 1 hr before serving to bring it to room temperature, then transfer to a serving plate. Stir in the olives, celery and celery leaves. Leave for a few mins, then serve with lemon wedges and a couple of spoonfuls of crème fraîche. BENEFITS omega-3 • gluten free PER SERVING 638 kcals • fat 58g • saturates 10g • carbs 8g • sugars 8g • fibre 1g • protein 20g • salt 1.8g
Quick-fried runner beans with cheddar & hazelnuts
Easy creamed spinach SERVES 2 PREP 2 mins COOK 6 mins EASY
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp butter over a medium heat. Tip in 200g spinach and wilt for 5 mins until all the liquid from the spinach has evaporated. Add 75ml double cream and 3 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative). Season well and add a little nutmeg, if you like. Serve as a delicious side to smoked haddock. BENEFITS vegetarian • calcium • folate • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 353 kcals • fat 34g • saturates 21g • carbs 1g • sugars 1g • fibre 1g • protein 11g • salt 0.6g
SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 3 mins EASY
In a hot wok or wide-based frying pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Once smoking, add 2 banana shallots, finely sliced lengthways, 200g runner beans, finely sliced, and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add 1 garlic clove, crushed, 1 tbsp hazelnut oil and 40g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped, and fry for a further 30 secs, then remove from the heat. Add zest of 1 /2 lemon, a good twist of black pepper and 50g cheddar, crumbled, and toss together. Serve as a tasty side. BENEFITS vegetarian • calcium • folate • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 382 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 7g • carbs 7g • sugars 7g • fibre 5g • protein 12g • salt 0.5g
Cherry bruschetta MAKES 12 PREP 5 mins COOK 4 mins EASY
Heat the grill to its highest setting. Cut 1 loaf ciabatta into 12 slices, then brush each slice on both sides, with a little extra virgin olive oil. Grill the bread for 2 mins each side. Spread over 100g ricotta. Pit and halve 12 cherries and arrange them on top of the bruschetta with 80g prosciutto. Drizzle over some more olive oil to serve. PER BRUSCHETTA 118 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 1g • carbs 12g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.5g
At their best now
42 BBC Good Food Middle East July 2016
Lettuce Fish & seafood l Mackerel Nettles l New potatoes l Pollock l Peas & sugar snaps l Sardines l Peppers l Sea & river trout l Radishes l Sea bass l Rhubarb l Spider & brown l Runner beans crabs l Samphire l Spinach Meat l Spring onions l New-season lamb l Strawberries l Watercress l l
Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE | Styling LUIS PERAL
Fruit & veg l Asparagus l Aubergines l Beetroot l Broad beans l Carrots (small early ones) l Cauliflower l Cherries l Courgettes l French beans l Globe artichokes l Gooseberries