Pan-fried Mackerel with Peashoots andSummer Potato Salad

Jo says: “This is a lovely light starter that will work just as well with watercress instead of the peashoots and is equally as delicious with both pan-fried or smoked salmon and trout instead of the mackerel.”

Prepare the salad ahead, leaving you just the fish to fry at the last minute.

Serves 6 as a starter
Takes about 30-40 minutes to make

Ingredients
400g waxy new potatoes (such as Charlotte)
100g fine green beans
250g asparagus tips
100g peas (fresh or frozen)
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 ½ tbsp hot horseradish sauce
125g crème fraiche
small bunch of mint, chopped
squeeze of lemon juice
50g pea shoots
1 tbsp olive oil
6 small mackerel fillets

Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender. Drain and leave to cool and the cut into quarter wedges.

In a separate saucepan, blanch the green beans and asparagus for just a couple of minutes and then refresh in iced water to stop them cooking further. If you are using frozen peas, they just need to be defrosted. If you’re using fresh ones, then these can be boiled in salted water until tender. They should take about 5-8 minutes. Also refresh in cold water.

Mix together the shallots, horseradish, crème fraiche, chopped mint, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Carefully mix in the potatoes, green beans, asparagus and peas.

To cook mackerel, heat a large frying pan and add the oil. Season the mackerel fillets on both sides with a little salt and pepper. Place in the pan and cook skin side down for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden (press on the fillets lightly if they start to curl upwards to get a crisp effect all over). Turn each fillet over and cook for a further minute.  If your pan isn’t big enough to do all fillets, just keep the cooked ones warm on a plate.
Serve the mackerel skin side up, next to a nice bundle of pea shoots that are topped with a spoonful of the potato salad, and finally scatter over some more peashoots.

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