This month’s recipe from The Hungry Guest celebrates the height of summer with a dish that is bright, bold, and beautifully balanced. BBQ mackerel takes centre stage, its rich, smoky flavour lifted by a crisp cucumber salad, sharp pickled gooseberries, and a cooling horseradish yogurt.
Whether cooked over fire outdoors or on a hot grill in the kitchen, it’s a dish that feels both rustic and refined. Perfect for long July evenings and the best of seasonal produce.
Ingredients:
4 x mackerel fillets
1 x cucumber
1 x bunch Mereworth dill
200g x Mereworth gooseberries
50g x white vinegar
50g x caster sugar
50g x water
1 x star anise
200g x Greek yogurt
20g x Horseradish
10g x Mereworth oregano
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
For the pickled gooseberries:
- Place the vinegar, sugar, water, and star anise in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat.
- Cut the gooseberries in half and place in the pickling liquor.
- Cover with clingfilm and leave for 20 minutes.
For the horseradish yogurt:
- Combine the yogurt and horseradish in a mixing bowl.
- Chop the oregano finely and add to the yogurt.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- If the yogurt is too thick use a little of the pickling liquor to loosen.
For the cucumber:
- Remove the top and tail from the cucumber and cut in half.
- Using a mandolin, slice the cucumber into fine ribbons. Place in a bowl.
- Chop the dill finely and add to the cucumber ribbons.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
For the mackerel:
- Score the skin of the mackerel several times, and then brush the skin with a little vegetable oil.
- Place skin side down directly on the flat part of the BBQ. Season the flesh side of the mackerel with salt.
- When the skin is golden turn the mackerel, and cook for a further two minutes.
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