Baked Mackerel

Baked mackerel is a simple, healthy, and very flavorful dish. Here’s the recipe for preparing Italian-style baked mackerel:

Ingredients

• 2 fresh and cleaned mackerels (about 300-400 g each)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
• A bunch of parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Black olives to taste (optional)
• Cherry tomatoes to taste (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F).
2. If your mackerels aren’t already cleaned, gut them and wash well under running water. Dry them with kitchen paper.
3. Score the mackerel skin lightly with diagonal cuts. This will help the heat penetrate better during cooking and the flavors to season the flesh.
4. In a bowl, mix the lemon juice with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
5. Sprinkle the inside and outside of the mackerels with the prepared marinade and let them rest for about 15-20 minutes.
6. Transfer the fish to a lightly oiled baking dish. If you wish, you can enrich the dish by adding halved cherry tomatoes and black olives around the mackerels.
7. Bake and cook for about 20 minutes or until the mackerel is golden and the flesh easily flakes with a fork.
8. Meanwhile, chop the fresh parsley.
9. Remove the mackerel from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving.

Curiosity

Mackerel is a fish highly appreciated in Mediterranean cuisine for its intense flavor and excellent nutritional properties. Rich in Omega-3, it is ideal for a balanced diet. This type of baking allows you to keep its organoleptic qualities intact.

Remember, you can always personalize the dish by adding aromatic herbs of your liking, such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano, to further enrich the taste.