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Recipe Series

Spanish Mackerel

Mackerel is one of the loveliest fish there is, one of the tastiest, cheapest, most versatile, and most plentiful. And it’s scorned by nearly everyone, a symbol of stinkiness, a fish we think of as to strong-flavored, too oily, and too fishy.

 But Mackerel is fatty, rich flavored, moist and so sweet that it is almost requisite to cook it with acidic flavors such as lemon or tomato. The mackerel’s fat has given it such a bad reputation. But sirloin steak has a high-fat content too. And, unlike steak, mackerel is high in omega 3s and low in cholesterol.

 The English prefer mackerel smoked, the Japanese and French pickle it, and the Greeks dry it in the wind. These excellent treatments are rather old-fashioned ways of preserving a fragile fish. It is exceptional to broil a whole mackerel, and also just as nice to grill it. You can also poach or roast fillets.

Source

Salt water, Florida coast and Gulf of Mexico.

Forms

Whole, fillets and steaks

Taste

Oily, sweet, full.

Texture

Soft flesh, firm texture

Nutrition

9.8 g fat per 8 oz. Of meat

2.2 g saturated fat

283 calories

45g protein

134mg cholesterol

134mg sodium

Cooking

All.

 

Recipes

Spanish Mackerel with Orange Sauce

Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • tsp chopped fresh thyme or a pinch of dried
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 fillets Spanish Mackerel 1lb. total (skin on)
  • 2 oranges segmented, or peeled & thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Mix the olive oil, orange juice, thyme, salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl.
  • Add the mackerel and marinate for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the broiler.
  • Placethe mackerel on a broiling or baking pan and brush with the marinade.
  • Broil about 6 inches from the heat source, basting once or twice for 5 to 8 minutes, until the fish is lightly browned and almost cooked through (it will be tender and opaque throughout).
  • Top with the oranges, baste once more, and broil for another minute.
  • Serve immediately.

Grilled Spanish Mackerel with Bacon

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Spanish Mackerel fillets
  • 8 Slices Bacon

Instructions
 

  • Wrap each fillet with two slices of bacon.
  • Place the mackerel on the grill skin side downover low to medium heat, 4 to 6 inches from the heat source, turning frequentlyuntil the bacon is slightly crisp and the mackerel is cooked through (opaquethroughout).