Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Boston (or Atlantic) Mackerel


slbunge

Recommended Posts

Got a really good looking whole mackerel from the fish monger this morning. Gutted with head and tail on, it's about 22oz (I think it cost me all of $4).

I'm tempted to just marinate and grill. Before I make that leap, I thought I'd check in to see if anyone has a favorite marinade (or other non-grill recipe) that works well with oily fish.

Stephen Bunge

St Paul, MN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, that sounds tasty! I love those things.

I go one of two ways in a non-grill situation. Either bake or poach, it works.

1. lemon slices and vidalia slices with lots of parsley on the stem, stuffed in the gut and strewn around it - a splash each of dry white wine and chix stock.

2. julienned fresh ginger, scallions stuffed in cavity - splash each of soy sauce, mirin, chix stock.

I either wrap 'em up in foil for the oven or grill, or lay the fish in a 10" pyrex, on top of thick cut onion to keep it away from poaching liquid, then cover w/tight foil.

When will it be ready? I'll get on my bike... :cool:

"I took the habit of asking Pierre to bring me whatever looks good today and he would bring out the most wonderful things," - bleudauvergne

foodblogs: Dining Downeast I - Dining Downeast II

Portland Food Map.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When will it be ready? I'll get on my bike... :cool:

Depends. Since I also got some really good looking yellowtail at the fish-monger I was toying with prepping that for dinner and saving the mackerel for tomorrow.

Weather might be better for a ride tomorrow.

Stephen Bunge

St Paul, MN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With mackeral, I think the way to go is either broiled or, preferably, baked. If you've got decent fresh tomatoes, chop up a little maybe with some capers, olives, etc., whatever you've got around and bake it. Or bake it more simply with just some lemon or, johnnyd suggested, with lemon and onions.

Mackeral is pretty adaptable to almost any set of herbs and flavors. Go easy on adding oil or butter or bacon -- just a little to lubricate, since mackeral is by nature an oily fish.

Mackeral is one of the great underrated fishes of our Atlantic coast. (Either Boston or Spanish varieties.) It's relatively inexpensive, plentiful and incredibly tasty. Nothing like the first fresh mackeral of spring! And it works in the summer, to.

Abourt the only cooking method I would not use would be deep fried, although it can work with a saute meuniere. And, who knows, maybe it would even work battered and deep fried after all (but I'd go with the other methods first).

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mackerel is a great, great fish. so it is possible to get it at regular markets on the atlantic coast? in l.a and denver i have found that it is only available in korean and chinese markets (usually $1.99/lb!!!)

i recommend the recipe i linked to above--it is bulletproof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mackeral? Only one way to do it.

When you hear they've started running, you go set your nets. Then you go home and cut up strong white onions into thick rings, and set them to macerate overnight in white vinegar.

Next day, go pull your nets. When you drop your mackeral at the fish plant, you keep a dozen or so that are still flopping in the bottom of the boat, and bring them home. Gut them, and give the pigs a treat. Then fillet them and dredge them in flour. Fry them in a hot cast-iron pan, with just a quick rub of salt pork to start off. Serve them with the macerated onions, and drizzle the oniony vinegar over the fillets.

Sides? Who needs 'em. A loaf of fresh-baked bread, maybe, to soak up the juices from your plate; and perhaps a cold beer if you've got any room left for one. That's how it's done in northern Newfoundland, at any rate.

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had it once as a "tartare", with cornichons, capers, lemon & lime zest and a mustard oil. Fantastic. The only other times we had it as sushi, also pretty good. I'll admit, I've never had it cooked. We used to love catching them though, the best bait is a cut up bloody mackerel. Once they get in a frenzy, you pull up multiples on your line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had it once as a "tartare", with cornichons, capers, lemon & lime zest and a mustard oil. Fantastic. The only other times we had it as sushi, also pretty good. I'll admit, I've never had it cooked. We used to love catching them though, the best bait is a cut up bloody mackerel. Once they get in a frenzy, you pull up multiples on your line.

cannibals eh?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

gallery_15176_15_25944.jpg

Mackerel is a really tasty fish! They looked very healthy and fresh. When they're just staring at you like that you just have to get them. They were priced at about 3 bucks a pound this morning, definitely the cheapest fish available today. I cleaned out the cavity of each one and washed them up, put them into a clay cooking dish, and just threw in a bunch of stuff I had on hand - some half-dried tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon juice, lots of fresh dill, a couple of pats of butter, dusted them with various seasonings - photo above. For the liquid I poured in enough white wine to cover them about halfway, then sliced some potatoes thin and laid it all across the top like I was sealing it up to steam. I topped that with some more dill and baked that for awhile in a slow oven with a short burst of higher heat at the end. :smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...