What to do with mackerel?

[TheWashingMachine]

Asked my DH to get something for supper and he got mackerel fillets 🤔(not the peppered sort) how shall I cook them and what shall I serve with them. I hate oily fish, especially mackerel. Other things in the house include rocket, cucumber, red onion, a leek, broccoli, some wizened lemons rice and potatoes and that's just about it.

Glad you enjoyed, OP! I'm craving fishcakes now. 😁

So you’re a convert to oily fish? Excellent.

I always have raw mackerel fillets. They come that way on the side of the fish when I pull them out of the sea.

I love smoked mackeral but struggle with the bones, I have to get a bit and rub it between my fingers to check for bones before I eat it and it kind of ruins the meal. If a bone touches my lips it's game over.

Bin them and order a pizza.

I like mackerel but they’re such a strong flavour that if you do t like the taste, you’re not going to be able to make them palatable.

Never tried fresh, but I desperately miss the "gestoomd" (steamed) mackerel from the years I lived on the Dutch coast. So much more tender and juicy than the smoked version.

I get packs of frozen mackerel fillets from Waitrose, the dogs like them straight from the freezer!

Put them in the glove box in the car of someone you don't like.

I break mine gently into large chunks cover with honey and sesame seeds, bake on foil, serve on top of rice & peas. It's 100 x better than it sounds.

Bin, throw them in the bin!
I realise I am too late to offer this advice, but keep it in mind for next time!

Grilled then served with a red onion and cucumber salad (very thinly sliced, and seasoned with salt, sugar and white wine vinegar so they are ‘pickled’. Make an hour before eating if possible). Jacket potatoes with soured cream (if available in the house).

Fresh mackerel is delicious.

I grill these and then serve with sweet potato fries or a salad and mozzarella.

Give them the cat if you have one.
Hated being made to eat these as a child.

Mackerel is delicious, cheap and good for you.

One of my favourite ways with raw mackerel fillets is to chop new potatoes in to small pieces and mix them with some olive oil, bay leaves, a few crushed garlic cloves and a few lemon wedges. Spread this out on to a baking tray and roast at 180C for about 35 mins. Then add the mackerel fillets , skin down, on top of the potatoes. Bake for another 10 mins or so. Squeeze on some lemon juice and serve with a green salad or green beans.

Take a mackerel fillet and stick it on a 4/0 pennel running leger.

Once you have skinned and washed the resultant thornback you can poach then fry or grill and serve with capers and black butter.

...my 'outing hobbies' aren't cycling 🤣

DS1s nursery used to make mackerel pate on toast which he loved...I never quite got it right but I think they cooked the mackerel and minced it, then mixed it up with either Greek yoghurt or cream cheese and lemon juice.

Cook the mackerel however (smoked or not) season and mash with a fork (keep texture) yoghurt/creme fraiche/cream cheese or similar as you prefer. Squeeze if lemon if you like. Can also be done beautifully with salmon, kippers etc

@Damnloginpopup thanks, maybe it was the texture I was getting wrong. Luckily DS1 is nearly 9 now, and the days of only eating things if they were cooked exactly like nursery are over :)

I love this recipe. I freeze the paste, we had it on salmon earlier in the week.

shop.rickstein.com/pages/mackerel-recheado

The spiciness cuts through the oily fish.