Ceviche 2
Tried a Mackerel ceviche this time.
It made Rachel cry, but that might have been more to do with the recent phone call from her ex
than tears of joy at the happy memories it evoked.
This recipe started off at the
BBC's Good Food
Mackerel Ceviche
starter raw fish
Ingredients- mackerel
- lime juice
First debone and peel off the papery layer coating the skin
(even if you're going to shred the mackerel - it's hard to find the bones afterwards).
You can slice the mackerel fillets into 1cm cubes and soak in lime juice for an hour or so.
I quite liked these actually - they were rather tasty.
Alternatively shred the fish off its skin with a fork and cover in lime juice.
When you are ready to eat you can squeeze this mixture by working it in a fine sieve with a spoon
until it's dry.
This wasn't quite so nice - might have worked better with some grated onion,
even the grated carrot that Rachel fancied.
Still, the fried mackerel and salad worked pretty well.
And this is the original BBC Good Food recipe verbatim.
Basil & lemon chickpeas with mackerel
starter main fish
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 bunch spring onion, sliced
couple large garlic clove, crushed
zest 1 lemon and squeeze of juice
2 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
150ml vegetable stock or white wine if you don't have any stock to hand
85g SunBlush tomatoes, halved
½ fennel bulb, shaved
Grilled red pepper, peeled, sliced
4 mackerel fillets, skin on
1 large bunch basil
Rocket
Method
1 bunch spring onion, sliced
couple large garlic clove, crushed
zest 1 lemon and squeeze of juice
2 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
150ml vegetable stock or white wine if you don't have any stock to hand
85g SunBlush tomatoes, halved
½ fennel bulb, shaved
Grilled red pepper, peeled, sliced
4 mackerel fillets, skin on
1 large bunch basil
Rocket
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, shallow pan.
Add the spring onions, garlic and lemon zest, then cook for 2 mins until the onions are tender but still very green.
Add the chickpeas, then stir until well coated in the onion mixture.
Lightly crush with a potato masher, then add the stock and tomatoes.
Simmer for 3-4 mins or until the liquid is absorbed, stir in the fennel and red pepper,
then set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, dry-fry some ground pepper, then heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the mackerel fillets for 3 mins each side, starting on the skin side. You'll probably need to cook these in two batches.
Add the basil, rocket actually a softer leaf would have been better - a frisée perhaps and a squeeze of lemon juice to the chickpeas, then season to taste. To serve, spoon the warm chickpeas spoon onto serving plates, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and top with the mackerel fillets.
Meanwhile, dry-fry some ground pepper, then heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the mackerel fillets for 3 mins each side, starting on the skin side. You'll probably need to cook these in two batches.
Add the basil, rocket actually a softer leaf would have been better - a frisée perhaps and a squeeze of lemon juice to the chickpeas, then season to taste. To serve, spoon the warm chickpeas spoon onto serving plates, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and top with the mackerel fillets.
Pretty nice combination.
Make sure the chickpeas aren't too wet, and it would be nice if they were pretty well softened.