Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 bacon
- 2 mackerel
- 1 fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 g fennel seeds
- 100 ml white wine
- 50 ml vermouth
- 150 g gooseberries
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 g dill, fresh sprigs
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 755 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 49 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1013 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 25 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 124 mg
- Potassium
- 1404 mg
- Calcium
- 182 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 147 mg
- Phosphorus
- 562 mg
- Zinc
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 146 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 19.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 94 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 10.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.41 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.56 mg
- Niacin
- 16.1 mg
- Folate
- 52 mcg
- Water
- 321 g
- Alcohol
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 30ml olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry 3 slices of bacon for 2 minutes per side until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving the fat in the pan.
Score the skin of 2 mackerel fillets. Place skin-side down in the hot bacon fat over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes until the fish is opaque and reaches 63°C/145°F.
In a saucepan, cook the sliced fennel, shallot, and 2g fennel seeds in olive oil over low heat until softened. Pour in 100ml white wine and 50ml vermouth.
Cover the fennel mixture with a parchment paper circle. Simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour.
Add 150g gooseberries and 1 bay leaf to the saucepan. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
Reserve a few whole gooseberries for garnish. Use a stick blender to purée the remaining mixture until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
Spoon the gooseberry purée onto plates. Arrange mackerel pieces and bacon on top. Garnish with reserved gooseberries and fresh dill sprigs.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your mackerel fillets are fresh; a strong fishy smell indicates they are past their prime. Look for bright, clear eyes and firm flesh.
- When searing the mackerel, don't overcrowd the pan. This allows the skin to crisp up properly. If you have more than two fillets, cook them in batches.
- The gooseberry and fennel purée can be made ahead of time and gently reheated. This allows the flavors to meld and saves time during plating.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the fennel seeds before adding them to the pan with the vegetables.
- The parchment paper 'cartouche' used in step 4 helps to steam the fennel mixture evenly, ensuring it softens without drying out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store purée separately; reheat fish gently to avoid toughness.
Reheating: Reheat purée in a saucepan over low heat; crisp fish in a dry pan.
Troubleshooting
Fish skin is not crispy
Cause: Pan was not hot enough or fish skin was damp
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked; avoid overcrowding the pan
Prevention: Pat the mackerel skin completely dry with paper towels and ensure oil is shimmering before adding fish
Purée is too thin
Cause: Liquid did not reduce enough during simmering
Fix: Return sieved purée to the pan and reduce over medium heat for 5 minutes
Prevention: Maintain a steady simmer and ensure the parchment paper allows some steam to escape
Cultural Context
Mackerel, a readily available and affordable fish, has long been a staple in British coastal cuisine. This recipe elevates it with classic pairings like bacon and a tart fruit element, reminiscent of traditional British summer desserts and preserves.
