Elly Mccausland chases away festive excess with a zingy mackerel salad

WHENEVER I’ve overindulged food-wise, I crave fennel. There’s something about thinly sliced fennel, its crunch and peppery aniseed flavour, its affinity with zingy citrus dressings, that manages to counteract a whole host of gastronomic excess.

It’s the perfect ingredient in a light and fresh new year salad, bursting with healthy ingredients and sharp citrus flavours, guaranteed to make you feel that little bit more vibrant after the sugar, meat and dried fruit-laden pursuits of Christmas. Add some peppery watercress, fresh mint and jewellike pomegranate seeds, and you have the perfect accompaniment to some beautiful fresh mackerel fillets, seasoned with tangy paprika and lemon and seared to give beautiful crispy skin and succulent flesh. Mackerel is incredibly good for you, but always seems like a treat because of its delicious rich flavour. Bright, colourful and vibrant, this is the most enjoyable way to ease seamlessly into the inevitable January abstinence.

Seared mackerel with fennel and grapefruit salad

Ingredients:
(serves 2)

4 fresh mackerel fillets
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp lemon
salt, or ½ tsp salt mixed with the zest of a lemon
Salt and pepper
Juice of ½ lime or lemon
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large bulb of fennel
1 grapefruit
A couple of handfuls of watercress
A handful of fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
Seeds from half a pomegranate
Olive oil, for cooking

Method: Mix the paprika and lemon salt, then rub over the mackerel fillets and set aside.

Whisk together the lime/lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard and some seasoning.

Thinly slice the fennel using a mandolin, or with a very sharp knife, then segment the grapefruit.

Toss together with the dressing, watercress, mint and pomegranate seeds. Taste – you may want a little more lime juice or salt.

Heat a little olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat, then sear the mackerel skin side down first for a couple of minutes before flipping it over for another couple of minutes to cook the other side.

Serve with the salad.

For more of Elly’s recipes visit: numegsseven.co.uk