From the sea

If there is one thing that I love to cook it is fish. It offers such variety and is marvellous for bringing out one's creative instinct. For me fish also makes the perfect way to start a meal. You can excite your diners with something they probably won't cook much of at home (I'm baffled as to why so many people are scared of cooking fish) and uncork a classy white wine to complement it.  Is there a greater pleasure?

The price of fish can be off putting but there are plenty of cheaper options which, if treated with respect, can make dishes fit to grace any table. I'm going to start by looking at the humble mackerel.

The first thing about mackerel is that it really does have to be super fresh, otherwise its texture becomes too soft and its natural oils too fishy. A good fishmonger is therefore essential. Another point worth noting is that mackerel can stand up to strong flavours so it provides the perfect foil to let your creative instincts take over. Be bold!

Mackerel 'masala', roasted sweet potato and cauliflower curry

I want to encourage you to be creative and to use recipes as ideas rather than to slavishly stick to them. To achieve this you need to understand the thought processes behind the dish:

• Curry spices and mackerel go well together
• Cauliflower is an under used vegetable which also goes well with curry flavours
• The sweetness in the sweet potato pulls it all together

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 super fresh mackerel fillets, trimmed into a neat shape and pin boned. About 100g trimmed weight

Garam masala, home made preferably but shop bought okay

1 head of cauliflower

1 large sweet potato  

1 onion

4 or 5 cloves of garlic pounded to a paste using Maldon sea salt

1 large thumb of fresh root ginger, pounded to a paste

4 pieces of fresh turmeric root, pounded to a paste (it really stains your hands for a day or so)

Cumin, coriander, fennel and mustard seeds (about a heaped tsp of each)

Fenugreek, 4 green cardamon pods, black pepper, garam masala

Good quality tin of tomatoes

Nigella seeds (optional)

Method

1. Trim and pin bone the mackerel fillet season with Maldon sea salt. Rub about 1 tsp of garam masala into both sides of the fish. Set aside 
2. Toast the seeds and pods, mix with the ground spices and grind them all together
3. Slowly cook the thinly sliced onions in a mixture of unsalted butter and oil (or ghee if you can get it). Cook until soft, light brown and sweet.
4. Add the ground spice mix to the onions and cook slowly for a few minutes, stirring and taking care that it doesn't burn. Add the ginger, garlic and turmeric pastes. Add the tin of tomatoes, breaking up the whole tomatoes, add some water and simmer to form a curry sauce. Season and balance the flavours of the sauce with just a splash of white wine vinegar. Keep the sauce on a slow simmer, adding water if it becomes too dry
5. Meanwhile roast the cauliflower and the sweet potato. For the cauliflower cut it up into florets and blanch briefly for a couple of minutes. Dry the florets and then coat them with oil, the garam masala mix and salt. Repeat the same procedure for the sweet potatoes also adding some nigella and cumin seeds (optional). On a medium high heat (about 180 degrees C), roast the potatoes for about 35-40 minutes, turning once during cooking and the cauliflower for approximately 15 minutes.
6. When cooked add the roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes to the curry sauce, fold until combined and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Take off the heat
7. Cook the mackerel skin side down in a very hot non-stick frying pan for about two minutes. Flip the mackerel fillet over and remove the pan from the heat. 
8. Place a spoonful of the curry in the centre of a large deep bowl and lay the mackerel across. Garnish with a few fresh coriander leaves.