Devon Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce
Crisp-skinned Atlantic mackerel fillets paired with a sharp, buttery gooseberry compote to balance the rich, oily fish.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Small saucepan
- •Large frying pan
- •Fish slice
- •Chef's knife
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 33 g
- carbs
- 12 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the gooseberries, caster sugar, and water into a small saucepan over a low heat.
- 2
Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the berries burst and break down into a coarse sauce.
- 3
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chilled butter and nutmeg until glossy.
- 4
Lightly score the skin of the mackerel fillets with three shallow diagonal cuts using a sharp knife.
- 5
Pat the mackerel dry with kitchen paper and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- 6
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high hob until shimmering.
- 7
Place the fillets skin-side down and press gently with a fish slice for 30 seconds to prevent curling.
- 8
Fry for 3 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden brown.
- 9
Turn the fillets over carefully and cook the flesh side for 1 minute until just cooked through.
- 10
Spoon the warm gooseberry sauce onto plates, top with the crisp mackerel, and scatter over the parsley.
Chef's tips
Do not oversweeten the sauce, as the vibrant tartness is essential to cut through the rich oils of fresh mackerel. Pressing the fillets flat during the first few seconds in the hot pan ensures even, crackling-crisp skin.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh gooseberries → frozen gooseberries or tart Bramley apple
- unsalted butter → plant-based butter block
Storage
Store leftover gooseberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; mackerel is best cooked fresh and eaten immediately.
Reheating
Gently warm the gooseberry sauce in a small pan over low heat with a splash of water, avoiding reheating the delicate fish fillets.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the mackerel fillets, which causes delicate oily fish to become dry and fibrous.
- •Adding too much sugar to the gooseberry sauce and losing the essential sharp flavour profile.
- •Placing fish in a cold pan, resulting in soggy skin that sticks to the metal.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Devon Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce?
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