Mackerel

During our recent stay in Wells we had a few hours to kill before we could enter the harbor. So we spent the afternoon anchored in Blakeney bay. To waste away an hour or so we dipped the rod into the water to see what we could catch. Well nothing was the answer but we had a go. Discussions with the skipper of the sea fishing trip boat soon put us right though and he gave us plenty of top tips. Unfortunately we didn’t get to put the theory into practice as the weather turned and we couldn’t go out.

The trip boat consistently took clients out and brought back bags full of fantastic fresh mackerel. His excess catch was sold to the local sea food stall which is where we purchased our samples from for the princely sum of £2 for two huge examples. Fresh grilled mackerel is really quite hard to beat, served with some freshly picked Samphire.

Mackerel isn't a delicately flavored fish and its richness doesn't always lend itself well to a simple 'lemon and herbs' pairing. But given the right treatment it is a fantastically moist, flavorsome fish that makes an inexpensive and very healthy meal. Due to mackerel's richness, cream or butter-based sauces are best avoided. A spicy treatment works well, as does matching with something sharp or citrus.

Mackerel has been a consistently popular fish throughout history. The Romans used mackerel to make garum, a fermented fish sauce similar to those essential to Thai and Vietnamese cooking today. Records show that mackerel has been widely eaten in the UK for hundreds of years. According to his diary, Samuel Pepys breakfasted on mackerel on 30th May 1660. Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861) features the recipe Fennel Sauce for Mackerel.

Health experts recommend eating at least one serving of oily fish, such as mackerel, each week. Mackerel is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin B12. A real health food and given how tasty it is, a fish that should really be eaten more often. A lot of people may be put off by the boney nature of the fish, but persevere and you are richly rewarded.

This fish is sure to become one of our favorites and it would be great to be able to BBQ our own freshly caught fish, but that dream may have To wait another year now as the next time we will be able to head to sea at the end of August will be out of season for these wonderful fish. It won’t stop us fishing though; we will have to try our hand at catching some cod or whiting instead and if all else fails a trip to The Ship Inn at Fossdyke Yacht Harbour on the River Welland will see us suitably fed and watered.