This is quickly done and delicious–but the mackerel really does need to be fresh.
The incomparable Nigel Slater does a thyme dressing for the tomato salad (see below) and it is the clincher for this combination.
Back in May I bought a couple of “green” tomato plants at the market in Lautrec.
The young woman assured me they would produce beautiful sweet green tomatoes.
“Really?– seems a contradiction in terms.”
“You’ll see!”.
She was right. I’ve been eating my words and the green tomatoes for a couple of weeks now!
I thanked her today at the market after buying the mackerel from the fishmonger.
She said she was pleased I liked them.
“People are reluctant to buy them–obviously not ready–not ripe, they say”.
Worth a try I say–with the zeal of the newly converted!
for 2
2 very fresh mackerel–in fillets
salt and pepper
olive oil
tomatoes for the salad–cut up or sliced as you like (of course you can use RED!)
for the dressing:
1 garlic clove–peeled and pulped with a good pinch of salt
1 tablespoon thyme leaves–chopped
1 lemon–juiced
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
making the dressing:
Pound the thyme leaves with the garlic clove and salt.
Add some pepper.
Mix in the lemon juice,
then the olive oil.
Cooking the mackerel
- Heat the grill to hot.
- Brush the fillets with olive oil and season them well.
- Lay some foil over the grill pan–brush with oil.
- Place the fillets, skin side up, on the foil.
- Place under the grill.
- The skin will start to scorch and bubble–which adds to the flavour.
(Careful not to overdo it though.)
Dress the tomato salad, add the cooked fillets and drizzle the fish with a little more of the dressing.
Robin Ellis 