Serves 2

Prep time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 15 mins

Both the relish and the Mackerel fillets can be prepared in advance so all you have to do before eating is grill the fillets for a few minutes. The Yorkshire Rhubarb season is late December to the end of March.

Ingredients 

Grilled Mackerel Fillets

  • 4 Small or 2 Large mackerel (1kg approx.), filleted

  • 2 Garlic cloves, sliced

  • 1 Tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

  • ½ Lemon, zest and juice

  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

Feisty Rhubarb Relish

  • 340g Rhubarb, leaves cut off 

  • 1 Orange, juiced

  • 100g Caster sugar

  • 1 Red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped

  • 2 Spring onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 Tbsp Fresh coriander, chopped


Method

  1. To cook the rhubarb preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.  

  2. Cut the rhubarb into 2.5cm (1 inch) lengths and place in an ovenproof dish with the orange juice and sugar. Cover (with foil if no acceptable lid) and leave in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the rhubarb is just tender but still firm enough to hold its shape. Drain the excess liquid and allow to cool.  

  3. Next put the mackerel fillets in a shallow dish.  Pound the garlic, parsley, lemon zest together in a mortar gradually working in the lemon juice and olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Smear the mixture over the mackerel fillets, then leave to marinate for at least half an hour.  

  4. To make the relish, mix the cooked rhubarb with the chilli, spring onions and coriander and season to taste.

  5. Finally pre-heat the grill thoroughly and line the grill rack with silver foil, so that the fillets don’t collapse through the bars. Lay the mackerel skin-side up on the foil and grill close to the heat until the skin is browned (about 5-9 mins), by which time the mackerel should be cooked through. Serve with the relish.