Lesya 
Correct me if I am wrong, but oven-roasted mackerel is not a popular fish choice on Ukrainian festive tables. We remember an episode when we cooked mackerel for our guests, and they were not as excited to see this fish as they would have been if it was salmon. No hard feelings! Many in Ukraine associate mackerel with simple and affordable meals that could be cooked from imported tinned mackerel. On the other hand, the smoked Atlantic mackerel (Scomber) is juicy and delicious. Even as I write these notes, I remember how it tastes and wonder if we would be able to find it in local stores. The smoked mackerel would be a sort of delicacy for our holiday dinner.
Nevertheless, the “not-so-popular” oven-roasted mackerel deserves more respect and attention if we know how to cook it. Not to mention the many health benefits of this fish. Once we found our favorite recipe Atlantic mackerel became our preferred choice for Friday and holiday dinners. It can be a substitute for other sea products for your Christmas Eve dinner if you ponder about simple and tasty meat alternatives. In addition, oven-roasted mackerel is a healthier choice than tinned or smoked mackerel as we deal with raw fish free from preservatives or nitrates.
For this recipe, we will use the Atlantic mackerel, which is juicier than the Spanish mackerel. Use frozen or fresh fish – the cooked fish will taste the same. If you have frozen mackerel, the preparation time will be longer, as you will need to unfreeze it first. We tried this recipe with the fish back up and down on the pan. Then we figured that the best way is to keep the fish whole in the oven. The preparation method is quite simple – unfreeze the fish, clean it up, and follow our instructions on how to season and cook it. You will get the most delicious and juiciest mackerel you have ever tried before!
Oven-Roasted Atlantic Mackerel with Tomato Paste
Equipment
- oven pan
- Chef's knife
- Skillet
- bowl
Ingredients
- 2 whole mackerels unfrozen, cleaned, and gutted
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ red bell pepper
- 5 small potatoes
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 100 g apple cider vinegar or 100 g kombucha
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp mustard
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp roasted garlic
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp paprika optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Once the mackerel is unfrozen, cut it to remove the guts, and rinse it well from inside and outside with cold tap water. Place the fish in an oven pan and sprinkle lightly all the sides with salt.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, apple cider vinegar, fresh and roasted garlic and mix well.
- Slice tomatoes and onion. Cut red pepper and small potatoes too.
- Preheat the skillet, and fry the sliced onion for 5 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 420 F (215 C)
- Season the mackerel with the sauce, and sprinkle it with black pepper. (You may want to marinade the fish for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator. In this case, don’t preheat the oven. Do it when you are ready to cook.)
- Place potatoes and red pepper around the fish, and onion and tomatoes on top. Sprinkle everything with black pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. In the end, uncover and continue to bake the fish for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve warm. You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator. The fish tastes good, warm or cold.
Why is mackerel good for your health?
The wild-caught mackerel is good for your overall health because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iron, zinc, protein, and the rare vitamin B12. It has 16.1 microgram of B12 in a 3-ounce serving as compared to only 2.4 microgram of this vitamin in cooked salmon. Omega-3 essential acids balance your cholesterol and improve your cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Selenium boosts your immune system and has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Also, mackerel is rich in electrolytes such as magnesium, which help your body stay hydrated. Another great source of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium is salmon. Please check out our recipe How to Make Your Own Salted Salmon.
What to serve with oven-roasted mackerel?
With oven-roasted Atlantic mackerel, you can serve roasted vegetables, such as potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and carrots. Arugula, lettuce, spinach, and kale paired with tomatoes and cucumbers will make great side salads for the mackerel.
Conclusion
Oven-Roasted Mackerel is a healthy and delicious dish if you know how to prepare it. It can make a great dinner when served with roasted vegetables and green salads. Please let us know if you like this recipe, and feel free to share it with your friends. May the New Year bring you peace, health, and happiness!
