The larder
seafood
Mackerel
The cheapest miracle in the sea.
Sustainable, oily, cheap, and packed with the good fats. Mackerel is a masterclass in why fresh matters — a mackerel eaten within 12 hours of leaving the water is a different fish from one that's been on a shelf for three days. Learn to spot the fresh ones, learn to fillet them, and dinner sorts itself twice a week.
In season: summerautumn
Where to find it
A proper fishmonger, or straight off a boat at Newhaven, Peterhead or any Scottish harbour on a summer evening.
Pairs with
RhubarbGooseberryHorseradishSourdoughBeetrootOats
How to pick it
- Bright eyes (never sunken or milky)
- Firm flesh that springs back
- Sea-clean smell only — never fishy
- Iridescent, tight skin
How to treat it
- Fillet within a few hours of buying — see the Skills Room
- Grill hot and fast, skin-side first
- Cure with salt and sugar for gravadlax
- Smoke over oak for the finest smoked mackerel you've ever had
Watch out
- – Anything more than a day old is a compost bin item, not dinner
- – Cook thoroughly if not sushi-grade
- – High in histamine — sensitive folks should eat it very fresh
Cook it: recipes with mackerel