I was cooking a barbecue and hit upon this combination. I have to say it was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all the guests!
Samphire is a wonderful edible plant, fresh and vibrant with a real taste of the sea!
Ingredients
4 good sized mackerel
2 lemons sliced
half a fennel bulb thinly sliced
a good hand full of dill
olive oil
400 g samphire
2 large ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
juice of a lemon
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Firstly prepare the mackerel. I'm assuming your fishmonger has gutted them for you!
Cut three slices into each side of the mackerel. Fill the body cavity with the finely sliced fennel and the dill. Now using cooking string, tie the lemon slices , three to each side of the mackerel, squeeze some lemon juice and olive oil over the mackerel and set aside.
Wash the samphire, removing any woody stems and place in boiling water and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Remove and place in cold water immediately. Now finely dice the ripe tomatoes, splash a little olive oil and lemon juice over them and season with a good amount of black pepper. Remove the samphire from the cold water, dry as well as possible and mix with the prepared tomatoes.
Now, cook the mackerel with their lemon slices bound to the sides over a hot barbecue. Place fish on barbecue and leave for 4 minutes. Resist the temptation to move the fish whilst cooking! After 4 minutes turn the fish and repeat on the other side.
The result is a beautifully barbecued mackerel with crisp skin and charred lemon slices on the outside, and wonderful moist, flavoursome flesh in the middle. The richness of the mackerel combines fantastically with the fresh salty taste of the samphire and the wonderful ripe tomatoes.
This will make a fabulous supper dish with a nice sour dough perhaps, or forms a great fish course at a barbecue.
Enjoy with an oily chardonnay!
ps: any samphire left over goes great with a poached egg next morning!
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