Fool proof food

Recipe for Snotched Herring or Mackerel.

2-3 herring or mackerel per person.

This is arguably the best way of cooking herring or mackerel fresh from the sea. It is certainly the simplest. ‘Snotch’ is a Cornish term which means slashing the fish two or three times in the middle of both sides so the plump middle of the fish cooks as quickly as the thinner ends.

The fish need to be gutted and scaled but heads and tails are left intact.

If cooking under the grill, lay the fish on foil generously spread over the grill pan to avoid smelly washing-up. (The foil is also useful for wrapping up bones, etc, after you’ve finished.) Place the pan under a very hot grill. As the fish begins to cook, the slashes will gape. The softer, more delicate herring takes 2-3 minutes a side, mackerel probably double that, but don’t overcook. Serve with lemon wedges and brown bread and butter.

* Gooseberry sauce is lovely with grilled mackerel. Make it by simmering topped and tailed gooseberries with a little sugar until very soft and then cooking them with a scoop of clotted cream until thick and sauce-like.