Recipes

Chosen from Barbecue by Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby, they write "Full-flavoured, rich and distinct, the mackerel is one of our favourite fish, with plenty of character to stand up to the grill flavour. The relish we serve with the mackerel here has Portuguese overtones in tribute to the sardines we had on a beach in the Algarve many years ago, which convinced us of the virtues of grilling rich-flavoured fish."

Serves 4

For the Fish
   
    4 mackerel fillets, about 225g each
    2 tbsp olive oil

For the Rub
   
    2 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
    1 tbsp finely chopped lemon zest
    1/2 tsp ground ginger
    Sea salt

For the Relish
   
    1 tbsp cumin seeds (or 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin)
    2 ripe tomatoes, cored and diced large
    85g (3oz) roughly chopped pitted green olives
    4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
    4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint
    2 tsp drained capers
    Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

If using whole cumin seeds in the relish, toast them on the hob in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until they are fragrant and just a shade darker (3-5 minutes). Set them aside.

Build a fire in your barbecue. When the coals are all ignited, the fire has died down and the temperature is medium, you're ready to cook.

While the coals are heating up, make the relish: combine the cumin, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, parsley, mint and capers in a medium bowl and mix well. Season and transfer to a serving dish.

Now make the rub. Combine the black pepper, lemon zest, ginger and salt in a small bowl. Rub the mackerel fillets all over with the olive oil and then coat with the spice rub, pressing gently to be sure it adheres. Put the fillets on the grill over the coals and cook until they are nicely seared on the outside and just opaque on the inside (about 4-6 minutes per side). To check for doneness, manipulate one of the fillets so you can see inside it at its thickest point to be sure it is just opaque all the way through.

Serve each fillet with a spoonful of relish and pass the remaining relish on the side.