Mackerel is a versatile fish. I like to cure it lightly in salt and enjoy it as an appetizer (meze) with ouzo or beer, or dry white wine.
Light curing in salt preserves the texture of the flesh and does not alter the natural aromas of the fish.
Ingredients
2 kilos of mackerel filets
2 litres of water
2 cups of coarse sea salt
½ cup of olive oil
1 lemon
Preparation
The first step in the preparation is to place the fresh fish without the heads in ice cold water for 4 hours. This process drains off the blood and is essential for the fish to taste properly.
The next step is to place the fish in the freezer for 24 hours. The Japanese chef Naomichi Yasuda follows this for all sushi he offers in his cuisine. It kills all the parasites and does not alter the texture of the flesh.
When I am ready to cure the fish, I remove it from the freezer and let it soften to the point it is easy to filet it. I filet the fish and remove thehard membrane of the skin.
In a large basin I mix the water and the salt and place the filets in it.
After two hours I remove the filets from the salt-water bath, wash lightly to remove any grains of salt and drain using a kitchen towel or absorbent paper.
I place the filets with the skin side at the bottom of an oval serving dish and cover with olive oil. The fish is ready to serve.
Serving
I like to add a couple of drops of lemon juice to a filet before I taste it.
I accompany with ouzo, or dry white wine. A cold beer is also a good companion.
Gastrolvios 