Also known as maccarello in Italian, mackerel is one of the highly recommended oily fish for a healthy diet. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, this fish helps lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Mackerel also contains anti-inflammatory compound which helps lower joint pain and stiffness in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Wheat’s more, consuming mackerel on a regular basis is great for those who are prone to depression or suffer from frequent bouts of mood swings. Research has also proven that people consuming high dosages of omega-3 fatty acids are at lower risk of getting affected by depression. Mackerel is loaded with DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and consuming this fish lowers your chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
Rather than just pan-frying mackerel with salt and pepper, it doesn’t take that much more time to add a citrus twang to this popular fish. With the juice and zest of an orange plus some ground coriander, cumin and crushed ginger, you can now be serving mackerel with a new moroccan twist.
INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 2)
For the fish:
- 2 mackerel fillets
- Juice of 1/2 orange
- Zest of 1/2 orange
- Pinch of freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
For the couscous:
- 2/3 cup couscous
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- Â 1/3 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1/3 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
METHOD:
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a roasting tray with parchment paper.
2) For the fish, make a paste by grating the zest of 1/2 orange along with the cumin, coriander, oil, ginger and some salt. Make 3 slashes on the mackerel fillet and rub the paste all over.
   3) Pour the fresh orange juice over the fish and bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked.
4) Meanwhile, cook the couscous. Put the couscous in a bowl and in a separate pot, heat the stock or water until it boils. Pour the hot liquid over the couscous, close the lid and set aside for 6 minutes till all the liquid gets absorbed. Fluff up the grains with a fork and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Feel free to grate some orange zest and throw in some raisins.
5) Make a bed of couscous and place a mackerel fillet onto each plate, spooning over the pan juices to serve.
