Lemon and Herb Roasted Mackerel, Pepper and Potatoes
The skies may still be greay, and the air chill, wherever you are, but this fragrant and colourful Lemon and Herb Roasted Mackerel, Pepper and Potatoes will bring a taste of Provençal Cuisine (and thus a bit of sunshine!) to your lunch or dinner table! Happy Friday!
Ingredients (serves 1 or 2):
2 medium potatoes
2 small carrots
1/2 long red bell pepper
1 tall, fluffy sprig fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon
1 (160-gram/-ounce) fresh mackerel, gutted and prepared by your fishmonger
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine, like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F.
Rinse potatoes, carrots and bell pepper.
Dice potatoes, cut carrots into thick chunks, and slice bell pepper. Combine all into a roasting tin. Break the rosemary sprig in two. Add half of it to the vegatables, along with halve of the thyme sprigs, and the bay leaf. Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss well, to mix.
Cut half of the lemon into slices, and cut these in halves. Set aside.
Season the inside of the mackerel with salt and black pepper, then stuff with remaining rosemary, thyme and a few lemon slices. Sit the mackerel in the middle of the tin, on top of the vegetables, and drizzle with olive oil. Scatter remaining lemon slices all over, and thoroughly squeeze the juice of reserved lemon halve over the fish and vegatables. Pour Chardonnay all over, too.
Place the tin in the middle of the hot oven, and bake, at 200°C/395°F, 35 minutes.
Serve Lemon and Herb Roasted Mackerel, Pepper and Potatoes hot, with a glass of chilled Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
