Griddled mackerel with herby courgette, grain & toasted seed salad

Name: Griddled mackerel with herby courgette, grain & toasted seed salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 75 g The Levantine Table Freekeh; 75 g white, black & red quinoa; 3 tbsp olive oil; 3 clove/s garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 4 courgettes; 50 g seed and berry mix; 50 g The Levantine Table Caramelised & Spiced Nut Mix, roughly chopped; 1 preserved lemon, seeds and flesh discarded, rind finely chopped; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped; 25 g mint, leaves roughly chopped; 1 lemon, juice; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 4 large mackerel fillets, from the fish counter

The oily rich flesh of mackerel goes so well with the sweet and sour spicing of the Levant in Mary Gwynn's recipe. Nut and seed mixes are an easy win for adding variety to everyday dishes.

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1 of your 5 a day

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook25 mins
Total time40 mins

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Ingredients

75g The Levantine Table Freekeh
75g white, black & red quinoa
3 tbsp olive oil
3 clove/s garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
4 courgettes
50g seed and berry mix
50g The Levantine Table Caramelised & Spiced Nut Mix, roughly chopped
1 preserved lemon, seeds and flesh discarded, rind finely chopped
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
½ x 25g mint, leaves roughly chopped
1 lemon, juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 large mackerel fillets, from the fish counter

Method

Toast the freekeh and quinoa in a medium saucepan over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until starting to colour. Add 400ml boiling water, then simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
While the grains are cooking, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, paprika, cumin and plenty of seasoning in a large shallow dish. Cut the courgettes lengthways into 1.5cm slices and dip into the spice marinade to coat – reserve the marinade. Heat a griddle pan or frying pan until hot and cook the courgettes on both sides for 1-2 minutes, until taking on good colour but not soft. Remove and cut into diagonal pieces.
Place the courgettes in a large mixing bowl with the cooled grains, seed and berry mix, chopped nuts, preserved lemon, herbs and seasoning. Whisk together ½ the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, season and use to dress the salad. This can be made ahead.
When ready to serve, rinse the mackerel and pat dry. Dip the fish into the remaining marinade to coat on both sides, removing any slices of garlic that stick. Heat the griddle pan again, then add the fish, skin-side down, and cook over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the flesh starts to turn opaque. Turn the fish and add the sliced garlic from the marinade to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, until cooked through, the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, then sprinkle with the remaining lemon juice. Serve the cooked fish and garlic on top of the quinoa salad.

Cook’s tip

To make your own spiced nut mix, toss 150g mixed nuts with 1 tbsp olive oil and a little cumin, smoked paprika and seasoning. Spread over the base of a small roasting tin and cook in a low oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and aromatic. Drizzle with a little honey.