Pan-fried mackerel with spring vegetable nage
This simple but flavoursome fish soup is served with lots of fresh vegetables in creamy herb broth.
Ingredients
For the spring vegetable nage
- 1 lemon, finely pared zest and juice
- 400ml/14fl oz good-quality vegetable stock
- 12 asparagus spears, trimmed
- 100g/3½oz podded peas
- light rapeseed oil, for cooking
- 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 4 young carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 4 small spring onions, trimmed and sliced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chervil
- 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
- Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the mackerel
Method
To make the spring vegetable nage, place a saucepan over a medium heat and, once warmed, add the lemon zest. Heat for 1 minute to release the oils then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, add the lemon juice.
Blanch the asparagus and peas until just tender then drain and refresh in cold water, drain again and set aside. Heat a little rapeseed oil in a saucepan and sweat the shallots and garlic for 1 minute without colouring then add the carrots and fennel. Sweat for 2 minutes then add the stock mixture. Simmer until the carrots soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and continue to simmer for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the pan-fried mackerel, heat a large non-stick frying pan and add a drizzle of oil. Once hot, place the fish in skin-side down for 2 minutes until the skin begins to crisp around the edges. Flip the fish over and take the pan off the heat. The fish will continue to cook in the residual heat.
To serve, add the blanched asparagus and peas, spring onions and herbs to the nage and simmer for 1 minute. Ladle the nage into four warmed bowls then top with the fish, skin-side up, divided into portions. Drizzle with the lemon oil and serve.