It's been such a long time since I've eaten gooseberries. Perhaps since childhood, picked from the bushes in friends' gardens. Maybe once in jam at Badger's Tea House in Alfriston. A really toothsome Victoria sponge with elderflower buttercream.We rely on supermarkets so much these days that it's easy to miss short seasons, food we all knew. If you're lucky enough to have a good farm shop (I have Franklin's near me), market or grocers nearby you should be able to get gooseberries. And for that matter lots of other stuff the big shops can't be bothered with.This recipe is a semi-classic, (in fact, 'groseille à maquereau' is French for gooseberry) but I've added a hint of spice to it to give it a little zing. You don't need a million ingredients to make a great meal, and as well as being incredibly quick to make, I'd be more than happy if I was served this in a restaurant.Use the freshest mackerel you can get, and if gooseberries aren't available, try rhubarb or grapefruit instead.Ingredients:2 mackerel fillets1/2tsp coconut oil2 green chillies, sliced1 thumb-sized piece of galangal1tbsp raw honeyA handful of gooseberries (depending on your hand size, about 160g)1/2tsp ground coriander2 cloves1tbsp double creamMustard cressA drizzle of lemon oilSaltMethod:Add the coconut oil to a saucepan and put in the chillies and grate in the galangal. You could use ginger root if you don't have any, but the flavour will be stronger.Add a pinch of salt and the spices, then the gooseberries and honey. Stir well and cook on a medium heat until the berries begin to soften and collapse a little.Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.Heat a cast iron sauté pan, score the fish skin and season well. Put the fillets in skin side up. While they are cooking, use a blowtorch to cook the top of the fish, charring it well so it turns black and gold. If you don't have a blowtorch, finish the fish under a hot grill.Let the fish rest for a minute, then serve with the sauce, a few raw, sliced gooseberries, the cress and lemon oil. A crisp green salad with hazelnut oil dressing and some charred baguette slices finish this off perfectly.
mackerel
Jasmine-cured mackerel fishcakes
Fishcakes are a great way of either using up fish trimmings or making fish a bit more accesible for the children.I'm a big fan of Thai fishcakes. Full of zingy flavours, and with their added prawn and no potato they are firm and can be roasted in a little oil or deep fried, as with the traditional British ones. When making the British kind, something that's really important to me is not including too much potato and not making them too large.This recipe is for fishcakes that are a bit special because they use mackerel that has been cured in sugar, salt and jasmine pearls. These are easily found in supermarkets in the tea section. The fishcakes have turmeric and spices in them to boost the flavour. Increase the quantity to suit your palate; I made these to be very child-friendly. Normally I prefer them with a bit more kick.Serve with a cucumber and dill mayonnaise or some smoked paprika ketchup.Serves: 4Preparation time: 30 minutesCooking time: 20 minutesIngredients4 fresh mackerel, filleted4 tbsp of jasmine pearls4 tbsp caster sugar4 tbsp salt4 medium floury potatoes50g butter, melted50ml milk1 tbsp turmeric powder1 tbsp garam masala2 tsp ground coriander seedsSalt and pepper to seasonFlour for dustingMethod1. Place the fish on a large plate or tray and sprinkle over the jasmine, salt, sugar and a twist of pepper. Make sure all the skin and flesh is covered then wrap in clingfilm and leave to cure in the fridge for at least an hour.2. Rinse and gently poach the fish in water for about five minutes then remove the skin, flake the fish and set aside to cool.3. Cook the potatoes until soft and starting to fall apart when you prod them with a knife. Drain and leave to steam dry for a while then mash well with the butter and milk until creamy.4. Mix together the fish, potato and remaining ingredients and shape into fishcakes.5. Toss them in flour to dry them out and shallow-fry in vegetable oil (preferably rapeseed) until golden brown, flipping halfway through.6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the mayonnaise and ketchup and a beetroot and chicory salad.