Name: Mackerel caponata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 blue mackerel cutlets (240gm each); 2 tbsp olive oil; 20 gm butter; 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; ½ Spanish onion, cut into wedges; 500 ml passata (2 cups); 60 ml aged red wine vinegar (¼ cup); 1 tbsp golden raisins (see note); 1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and drained; 1 cup Bella dí Cerígnola olives (see note); 4 bay leaves; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 2 tsp marjoram leaves; 2 inner stalks of celery, thinly sliced widthways, blanched and refreshed in iced water; For shallow-frying: vegetable oil; 1 large eggplant, very thinly sliced widthways; 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; To serve: blanched flat and green beans

Mackerel caponata

Australian Gourmet Traveller Italian recipe for mackerel caponata

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

20M

Total

35M

Ingredients

4 blue mackerel cutlets (240gm each)

2 tbsp olive oil

20 gm butter

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

½ Spanish onion, cut into wedges

500 ml passata (2 cups)

60 ml aged red wine vinegar (¼ cup)

1 tbsp golden raisins (see note)

1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and drained

1 cup Bella dí Cerígnola olives (see note)

4 bay leaves

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp marjoram leaves

2 inner stalks of celery, thinly sliced widthways, blanched and refreshed in iced water

For shallow-frying: vegetable oil

1 large eggplant, very thinly sliced widthways

1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

To serve: blanched flat and green beans

Method

Main

1.Season mackerel to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add butter and when foaming add mackerel and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining olive oil, garlic and onion to pan and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes or until just soft, then add passata, vinegar, raisins, capers, olives, bay leaves and sugar and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by two-thirds. Add marjoram, celery and mackerel and cook for 1 minute to warm through and season to taste.

2.Meanwhile, heat enough vegetable oil in a separate frying pan over medium-high heat until oil starts to shimmer. Cook eggplant, in batches, turning occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

3.To serve, divide mackerel caponata between plates, top with eggplant, scatter with pine nuts, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with beans to the side.

Golden raisins are available online from
. Bella dí Cerígnola olives are a mix of giant Kalamata olives at different levels of maturity, available from Italian delicatessens. If unavailable, substitute with large Spanish green olives.
Drink Suggestion: Fresh, young Hunter semillon. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes