Warm Smoked Mackerel with Heritage Beef Tomatoes, Red Onion and Dill
One of my favourite ways to serve the large juicy heritage tomatoes, a delicious flavour combination with freshly smoked mackerel, now that they've arrived in Ballycotton Bay at last.
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
Ingredients
450g ripe heritage tomatoes
flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 fillets of freshly smoked mackerel, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small red onion or shallot
thinly sliced dill sprigs
Method
To smoke the mackerel:
It’s super easy to smoke your own fish inside a biscuit tin with a few tablespoons of sawdust. Lay the fish fillets, flesh side up on a tray, sprinkle the fish with pure salt as though you were seasoning generously. Be careful as it’s easy to over-salt if the fillets are thin.
Depending on the thickness of the fish, leave for at least an hour but not more than 3 hours. Dry the fillets with kitchen paper, place on a wire rack and allow to dry in a cool, airy place for 30 minutes approximately.
Put a wire rack into the biscuit tin and lay the fish, flesh side up on top. Put the box on a gas jet over a medium heat for a minute or so until the sawdust starts to smoulder. Cover the box.
Reduce the heat and smoke for 4-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn off the heat and allow to sit in the tin/smoked unopened for 5 minutes – remove from the tin and use as you fancy.
To serve:
Slice the tomato into 5mm rounds, season well with flaky salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar.
Put three slices on each plate, lay some chunks of smoked mackerel on top.
Slice the onion or shallots into paper thin rings, sprinkle some over the mackerel.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
Sprinkle some dill sprigs over the top and serve.
