Mackerel ‘rillettes’

We’re celebrating the humble mackerel in this delicate rillettes recipe we created with @fishisthedish. They’re encouraging us to buy, cook and eat more of the great seafood caught locally in the UK with the #SeaForYourself campaign.

Ingredients

1 medium carrot

1 red onion

1/2 small cauliflower

1 tbsp mustard seeds

3/4 tsp togarashi seasoning

150 ml white wine vinegar

100 g caster sugar

250 g unsalted butter

1 clove garlic

8 sprigs dill

2 tbsp white miso paste

5 mackerel fillets

1 tbsp horseradish sauce

2 tbsp crème fraîche

1 courgette

1 lemon

4 slices white bread

1/2 tsp togarashi seasoning

Method

Cut the cauliflower into very small florets. Peel and finely cut the carrot into 1⁄2cm discs and the onion into 1⁄2cm slices. Throw them into a mixing bowl with the mustard seeds and togarashi seasoning. Pour in the vinegar then scatter in the sugar. Season with a pinch of salt and place the bowl into the microwave and cook on full power (800W) for 2-3 minutes, until the mix is hot but the veg is still crunchy. Leave to cool until needed, stirring occasionally to coat all of the veg in the pickling liquid.
Put a deep frying pan over a very low heat. Peel and crush the garlic and throw the clove in whole. Let the butter melt then add 5 sprigs of dill and 1⁄2 of the miso paste. Leave it over the heat to infuse for 5 minutes then lower in the mackerel fillets. Season with a small pinch of salt and cook for 20 minutes, until the mackerel is opaque and flakes easily.
Carefully lift the fillets onto a plate and use a spoon to scrape away the skin. Flake the flesh and strain the butter into a jar or bowl.
Scoop the horseradish sauce, remaining miso paste and the crème fraîche into a mixing bowl. Coarsely grate in the courgette. Finely grate in the zest of the lemon then season with salt, pepper and a small squeeze of the lemon juice.
Finely chop 2 sprigs of dill, add it to the bowl and stir well. Add the flaked fish to the bowl along with 4 tbsp of the warm butter and gently fold it in. Chill in the fridge while you finish the dish.
Put a griddle pan over a high heat. Preheat for 1-2 minutes, until just beginning to smoke. Add 2 slices of bread and leave for 1-2 minutes to char. Flip and repeat, then do the same with the remaining 2 slices.
Place a slice of bread on each plate and brush the warm butter over it.
Place a scoop of the mackerel mix onto each slice, then place some of the pickled veg next to it. Drizzle a little of the pickling liquid over the veg and a little more butter over the ‘rillettes’. Garnish with fronds from the remaining sprig of dill, scatter over a pinch more togarashi seasoning and serve. Serves 4