just got some fresh mackerel

[crisgal]

from the fisherman next door.
They are only small, should I try and bone them or cook whole?
how would you cook them?

[sn�gs]

Cook them whole: top, tail and remove fins... gut 'em... stick them on the BBQ, basting with olive oil and lemon juice...

[crisgal]

that sounds nice snags, but we will be having them tomorrow, after working a long day - so no barby i'm afraid :(

[sn�gs]

Get yourself a throw away cheapie BBQ from Tesco or similar... up to temperature quickly... ust throw the whole thing away when you're done... less hassle than cooking indoors... esp. as it's going to be hot tmrw eve... sit in your garden and have a glass or two as the fish is cooking :-)

[tamborine]

Rollmops? yummies!

[crisgal]

rollmops??

[littlewren]

Why not cook them tonight and have them cold tomorrow?

Soused mackerel:
Remove heads and gut them. Poach very gently in water with a splash of wine vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns, salt.
Leave them in the liquid to cool (covered against flies, of course). Tomorrow the cold flesh will be absolutely delicious, (spoon good quality mayonnaise on top if you like it) with a crunchy salad.

Yumm - can I come?

[pastafreak]

with mackerel-the sooner you eat them,the better they are.
I would grill or bake with olive oil,lemon and whole grain mustard. A salad with a dressing made with lemon juice rather than vinegar would also be good.

[Barmaid]

Absolutely the sooner you eat them the better. The sweetest mackerel I ever tasted were ones I caught myself off a boat off the west coast of Scotland. I've never had mackerel since because they tasted SO good. All we did was gut them, clean them, wrap them in foil with a little lemon juice and whacked them on the camp fire. They were lush.

[Chappers]

I live by the sea and during the summer months go through probably over hundred and the best way is really simple...

Boning them is very easy, cut the head off then starting at the tail, run your knife along the bone to cut yourself a nice fillet.

Then cut a strip out of the middle of the fillet (where small bones are) but don't break the skin and remove the ribcage bones. Then you'll have a perfect, bone free fillet.

Dust in seasoned flour and gently fry in some olive oil.

Great with a salad but the best way is with some ciabatta, olives, red wine etc

But don't forget a squeeze of lemon!

[Chappers]

Forgot to say, removing bones before you cook the Mackerel is infinately easier than trying to dodge them later.

[crisgal]

I wish I had read your post earlier chappers. There were so small and fiddly. I overcooked them and none of us could be bothered to pick through the bones :(