grilled mackerel, warm fennel, blood orange & watercress salad

grilled mackerel, warm fennel, blood orange & watercress salad

a take on very simple grilled mackerel & shallot salad, this has the addition of fennel & blood orange when in season, but will work with almost any citrus fruit.

serves 2

ingredients:

• 4 mackerel fillets, pinboned

• 1/2 bulb fennel, shaved finely

• 1 blood orange, segmented (keep the juice)

• 1/2 shallot finely shredded

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• picked & washed watercress

• chopped chives

• sliced beetroot (optional)

• salt & pepper

method:

1. Thinly slice the fennel, use a mandolin if possible. Repeat with the shallot, shredding into long strips. Place the fennel in a bowl.

2. Segment the blood orange, squeeze & keep the juice, this will form part of the dressing

3. Season the Mackerel fillets on the flesh side. Grill the Mackerel fillets skin side up for 4 -5 minutes. Remove from the grill and leave to rest, season with sea salt.

4. For the warm salad, firstly heat a frying pan with a small amount of rapeseed oil, adding the shallot to soften gently.

5. Add the white wine vinegar, finish with the blood orange juice and pour the hot dressing over the shaved fennel.

6. Add half of the chopped chives to the fennel & shallot dressing.

7. To plate, first of all layer the watercress, at this stage you can also add the sliced beetroot.

8. Secondly, add the warm fennel & shallot dressing.

9. Scatter the blood orange segments around the plate, spoon over any remaining dressing and sprinkle the remaining chives.

10. The final step is to place the perfectly grilled mackerel on top of the salad.