More from the sea....

Having made a start with my blog, I have found myself short of that valuable commodity, time. Not for cooking, there has been lots of that, but for writing.  I hope to make amends now.  After a promising start with my mackerel recipe, I thought a move from fish to something else wouldn't make any sense. Whilst the purpose of this blog isn't merely to create a mini cookbook, years of studying these have taught me that categorising food is actually an essential process in giving one the necessary understanding to be creative.  Surely the aspiration of anyone who really wants to learn how to cook is to gain a knowledge and understanding of food so that cookbooks are no longer viewed as set of instructions but more as a source of inspiration? This is what my blog ultimately sets out to achieve.

Let us continue with mackerel and have a quick look at an alternative cooking method that works well with oily fish, pickling. Now this might appear in several different names such as soused, an escabeche of or marinated mackerel, and there are subtle differences, but the principle of pre-salting the fish and preserving it in an acidulated liquid remains constant.  My own personal favourite is mackerel escabeche, a timeless classic. St John's pickled mackerel was the best version that I've eaten in a restaurant with a faultless balance of sweetness and piquancy.

This is my take on mackerel escabeche, a perfect starter for a long lazy lunch, and that includes Christmas day, as it can be prepared the day before. It also lends itself well to a 'family service'. Whilst not exactly 'London food' (if at all), the principle of the best british produce partnered with global cultural influences remains true!

Mackerel escabeche

1. Find the freshest possible mackerel. Fillet (your fish monger will do this for you), pin-bone and trim the fish into neat even sized portions.  Allow about 100g per person for a starter. Cover the mackerel with a generous amount of sea salt and set aside in the fridge for one hour. This pre-salting firms up the flesh which is essential in achieving the desired texture.
2. Thinly slice onions, carrots, fennel and orange using a mandolin.  Lay these out to cover the base of a large, flat ceramic dish.
3. Prepare the pickling liquid. Here is where you can be a little bit creative, but the end result must have that 'just right' piquancy and appropriate aromatics - it is going to be the sauce after all! My suggestion is: Good quality red wine vinegar, freshly squeezed orange juice (from a carton is okay) in a ratio of about 3 (vinegar): 2 (orange). This should be balanced with sugar to achieve that 'just right' piquancy. This can only be done through tasting.  The aromatics I use are coriander and fennel seed, white pepper, garlic, thyme and bay.  Bring the pickling liquid to the boil and set aside
4. Remove the excess salt from the mackerel by running under cold water.  Pat the mackerel dry. Heat a non stick frying pan and gently cook the mackerel for about 30 seconds on each side. Remove the mackerel fillets and lie skin side up on top of the sliced vegetables and orange.   
5. Pour the still hot pickling liquid over the fish and vegetables. Cover and leave to cool to room temperature. If using later place in the fridge, removing it about an hour before serving. 

Variations

A dish that was on the menu at one of my supperclubs; 

Escabeche of mackerel, spiced tomato and preserved lemon compote, black olive tapenade

With this dish the mackerel wasn't pan-cooked first so strictly speaking this isn't an escabeche and is more of a souse. The spices used in the tomato and preserved lemon compote are a Moroccan blend called ras-el-hanout and cayenne pepper.

Last words on mackerel..

• It must be really really fresh to enjoy it at its best
• It stands up well to strong flavours so be bold!
• It can cope with different cooking methods such as pan-frying, pickling and flame grilling. The latter method being one of London's best signature dishes at the two michelin starred Ledbury, which I vow to try one day!

One more dish...

Pan-fried mackerel, roasted romano peppers, romesco sauce, dry-roasted hazelnuts

Romesco is a classic spanish sauce which goes well with lots of things. There are lots of recipes on line so I won't bore you with the details. Instead I'll leave you with a picture. Happy cooking...