Grilled Mackerel with Tomato Cucumber Salad Recipe

What Is Grilled Mackerel with Tomato Cucumber Salad?

Grilled mackerel is a staple along Mediterranean coasts, where the fish cooks over open fire and comes to the table with raw vegetables. In this version the skin-on fillets grill until the skin turns golden and crisp. They rest beside a no-cook tomato and cucumber salad dressed with red wine vinegar and raw garlic. There is no starch on the plate: the fish and the salad carry the whole meal.

What Makes This Recipe Anti-Inflammatory?

Mackerel is one of the oily fish with the highest amounts of EPA and DHA. These long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are the starting point for resolvins and protectins, the mediators that help the body close the inflammatory phase.

The tomatoes supply lycopene, a carotenoid the body absorbs better in the company of fat. The olive oil in the dressing provides that fat. Parsley adds apigenin and red onion adds quercetin, two plant flavonoids. The dish carries no breading, no frying, no creamy dressing built on refined seed oils, and no added sugar.

Ingredients

• 4 mackerel fillets (about 5 ounces each), skin on and pin bones removed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 English cucumber (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise and cut into thick half-moons
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1

Pat the mackerel fillets dry with paper towels. Rub them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Let them sit while the grill heats. The surface should feel dry to the touch. If it stays damp, the skin will stick to the grates.

Step 2

Heat a grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water skitters on contact. Scrape the bars clean before the fish goes on.

Step 3

Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in a mixing bowl. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the red wine vinegar, the garlic, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Let the salad stand while the fish grills, just long enough for the tomatoes to release their juice.

Step 4

Lay the fillets on the grill skin side down and leave them untouched for 4 to 5 minutes. The skin is ready when it releases from the bars on its own and looks golden and crisp. If a fillet resists when you lift it, give it more time.

Step 5

Flip the fillets and grill for 1 to 2 minutes more. The flesh is done when it turns from rosy to opaque and separates into flakes under gentle pressure.

Step 6

Stir the chopped parsley into the salad. Set each fillet beside a portion of the salad, with the lemon wedges alongside.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

InflammaScore

1 Good! Very low inflammation potential

Q&A

Q1: What can I use if I cannot find mackerel?
A1: Sardines, Spanish mackerel, and bonito fillets all work on the grill. Sardines are smaller, so they need about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Spanish mackerel and bonito fillets follow the timing in the recipe, about 4 to 5 minutes skin side down first.

Q2: Why did the skin stick to the grill?
A2: The skin sticks when the surface of the fish is damp or the grill is not hot enough. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and wait for a drop of water to skitter on the bars. Leave the fillets alone for the first 4 to 5 minutes. The skin releases on its own once it is golden and crisp.

Q3: Can I cook this without a grill?
A3: Yes. A cast iron skillet over medium-high heat gives a similar sear, about 4 to 5 minutes skin side down. The oven broiler works too: lay the fillets skin side up on a lined sheet pan and broil until the skin crisps. Watch closely, because the timing shortens under high heat.

Q4: Can I make the salad ahead of time?
A4: You can cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion up to 2 hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Add the dressing no more than 30 minutes before serving. The tomatoes release juice as they stand, so drain any excess liquid if the salad has waited longer.

Q5: How do I store and reheat leftover grilled mackerel?
A5: Refrigerate the fillets in a sealed container within 2 hours and eat them within 1 to 2 days. Mackerel tastes better cold the next day than reheated, because heat intensifies its aroma. Flake the cold fillet over the remaining salad instead of warming it.

Crisp-skinned mackerel and a raw tomato salad come together in 25 minutes. Nothing goes in the oven, which makes it a reasonable dinner on a hot evening.