Dan's Papers - August 22, 2008 - Simple Art of Cooking

Spanish mackerel, a pretty fish with little yellow spots on its silvery skin, considered one of the best mackerels from a culinary standpoint, is lean and delicately flavored. Mackerel is available locally while the waters are still warm. While mackerel is considered an oily fish it is not strong tasting, and like salmon and tuna they are highest in the health benefits of omega-3's. Tracy at my fish market went on about the virtues of mackerel while I looked on as my whole beautiful fish was filleted.

On the way home from the fish market I stopped at a local farm stand and picked up a bunch of sauce tomatoes at 50 cents to the pound. My plan was to bake the firm fillets in an aromatic mixture of peeled and chopped tomatoes, garlic, capers and lemon zest for a savory entrée. I got high marks at dinner that night - shouldn't I always?

For years I've loved a salad combining sole with shrimp. Why not use Spanish mackerel, I thought, since the Portuguese title of this endearing salad is Maionese De Camarao Y Linguado - which translates to mayonnaise of shrimp and sole - close enough. The Spanish mackerel fillets would make a fine substitute for the sole. The fillets are simmered in butter and lemon juice in a heady mixture of parsley, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves, combined with cooked shrimp enlivened with lemon, parsley and mayonnaise and served on a bed of Romaine, hard cooked egg and a dollop of mayonnaise with rolled anchovy garnish. An Asian inspired broiled mackerel couldn't be simpler to prepare, served with quick-cooking soba noodles. Baked, braised or broiled Spanish mackerel rates four stars!

BAKED MACKEREL WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND CAPERS
For each of the following mackerel recipes have the thin bony centerline removed from the large fillets. For the recipe below I purchased sauce tomatoes, slightly over ripe and practically seedless.
Serves 4

1-1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons brined capers, rinsed
Shredded zest of 1 lemon
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fillet of mackerel or other firm white flesh fish
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Cut a criss-cross in rounded side of tomatoes and blanch them in boiling water about 40-50 seconds or until skins loosen. Drain and rinse under cold running water. The skins should slip off easily with a paring knife. Cut in half and chop coarsely. Transfer tomatoes to a non-reactive shallow baking pan and add garlic, salt and pepper, capers, lemon zest and olive oil. Stir to mix. Place baking dish in the oven, bake for 20 minutes. Sauce can be prepared up to an hour or so ahead to this point.

2. When ready to serve place the fish fillets in the pan and spoon over the sauce. Drizzle with lemon juice and return to preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes until fish is cooked through.

MAYONNAISE DE CAMARAO Y LINGUADO
This salad of shrimp and sole mayonnaise is Portuguese in origin.
Serves 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
6 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 pounds mackerel or sole fillets, cut in half lengthwise
For the shrimp
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
24 large shelled and deveined cooked shrimp (22-25 to the pound)
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1/4 cup light mayonnaise

For the garnish
6 large romaine lettuce leaves
3 hard-cooked eggs, halved
2-3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
6 rolled anchovy fillets with caper center

1. In a large 12-inch heavy skillet melt butter and add the lemon juice. Add parsley, sugar, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Adjust heat to a simmer and put in the fish fillets one layer deep. Cover and cook 7-8 minutes until cooked through. Can be prepared ahead to this point and refrigerated in a suitable container.

2. Combine lemon juice, parsley, salt and cooked shrimp in a bowl and toss to mix. Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated in a suitable container.

3. When ready to serve slice 12 of the seasoned shrimp in half lengthwise and toss with shredded romaine and mayonnaise until well coated.

4. Arrange romaine leaves on 6 individual plates. Place 1/2 flounder fillet on each leaf. Mound the sliced shrimp mixture over each fillet and place 2 whole shrimp on top. Edge each plate with hard-cooked egg halves, dot with a dab of mayonnaise and top with an anchovy fillet. Serve at room temperature.

BROILED MACKEREL FILLETS, ASIAN STYLE
This long-ago restaurant inspired recipe did not include soy sauce, only coriander was used and the dish was served with broad noodles.
I opted for the soba noodles.
Serves 4

1 pound skinless fillets of mackerel
3-4 large scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons parsley or coriander
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1. Cut the skinless fillets into 4 pieces and put into a shallow bowl.

2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the fish. Do not marinate for more than 15-20 minutes or fish will begin to cook from the acidity in the lime. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and pour over marinade. Place 3-4 inches from the source of heat and broil for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Serve with cooked soba noodles.