Baked Mackerel with Fennel and Lemon

This week is truly a week of firsts; so far you’ve witnessed my first fair weather soup and now you are being treated to my first mackerel recipe of the summer. Mackerel is probably the commonest fish found in British seas – they are so simple to catch once midsummer rolls in. I’ll admit that it isn’t yet mackerel season and that I didn’t catch this particular specimen myself, but mackerel is reasonably plentiful all year round if one has a boat. Indeed, this fish, which is more than enough for one hungry customer, cost exactly £1 and was of a rather fetching quality. In actual fact, as you might imagine, it played the main role in this lunch which turned out to be, unequivocally, the best fish dish I’ve ever eaten. You may call me big-headed, but I’m simply stating the facts. That reminds me, never buy “fresh” fish from Spanish supermarkets.

Fennel leaf, a herb similar to, but a little stronger in flavour than dill, is the perfect accompaniment for a fish like baked mackerel. You see, it is a fish rich in oils and relatively strong in flavour, so the pleasantly pungent aroma of the fennel is well-matched. You’ll be glad to know that the fennel was hand-picked during a walk my mother, grandfather, sister and I took on Father’s Day. The wild plant was so fresh and green that it was practically begging to be picked – so I took plenty of it and none has gone to waste.

I always say that fish ought to be cooked simply, since it is a meat that needs to be showcased. Never, when preparing a fish supper, should one disguise the delicate taste of the main event with a superfluity of flavours and spices – it simply isn’t necessary. As such, it seemed rather apt, given this mantra, to bake the fish in a light and subtle sauce. Indeed, the richness afforded by the wine, coupled with the wonderful aroma of cooked lemon and garlic worked wonders with the fennel, creating a thin gravy worthy of anyone’s bread. If you’ve never before experienced mackerel, this is the dish with which to begin; it is both simple and effective.

Baked Mackerel with Fennel and Lemon {recipe}

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized mackerel, gutted

• A generous handful of fresh fennel leaves

• The juice and flesh of half a lemon

• A generous glug of white wine

• 1 clove of garlic

• Sea salt

• Pepper

• Olive oil

Method:

1. Arrange the fennel in a frying pan and place the mackerel on top. Splash over a little white wine and the lemon juice, before stuffing the fish with the lemon flesh. Season and slather with a little olive oil. Wrap the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 180C.

2. Remove the foil and grill for another 10 minutes until browned, be careful not to burn or overcook the fish. Pull each fillet away from the spine of the fish and serve with a little sourdough bread. Don’t forget to mop up those juices.

Cost: As already mentioned, the mackerel was extremely cheap, a trait exacerbated by the fact that this dish, with bread, would easily provide lunch for two. Not only that, but fennel leaf is easily found and one often has a little left-over white wine sauntering around one’s house. All in all, this dish should set one back around £1.50. However, it is made even more financially appealing by the frugal characteristics described above.