Pan Fried Mackerel Fillets with Bell Pepper Bruschetta

Bell peppers are not an ingredient normally associated with bruschetta. This was, therefore, very much an experiment but the combination proved to be delicious and I hope you'll give this very simple and very healthy lunch idea a try.

Ingredients

1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 yellow bell pepper
1 medium tomato
2 cloves of garlic
5 or 6 basil leaves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
Dash of white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole mackerel
Flour for dusting
Olive oil for frying
3 slices of bread stick

Directions

Moderately finely dice the bell peppers.  Cut the tomato in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp with a teaspoon. Dice the flesh in a similar fashion to the bell peppers. Peel and finely dice one of the garlic cloves and roll and shred the basil leaves.

Add the peppers, tomato, garlic and basil to a glass bowl. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, stir well and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until required. Note that this part of the preparation can very successfully be done the night before to make the lunch preparation ultra quick.

Lay the mackerel on a chopping board and use a filleting knife to carefully slice off the first loin fillet. Turn the fish over and remove the second fillet in the same way. Remove any bones which may happen to be left in the fillets and wash them carefully in a bowl of cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

Mackerel Preparation, Filleting and Recipes

If you want full instructions on how to prepare and fillet mackerel, with step by step photos, as well as a whole host of delicious mackerel recipes, you will find all of this and more on the site linked to below:

Mackerel Recipes and Different Ways to Cook and Serve Mackerel

Add the ordinary olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and gently heat. Scatter some flour on a plate and season. Pat the mackerel fillets in it on their skin sides only and shake off any excess. Fry for two to three minutes on the skin side until you can see they are almost cooked. Reduce the heat and turn them on to their flesh sides for a final minute.

While the mackerel is frying, toast the bread on both sides until golden. Peel and crush the second garlic clove and rub it over the top of each slice of toast. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
 

Lay the toast on a plate and carefully spoon some of the prepared salsa on top of each slice. Lay the mackerel fillets alongside and garnish with a little more basil if desired before serving.