Grilled mackerel, spicy mackerel, oriental-style citrus mackerel, mackerel kebabs: there seems to be myriad of wonderous ways in which you can cook mackerel. So why then do so much of us ignore it? September is traditionally a time for fishing mackerel in Ireland. In Galway, I encounter young men at the end of Nimmo's pier fishing for these silver darlings. "Do ya want to buy some?", they ask impertinently. Is this why we don't love these creatures more? They languish in the aluminum bucket, getting warmer by the minute.
I love the way that the Japanese treat fish. Do you know the process called Ikejime? It is a method of slaughtering small fish to maintain the quality of its meat. The technique originated in Japan, but is now in widespread use. It involves the insertion of a spike quickly and directly into the hindbrain, usually located slightly behind and above the eye, thereby causing immediate brain death. When spiked correctly, the fish fins flare and the fish relaxes, immediately ceasing all motion. This ensures the meat is not spolied by lactic acid or blood. It does make a big difference to the colour of the fish fillet.
Small fish
There are a number of people practising it in Ireland and it works best with small fish but it has been used in tuna. Talk to your fishmonger about it. Or if you know a fisherman ask him does he know about it.
Probably the nicest combination with mackerel is salty sour fruit, like gooseberries or green plums. Green plums are in season now. Mix the plums in a bowl with 2 per cent of their weight in salt (2g for every 100g of plums) and leave in the fridge for a week (this will stop them fermenting). The salt helps “cook” the plums, making them soft . Rinse and stone the plums, then dice. Fry the mackerel on its skin side only until it’s nice and crispy. Flip over if you like it cooked more. Serve with the salted plum salsa and some sheep’s yogurt.
