Mackerel

Hi Chefs,

Just new to this, am a lowly commis chef looking for a few ideas as to what to do for a mackerel starter?? Its for a competition I am going to enter but can't come up with anything decent to wow the judges..

any help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

I especially like smoked mackerel. A delicious version I first enjoyed in England many years ago. When fresh, it's like butta! But don't buy the previously frozen ones. The texture is watery instead of "buttery".
 
I also enjoy mackerel sushi (saba) very much. Or, just do a salad Nicoise with Mackerel instead of tuna. If you buy canned Mackerel, be sure to buy a premium Italian or Portuguese brand Like Ortiz or As-do-Mar. Ortiz brand is the very best!

I always liked fried Spanish mackerel with my scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Smoke it, flake it, combine it with mashed potatoes, cream cheese and some herbs and make won ton served with an interesting sauce.

mar52


Smoke it, flake it, combine it with mashed potatoes, cream cheese and some herbs and make won ton served with an interesting sauce.

I like it Mar.......deep fry the Won ton...maybe a light Wasabi Sauce topped with a bit of Caviar (not the good stuff)

My major memory of mackerel was in the early 1960's, at the Narrows at the mouth of the Hudson River, before the Verazzano Bridge was built. There was a popular fishing pier (now a few posts and driftwood), and guys used to do semi-commercial fishing there, with half a dozen hooks on their lines, and catching about about 5-10 mackerel every 5-10 minutes, which they would sell to local restaurants. Then the pollution got bad enough to wipe out the population, and make the ones left unsafe to eat.
 
Bart

Cream  of Mackerel Soup 
Ingredients
3/4 pint (375 ml) Asian soup stock (See Recipe Below)
7 fl oz (200 ml) light beer
3 1/2 oz (100 g) single cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 bunch watercress
7 oz (200 g) smoked peppered mackerel fillet
salt
pepper
Method
Heat the Asian stock and the beer in a pot. Leave to boil for approximately 15 minutes. Mix together the cream and the egg yolks.
Take the pot off the flame and leave to cool a little before you stir in the egg and single cream mixture to thicken the soup. Wash, dry and coarsely chop the watercress.
Slice the smoked pepper mackerel fillet and add to the soup. Leave to steep for about 4 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. A fresh French stick makes an ideal accompaniment.
Asian Soup Stock
Ingredients
10 cups water
2 leeks or 2 large onions or 2 bunches scallions, chopped
4 -5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery & leaves, chopped
10 cloves garlic, unpeeled and smashed
¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns or ¼ teaspoonSzechuan peppercorns
6 whole cloves
3 inches fresh gingerroot, sliced ( about 1 1/2 ounces)
4 -5 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
2 large parsley sprigs
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot, cover, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Strain the stock and use it right away, or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months.