Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 bacon
- 2 mackerel
- 1 fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 g fennel seeds
- 100 ml white wine
- 50 ml vermouth
- 150 g gooseberries
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 g dill, fresh sprigs
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat 30ml olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry 3 slices of bacon for 2 minutes per side until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving the fat in the pan.
Score the skin of 2 mackerel fillets. Place skin-side down in the hot bacon fat over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes until the fish is opaque and reaches 63°C/145°F.
In a saucepan, cook the sliced fennel, shallot, and 2g fennel seeds in olive oil over low heat until softened. Pour in 100ml white wine and 50ml vermouth.
Cover the fennel mixture with a parchment paper circle. Simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour.
Add 150g gooseberries and 1 bay leaf to the saucepan. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
Reserve a few whole gooseberries for garnish. Use a stick blender to purée the remaining mixture until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
Spoon the gooseberry purée onto plates. Arrange mackerel pieces and bacon on top. Garnish with reserved gooseberries and fresh dill sprigs.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your mackerel fillets are fresh; a strong fishy smell indicates they are past their prime. Look for bright, clear eyes and firm flesh.
- When searing the mackerel, don't overcrowd the pan. This allows the skin to crisp up properly. If you have more than two fillets, cook them in batches.
- The gooseberry and fennel purée can be made ahead of time and gently reheated. This allows the flavors to meld and saves time during plating.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the fennel seeds before adding them to the pan with the vegetables.
- The parchment paper 'cartouche' used in step 4 helps to steam the fennel mixture evenly, ensuring it softens without drying out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store purée separately; reheat fish gently to avoid toughness.
Reheating: Reheat purée in a saucepan over low heat; crisp fish in a dry pan.
