Crispy mackerel 'BLT'

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Adam Gray adds a rich, new dimension to the classic combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato with the addition of mackerel, in this stylishly presented BLT recipe. Golden, shallow-fried mackerel sandwiches are served with a smoked bacon and plum cherry tomato relish and topped with crisp lettuce to complete the picture.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Crispy mackerel 'BLT' recipe

Equipment

  • Fish tweezers
  • Piping bag and fine nozzle

Method

1
Start the crispy mackerel BLT by filleting and trimming each fillet. With a sharp knife, slice down each side of the central pin bones and remove with fish tweezers
2
Put the English mustard into a small piping bag and then pipe a thin line in the gap where the bones were. Leave to one side
3
Take all crusts off the bread and roll out each slice as thin as you can with a rolling pin
  • 4 slices of white bread
4
Place the mackerel fillet in the middle of the bread sheet, fold over one side and brush with a little beaten egg. Seal the bread where the two sides meet and trim off any excess. Wrap tightly in cling film and put in the fridge to set
5
Carve the bacon into 1cm slices and then cut across the slices to form 1cm cubed lardons
6
Trim the leaves from the Little Gem lettuce and wash in cold water. Drain the leaves in a colander and then cut each leaf into quarters. Cut each leaf again into 4-5cm lengths
7
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add a little of the rapeseed oil. Add the lardons and fry gently until golden brown, then add the tomato halves
8
Continue cooking on a gentle heat until the tomatoes start to soften slightly. Remove the bacon and tomato mixture from the frying pan with a slotted spoon onto a tray with an absorbent cloth on it. Remove the pan from the heat and retain the juices
9
Using a frying pan, heat enough of the rapeseed oil so that you can shallow fry the mackerel sandwiches. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until you have an even golden brown colour all over
  • 150ml of rapeseed oil
10
Remove the mackerel from the rapeseed oil and leave to drain on an absorbent cloth. Cut the mackerel into 3 even sized pieces
11
To serve, place 3 pieces of crispy breaded mackerel diagonally down the middle of the serving plate
12
In opposite corners of the serving plate, make two small piles of the bacon and tomato mixture and top with the washed pieces of Little Gem
13
Spoon the juices from the bacon and tomato mixture on and around the mackerel and salad

Adam Gray pulls off classic British flavours with grace, intelligence and admirable lightness of touch.

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