Pan-fried Mackerel with Roasted Celeriac with garlic and thyme and Wilted Kale
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 medium celeriac
6 cloves of garlic, skin on
4 sprigs of thyme
Olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest of ½ the lemon
150g kale – I used a mixture of green and red but either is fine
Handful parsley, leaves roughly chopped and stalks finely chopped
4 fresh mackerel fillets, skin on & pin boned
pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c
Peel the celeriac – this is easiest if you use a sharp knife – cut into chunks and place in a baking tray.
Add the thyme leaves, garlic cloves (skin on ) and lemon zest. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Toss to combine flavours and oil.
Cover with foil and roast in oven for 25 mins. Remove foil, toss and return to oven for a further 15 mins. The celeriac should be soft and slightly coloured. Remove from oven.
Wash the kale and leave fairly wet so it can steam
Remove leaves and roughly chop and finely chop stalks
Add to a hot saucepan with a lid and let steam for 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally until wilted but still bright green / deep reddish purple
Add to a bowl, combine with the roasted celeriac, chopped and squeeze over the lemon juice.
To pan fry the mackerel
Mackerel fillets ready to pan fry
Ask your fishmonger / at the supermarket fish counter to fillet your mackerel & pin bone (unless you like to do this yourself)
Pat the fillets dry with some kitchen roll and season
Heat a saucepan and add a drizzle light olive oil
Add the fillets, skin down and as the fillets curl up gently push the fillets down so the skin is in contact with the pan, cook for 1-2 minutes, depending how thick the fillets are
Turn over and remove from heat, leave for 1 minute so the mackerel continues to cook in the heat from the pan.
Serve with the celeriac and kale and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper
Health Benefits
Mackerel is a cheaper alternative to salmon and is a fabulous source of omega-3 essential fats which have multiple health promoting properties from reducing inflammation, hormone balance, boosting mood and concentration to immune support. It is also a great source of vitamin D and selenium (both vitamin D and selenium are needed for the immune system). Ask for mackerel caught using traditional methods such as hand lines, ring and driftnets and certified by the MSC (blue label) for sustainability.
Celeriac is an under-rated vegetable. It looks a bit gnarly but don’t be put off. Peel it using a knife and can be eaten raw in salads or slaw for a nutty, celery-like flavour or when roasted or baked it becomes sweeter yet still deliciously nutty. It works really well with herbs like thyme and garlic.
If you make extra portions of the roasted celeriac this keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be reheated at 180 c for about 15 mins. It goes well with any roast or as a warm salad with toasted pine nuts on top.
Red and Green Kale adds antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, kale is a brassica vegetable so great for hormone health and to support the liver.
