Vibrant, delicious, and healthy, this dish is too good to pass up. Learn how to fillet you mackerel to save money and use the bones for stock.
By Elizabeth Ellory
This is a really delicious and vibrant healthy dish I simply had to share. Preparing the fish does not need to be messy and is really easy when you know how! Buying whole fish from the supermarket or fish monger means you can use the bones for stock and pay a little less for the privilege of self preparation. Not only does fish provide as much protein as meat, oily fish like mackerel contains vitamins A, D and Omega 3 essential for healthy joints and useful for weight loss.
Quality points include bright, unclouded eyes, bright gills and firm flesh in which pressing impressions disappear. No bruising, abrasions or bad smells should be apparent when choosing your fish. 
Beetroot Risotto with Grilled Mackerel
Description
Vibrant, delicious, and healthy, this dish is too good to pass up. Learn how to fillet you mackerel to save money and use the bones for stock.
Ingredients
- 1 Filleted Mackerel
- 60g Risotto rice
- 20ml White wine
- 60g Beetroot
- 10g Parmesan
- 15g Crème Fraiche
- Knob of butter
Instructions
- Descale the fish with the back of a knife into a sink, scraping from the head to the tail.
- Place the knife in the hole under the belly and cut towards the head up to the fins.
- Gut the fish using a finger to pull the innards out. Turn the fish onto one side. Go in at a diagonal angle just after the fin towards the head turn the knife and lay flat along the spine. Run the knife along the central bones which are soft. You should have a fillet. Repeat on the other side. Neaten the edges and run under cold water to clean up. Pat dry, cut scores into the skin side and rub with a little oil and seasoning.
- Grill the fish for around 5 mins on an oiled tray, skin side up until the fish has curled and the skin is crispy.
Beetroot
- Dice the beetroot and roast in a hot oven.
- Finely dice the onion and fry until translucent but not browned.
- Add the rice and fry for one minute until it begins to make a cracking sound. Add the white wine and reduce.
- Add the vegetable stock in small quantities and stir continuously until all is absorbed.
- Repeat until the rice is cooked but retains some bite.
- Add the roasted beetroot, crème fraiche and Parmesan. A knob of butter at this stage lets the grains relax and creates a glossy finish.
- The risotto must be moist and should not sit neatly in a shape, but should drop from the spoon and sit in a little risotto heap of deliciousness!
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Seafood
