Whole Baked Mackerel with Fennel and Lemongrass

Name: Whole Baked Mackerel with Fennel and Lemongrass
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 large mackerel, cleaned and gutted; 2 large Maris Piper potatoes, thinly sliced; 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced through the roots; 2 lemongrass stalks, bashed and halved; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 clove garlic, grated; 45 g palm sugar or light brown soft sugar; 75 ml fish sauce; 75 ml lime juice; 1 handful coriander leaves and chopped stalks; 3 spring onions, diagonally sliced; 1 red chilli, thinly sliced

A vibrant and aromatic seafood dish featuring whole mackerel baked over a bed of crispy potatoes and caramelized fennel. Finished with a zesty Thai-inspired sauce of lime, fish sauce, and lemongrass, it's a fresh and healthy dinner option.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time25 Mins

Cook Time30 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

large mackerel, cleaned and gutted
2
Maris Piper potatoes, thinly sliced
2 large
fennel bulb, thinly sliced through the roots
1 large
lemongrass stalks, bashed and halved
2
vegetable oil
1 tbsp
garlic, grated
4 clove
palm sugar or light brown soft sugar
45 g
fish sauce
75 ml
lime juice
75 ml
coriander leaves and chopped stalks
1 handful
spring onions, diagonally sliced
3
red chilli, thinly sliced
1

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Line a large, high-sided roasting tin with baking parchment. Arrange the potato and fennel slices in the tray, layering them in overlapping rows. Season with salt, brush with vegetable oil, and roast for 15 minutes until the vegetables begin to crisp and brown at the edges.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, finely chopped coriander stalks, and 75ml of hot water until the sugar has dissolved.

Lightly season the mackerel inside and out with salt. Stuff the lemongrass halves into the fish cavities and brush the skin with a little oil. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, place the fish on top of the vegetables, and pour some sauce into the cavities and the rest over the skin. Cover the tin tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the foil for the final 10 minutes of cooking. Switch the oven to a high grill setting and slide the tray under the heat for a few minutes until the fish skin is browned and blistered. Garnish with coriander leaves, spring onions, sliced chilli, and lime slices before serving.