Panfried Mackerel with pickled rhubarb

Photography by Casey Lazonick, prop stylist Cynthia Blackett, food styling and recipe myself.

Here the tartness of rhubarb together with the oiliness of mackerel is a match made in heaven. This is a good recipe for a midweek supper; mackerel cooks in minutes, and if you have a jar of pickled rhubarb in your fridge ready to go, then there's really very little prep to do. Just serve with some new potatoes or rice, and a bit of salad.

Top tip: You can add other veg into the pickle too; I threw in some sliced radishes in the photograph below, as I had some that needed using up. Pickling is a great way of making use of leftover bits and bobs like that- generally any veg which you can eat raw works for pickling.


Pickled Rhubarb

Sterlized jars
250ml apple cider vinegar
250ml water
150g caster sugar
500g raw rhubarb, washed and cut into 2cm pieces (choose the pinkest you can find for a good colour)
Small piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
Couple of cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves for flavour

1. Add the chopped rhubarb to the sterilized jars. Pop in a couple of peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves.

2. Place the apple cider vinegar and water in a small saucepan and add the sugar. Heat until just simmering, stirring it to dissolve the sugar, then pour over the rhubarb into the jars.

3. Close the lids and leave to cool, before refrigerating. They will be ready to eat after 2 days, and will keep for around a month.

Panfried Mackerel

Mackerel fillets
Salt and Pepper
Oil for frying (I use rapeseed)

1. Add a glug of oil to a large frying pan, and place on a medium to high heat.

2. Pat the mackerel fillets dry with some kitchen towel- this will help them to crisp up. Season with salt and pepper.

3. When the oil is hot, add the mackerel skin side down. Press down on each fillet firmly with a fish slice, until you feel the fish is no longer trying to curl up. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 30 second to 1 minute depending on the thickness of the fillet. Remove the fish to a plate lined with kitchen towel to remove excess oil, then serve.

Photography Casey Lazonick, prop stylist Cynthia Blackett, food styling and recipe myself.