Mackerel in Olive Escabeche

This Spanish mackerel recipe is delicious as a light summer lunch and it can also be served up as a flavoursome “racione” (big tapa). The fresh mackerel goes well with a light sauce and the Andalucian pitted olives add that real twist of Spanish flavour for this easy to make seafood recipe.

You will need:

4 Large mackerel fillets
Flour
Olive oil
Parsley

Escabeche Ingredients:

Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves (crushed)
1 Large onion (diced)
1 Small red chilli
3 Bay leaves
Pinch saffron
75g Manzanilla olives (pitted)
250ml Chicken stock
White wine vinegar

Method:

1. Sauce first, lightly fry the onion and garlic until translucent then add the stock, white wine vinegar, chilli, pinch of saffron and the bay leaves. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes on a medium heat. Add the pitted Manzanilla olives when sauce is hot

2. Meanwhile, dust the mackerel fillets in seasoned flour then fry skin down first for 60 seconds in a little olive oil. Turn over and fry for another 60 seconds.

3. When the fillets are done, serve onto plates and cover with the escabeche, leave for 2 minutes before serving.

4. Scatter generously with roughly chopped broadleaf parsley and serve with crusty bread.