Pan Fried Mackerel Fillets with Pink Grapefruit Salad

Simply fried mackerel fillets are laid on a bed of pink grapefruit and peashoots

The arrival of the month of September always saddens me in one very specific way: it represents the beginning of the end of another prime mackerel fishing season. Soon, although mackerel will still of course be available in supermarkets and fishmongers, the super fresh stuff to which I have grown accustomed to catching and eating will not be available until mid-Spring 2013. Mackerel - even more so than most other species - is a fish which really has to be eaten as fresh as possible in order to be enjoyed at its very best and this incredibly quick and simple recipe is perfect for a lunch for one person.

Pink grapefruit is carefully peeled

Ingredients

1 whole fresh mackerel
1/2 pink grapefruit, separated in to segments
Handful of peashoots or green salad leaves of choice
Flour for dusting mackerel
Salt and pepper
Olive oil for frying
Chopped basil leaves to garnish
Granary bread and butter to serve

Pink grapefruit segments are mixed with peashoots to form salad bed for mackerel

Directions

Peel the grapefruit and carefully cut out the segments. Mix with the peashoots and lay on the bed of a serving plate.

Preparing to fillet a whole mackerel

Filleting mackerel is a very quick and easy procedure. Simply lay the fish on one side on a chopping board and cut in to it behind the fin at the side of its head. Slice off the first fillet, turn the fish over and simply repeat the process for the second fillet.

Fillets are removed from mackerel

Cut out the bone down the centre of each fillet by making a v-shaped cut. Wash the fillets in a bowl of cold water and gently pat them dry with kitchen paper.

Washed and boned mackerel fillets

Scatter the flour on a plate and season it with salt and pepper. Pour some olive oil in to a non-stick frying pan and put it on a medium heat. Pat the skin sides only of the mackerel fillets in the flour and gently shake to remove the excess. Lay them in the pan, skin sides down to fry and lightly season the flesh sides.

Pan frying mackerel fillets

After about three minutes, you should see that the fillets are almost cooked. At this stage, reduce the heat to minmum and carefully turn the fillets over with a fish slice or spatula. They will be ready after a further minute's cooking.

Lay the fillets on top of the salad as shown, scatter with the chopped/sliced basil and serve with fresh bread and butter.

Buttered granary bread makes the perfect accompaniment to this mackerel salad