Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Grilled Mackerel
Dinner today had to be prepared quickly. I've started staying at work a little longer than I
would like to and hence have less time in the evening to do everything else. I don't really work overtime as such, I just can't get myself off my backside and on the bike. This is a relatively old problem of mine. My mum used to call me "antriebsschwach", lacking impetus. And while I do not identify with this clearly negative description, I do admit that it takes forever to get me to do something. On the other hand, once I'm on it, I have a hard time stopping. This rule applies equally for work and play. For example, if I start a book, I want to read it cover to cover, but Lofty also had to drag me away from my PC at 2 a.m. some days when I was working on my dissertation. I was just too much into it to find the strength to quit on my own. Similarly now, in the mornings I really don't want to get up and go to the office, but once I am sat at my desk, it is not hard to convince me to stay. Silly really. And definitely something I will have to work on. But that's just the way it is at the moment.And tonight dinner was the victim of my strange opposition to change. But quick in my house still does not mean open the freezer, open the microwave, wait 3 minutes and serve some lukewarm muck. Nor does it mean going to a posh deli and getting good fast food - unfortunately we don't have the money for that. I see nothing wrong with getting help every once in a while as long as you don't compromise on quality. I can't say it often enough: Life is too short to waste it on bad food.
Tonight's quick solution came in the shape of the pre-filleted mackerels and Jenny's ready mixed salad greens and some boiled sweetcorn to liven it all up a bit. It was actually too simple for a recipe, but just in case anyone has never fried mackerel before (I hadn't, so don't feel bad!), here is a brief description on how I went about it - surprisingly, with great success, despite this being my first fresh mackerels.
a bit of oil
2 mackerel fillets, picked over for bones
Let me start with a word of caution: Mackerels are incredibly bony, which is why many people will refuse to eat them. This is a rather foolish attitude, though, for mackerels are actually very tasty, very healthy and one of the few commonly available and easily affordable kinds of fish that you can eat without feeling bad about the environmental impact of your meal (for more information on the issue of sustainable fishing check out the website of Britain's Marine Conservation Society). But if you do make mackerel, either buy fillets or fillet it before serving. Whole fish, freshly grilled on a barbecue are great, but a pain to eat. Also, do take the time to run your fingers across the whole fillet removing any bones you find along the way with a pair of tweezers.
Now, after this long lecture, simply heat some oil (not too much, mackerel is a fairly fatty fish) in a shallow non-stick frying pan over high heat. Put in the fish fillets skin side down and fry without disturbing until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn them over and continue cooking on the other side until the skin is crispy, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately accompanied with something to soak up or at least complement the oily juices, such as a vinegary salad, some bread or boiled potatoes.
Christine at 10:32 pm
