Norwegian Mackerel

I like to buy a wide variety of fish to experiment with different cooking techniques. Yesterday was the first time that husband and I bought two Norwegian mackerel at the nearby Asian grocery store for $3.50 per pound. Apparently Japan is the largest importer of this fish from Norway.

All praise be to Allah SWT for dinner I prepared Crispy Mackerel and we had it with sushi. Husband liked the taste and texture of the fish, so Allah SWT willing we will be buying it again.

Here are two recipes from the book 'Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go' by Naomi Kijima.

Crispy Mackerel (Page 6)

1/2 slice mackerel
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp juice from grated ginger
Cornstarch for dredging
2-3 sweet peppers
Oil for deep frying

1. Score the mackerel in several places. Slice into half inches thick (1.5cm) pieces. Marinate for 10 minutes in the soy sauce and ginger juice.

2. Make vertical slits in the sweet pepper and deep fry in oil at 320 degree F (160 degree C).

3. Pat the mackerel dry. Dredge in plenty of cornstarch. Tap off the excess and deep fry in oil at 340 degree F (170 degree C).


Spanish Mackerel Teriyaki (Page 48)

2/3 piece Spanish mackerel
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp mirin and sake (I will omit this since it is not halal for Muslim consumption)
1/2 tsp cornstarch

1. Slice the mackerel at an angle. Marinate in the liquid ingredients for 10 minutes.

2. Drain, reserving marinade. Place on a rack, and grill or broil on both sides.

3. Add 1 tablespoon water to the marinade and bring to boil. Blend the cornstarch with one teaspoon of water and add to the pan. Cook until thickened. brush the sauce on the mackerel and grill or broil a little longer.

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Japanese Broiled Mackerel from Allrecipes.com

4 mackerel fillets
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine) - Omitted since it is not halal for Muslim consumption.
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

Directions:

1. Rinse fillets, and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and fresh ginger. Place fillets into the marinade, and let stand for at least 20 minutes.
2. Preheat your ovens broiler, or an outdoor grill for high heat. Broil the fillets, basting occasionally, until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 to 8 minutes. Serve with a lemon slice or long white radish slice as a garnish.

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Here is a classic recipe from Norway to prepare Norwegian mackerel:

Fried Mackerel in a Sour Cream Sauce
(serves 4)

1-2 mackerel fillets per person
flour, salt, pepper
butter or oil for frying
1-2 dl sour cream or heavy cream

Fried mackerel with sour cream is spring mackerel at its very best. Clean and fillet 2-3 mackerel and dry them well. Coat the fillets in flour, salt and pepper and cut 2-3 diagonal slits in the skin of each filet. Fry the mackerel in margarine until golden brown and add 1-2 dl sour cream or heavy cream just before serving.