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Pickled mackerel fillets with radish and kohlrabi salad

Preparation time
over 2 hours

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour

Serves
Serves 4

In this recipe, mackerel is pickled rather than grilled or fried and served with a fresh kohlrabi salad.

Helena Poulkka

By Helena Puolakka
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the pickling liquid

  • 50ml/2fl oz distilled vinegar
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp dill, roughly chopped

For the pickled mackerel

  • 4 small fresh mackerel fillets
  • sea salt
  • 50ml/2fl oz pickling liquid (see above)
  • 100g/3½oz clear honey
  • 1–2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 30g/1oz wholegrain mustard
  • 2–3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • sea salt

For the kohlrabi salad

  • 8 heritage radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 300ml olive oil, plus a little extra
  • 1 kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled and diced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

For the gooseberries

  • 400g/14oz gooseberries, stems removed
  • 50g/1¾oz sugar
  • 1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar

Method

  1. To make the pickling liquid, put the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds and 100ml/3½fl oz of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container, add the dill and leave to pickle in a cool place for 1 hour.

  2. To make the pickled mackerel, coat the fillets all over with sea salt and leave for 10 minutes. Mix 50ml/2fl oz of the pickling liquid with the honey, soy sauce, mustard, rice vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Rinse the fillets and place in the pickle bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

  3. To make the kohlrabi salad, fill a heavy-based saucepan or deep fat fryer with the olive oil and bring to 50–60C (CAUTION: never leave hot oil unattended). Season the kohlrabi with sea salt and then carefully lower into the oil and leave to cook for 2–3 hours, or until tender.

  4. Place the radishes in a small bowl and stir in 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt.

  5. For the gooseberries, heat a saucepan until hot then tip in the gooseberries, sugar, chardonnay vinegar and a dash of water. Roll the gooseberries around until the skins just start to crack and then remove from the heat.

  6. Serve the pickled mackerel fillets with the radishes, kohlrabi salad and gooseberries on the side. Garnish with fresh dill.

 

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