I love smoked mackerel. It’s such a great fish, readily available and with the added bonus of being very good for you. I think some people find its flavour a bit too strong, so I created this salad which I think balances out the strong fishy flavour with some other great tastes. It’s best to prepare all the elements first and then assemble just before serving so that everything stays crunchy and fresh. I used segments of orange, but this salad would work equally well with slivers of grapefruit. The citrus fruit cuts right through the oily fish. The whole toasted almonds bring a lovely crunch and sweetness. Radishes and rocket offer a peppery bite and the honey and lemon dressing bring all the flavours together. The melba toast is for an extra bit of crispiness and a chance to make yourself some little canapés. If you don’t like smoked mackerel this salad might just convince you otherwise. Best served with a crisp white wine on a sunny summers evening. Hope you like it 🙂
Here’s how:
Serves 2
– 2 small fillets of mackerel, skinned and roughly quartered
– 1 bag of rocket or mixed summer leaves
– 3 small radishes cut into thin slivers
– 2 medium oranges cut into segments
– small handful of whole blanched almonds
– quarter a small baguette, sliced very thinly
Dressing
– 1 tablespoon of orange juice
– 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
– 3 tablespoons of olive oil
– A few snips of fresh chives
– A good dollop of honey, to sweeten
– Salt and pepper, to taste
Begin by segmenting the oranges and reserve a tablespoon of the orange juice for the dressing. Next, make the dressing by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Next, gently toast the baguette under the grill; you will have to keep a really close eye on them as they burn quickly. Take from the heat and leave aside. Next toast the almonds by placing in frying pan on a medium heat and toss gently until golden brown. Take off the heat and leave to cool. (I like to throw a little salt on them, but that’s optional). Just before serving, coat the leaves with the salad dressing. Place on serving plate and add the orange segments, radishes and almonds. Place the mackerel on top and garnish with the melba toasts.
