Devilled whole mackerel with marinated vegetables and watercress salad

Enjoy your cooking

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the devilled marinade:

2tsp English mustard powder

2tsp smoked paprika

2tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

4 tsp Demerara sugar

25 ml red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed

150g unsalted butter

Method

Measure all dry ingredients and place into a small pan, add vinegar, garlic and the soft butter and place on medium heat stirring until combined. Remove and allow to cool.

For the marinated vegetables:

2 carrots

4 asparagus spears

1 fennel

1 courgette

250g watercress

1 red pepper

2 medium tomatoes

50ml olive oil

10ml lemon juice

1 clove garlic, sliced

10ml red wine vinegar

Parsley, dill and mint

Method

Place a small pan of salted water on for blanching the vegetables, First peel and cut all vegetables into small shapes (ensure all the vegetables are cut to a similar size, as they need to cook at same time).

Add the carrots into boiling water as these will take the longest to cook, by blanching in rapidly boiling water for a few minutes, then add asparagus, fennel and courgette. Bring back to boil, and strain into iced water (to keep the colour).

In a mixing bowl, add the oil, some lemon juice, sliced garlic, if desired, red wine vinegar and combine. Season to taste.

Add the diced raw vegetables and then the strained blanched veg. Finally, add the chopped herbs , correct seasoning and chill (preferably overnight).

From your fishmonger, buy 300-400g whole mackerel and ask for them to be cleaned.

Score the skin on both sides of fish with a sharp knife, lightly season with rock salt and brush liberally with the marinade, ensuring that it penetrates into the scores.

Place on greaseproof tray and bake in hot oven (190c) for 14 minutes. Take out and rest for a couple of minutes in a warm place.

To serve, pick some nice young watercress to put on a plate dress with the marinated vegetables, put mackerel on plate and cover with leftover juices. Done!