Whole grilled horse mackerel with blistered skin and juicy flesh, served with a smoked paprika piri-piri sauce and a tight garnish of red bell pepper, red onion, and rich jus. The side remains vibrant, tangy, and measured to let the fish take center stage.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces whole horse mackerel, gutted and scaled, very fresh
- 120 ml artisanal or homemade piri-piri sauce
- 80 ml rich poultry or vegetable brown jus
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2 tsp good quality dried oregano
- 1 piece red bell pepper
- 1 piece red onion
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 2 pinches ground black pepper
- 3 pinches fine salt
- 0.25 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 piece untreated lemon
Method
- Remove the horse mackerel from the refrigerator during prep. Pat them thoroughly dry outside and inside the cavity with paper towels: the skin must be dry to the touch to grill without sticking.
- Lightly score the sides of each fish with 3 diagonal slashes 5 mm deep, without cutting into the backbone. Season the outside and cavity with salt, black pepper, part of the oregano, part of the smoked paprika, and a light coat of olive oil. Let marinate and rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while the grill heats up.
- Prepare the garnish: cut the red bell pepper into thin strips and the red onion into thin wedges. Saute them in a wide skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat (about 180 °C) for 5 to 6 minutes, until the pepper edges begin to lightly brown and the onion turns translucent and glossy.
- Lower to medium heat (about 150 °C), add the remaining smoked paprika, remaining oregano, cayenne pepper, and chickpea flour. Toast while stirring constantly for 1 minute to 1 minute 30, until a toasty aroma develops and a light golden coating clings to the vegetables.
- Deglaze with the red wine vinegar: the pan should sizzle sharply, then let the pungent acidity evaporate for 30 seconds. Add the rich brown jus, then let reduce at a gentle simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid turns syrupy, reduces by half, and coats the back of a spoon. Keep warm over very low heat (about 65 °C).
- Heat a grill, plancha, or cast-iron skillet over high heat until it reaches 220 °C to 230 °C (a flick of water should bead and sizzle instantly). Oil the surface with a brush, then lay the horse mackerel down without moving them.
- Grill the fish on the first side for 4 to 5 minutes undisturbed, until the skin is crisp, marked with defined char lines, and releases freely. Flip gently with a wide spatula, then cook on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 55 °C to 58 °C on an instant-read probe, the eye turns entirely opaque white, and the flesh flakes easily from the backbone.
- Brush the fish with a thin layer of piri-piri sauce on the grill during the last 30 seconds of cooking, just enough to lightly caramelize and glaze it without scorching.
- Transfer the fish to a warm wire rack and let rest for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and loosen the remaining piri-piri sauce with a little lemon juice if it appears too thick.
- Spoon the warm peppers in pan jus into the center of warm plates, set a whole horse mackerel on top, and spoon the remaining warmed piri-piri sauce along the spine. Garnish with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and serve immediately with a lemon wedge.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 507 kcal
- Protein
- 19.23 g
- Carbohydrate
- 14.87 g
- Fat
- 42.37 g
- Fibre
- 4.84 g
- Calcium
- 166.94 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 84.84 mg