Rustic Mackerel

⏳ Time

1 hour 30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Rustic Mackerel is a delightful dish that captures the essence of traditional countryside cooking. This recipe highlights the fresh flavors of mackerel, seasoned simply with herbs and spices, and roasted to perfection. It's perfect for a family gathering or a cozy dinner at home. Serve it with a side of roasted vegetables or a light salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

Canned Mackerel in Oil - 3 pieces
Lemon - 1 piece
Dill - 4 spoons
Salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Onion - 1 piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Tomatoes - 3 pieces
Passata Tomato Sauce - 2 spoons
Red Wine Vinegar - 2 spoons
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Olive Oil - 4 spoons

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 374°F.

Step 2

Clean the mackerel by gutting it, thoroughly washing the inside, and removing as many bones as possible. Remove the fins and the gills. Make 4-6 deep cuts on one side of the fish, generously sprinkle it with dill, season with salt and pepper (including inside the belly), and insert half a slice of lemon into each cut. Place the fish on a baking tray, brush each fish with olive oil, and put it in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a light golden crust forms.

Step 3

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, let them sit for a bit, then remove and peel off the skin. Crush the garlic and place it in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sautéing over low heat. Dice the onion and add it to the garlic. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the tomatoes and add them to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and dill, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for another five minutes. Be careful to ensure that the juice does not evaporate!

Step 4

Take a small frying pan, add sugar and vinegar, and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half. Pour into the saucepan with the vegetables. Strain the resulting tomato sauce through a sieve and let it cool. Return the remaining vegetable pulp to the saucepan, sauté it briefly, remove from heat, let it cool, and form into balls. Carefully arrange on plates.