SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN, ANDALUSIAN STYLE

 

Fried chicken dinner for the Fourth of July. The chicken is fried in olive oil. Those ripe tomatoes are Andalusian. The potato salad is Andalusian too.

Where I grew up in the Midwest, we used to spend the Fourth of July holiday at my aunt and uncle’s farm in southern Illinois. My aunt would dispatch a farmyard chicken, pluck it clean and hack it into pieces. They were floured and slow-fried in fat to a golden brown crunch. God, but that was good fried chicken. With green beans from the garden and a heap of corn-on-the-cob. 

I remember sparklers for the kids. And, right outside the screen porch, at the back of the house, was a big round cement cover over a cistern for catching rainwater. My uncle told us kids it was full of ice and cokey-cola. I could just picture those bottles nestled in heaps of ice. 

So, to celebrate the Fourth, U.S. Independence Day, I’m making “southern” fried chicken. But, the south is Andalusia! Wish I had some corn-on-the-cob to go with it.

Andalusian-style potato salad--patatas aliñadas--to go with the fried chicken. The recipe is here.

Crispy Olive Oil-Fried Chicken

Pollo Frito

American-style fried chicken gets marinated in buttermilk before flouring and frying. For the Andaluz version, I’ve used yogurt instead. (Allow at least two hours or overnight to marinate the chicken pieces.) I’ve used lots of pimentón de la Vera, smoked paprika, both sweet and picante, hot, for my seasoned flour. And, of course, the chicken is fried in extra virgin olive oil. 

The olive oil for frying needn’t be your finest. In heating, the oil loses some of the aromatic organoleptic qualities that are present in raw oil. Use enough oil to come up to a depth of about 1 inch in the pan. 

Heat the oil to about 360ºF /180ºC, which is well below the smoking point of olive oil. Don’t crowd the chicken pieces. Lower the heat to medium so the chicken cooks slowly without browning too quickly. If the temperature is too high, the pimentón (paprika) in the seasoned flour coating will darken. Turn the pieces after six to eight minutes and fry until the reverse side is browned. The chicken should be cooked through and golden-brown on the exterior. You may have to cut into one piece to test for doneness. Or test with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a drumstick—it should read 165ºF. 

Olive oil used for frying can be strained and used again. Store it, covered, in a cool place shielded from light.

For my fried chicken, I’ve used all drumsticks, so timing is easier. You could use a whole, cut-up chicken 

Use plain flour and fine dry breadcrumbs or substitute gluten-free flour and crumbs for breading the chicken. You will not need all of the spice blend for seasoning the flour. The remainder can be stored in a jar and used for meat, fish, vegetables. 

Yogurt marinade.

Serves 4

For the marinade:

½ cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

Milk or water to dilute the marinade

8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds)

Seasoning blend.

For the seasoning blend:

2 tablespoons pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

1 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera picante (hot smoked paprika) 

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon crumbled oregano

Pinch of celery seeds

Flour, crumbs, seasoning.

For the seasoned flour:

1 cup flour, regular or gluten-free

¼ cup fine dry breadcrumbs, regular or gluten-free

1 tablespoon seasoning blend

For breading and frying the chicken:

1 medium egg

2 teaspoons water

Olive oil for frying

For the marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, salt, pimentón and lemon zest. Add about ¼ cup of milk to thin the marinade. 

Place the chicken in a bowl and pour over the marinade. Add the chicken pieces and turn them to cover all of the pieces. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. 

When ready to fry the chicken, drain the pieces of excess marinade.

For the seasoning blend:

Mix together the two kinds of pimentón, black pepper, salt, cumin, garlic powder, thyme, oregano and celery seeds. Only 1 tablespoon of the spice blend is needed for the seasoned flour. Store the remainder in a tightly capped jar.

For the seasoned flour:

Combine the flour, regular or gluten-free, with the breadcrumbs and seasoning blend. Spread the seasoned flour in a rimmed tray or shallow bowl. 

Beat the egg with the 2 teaspoons of water. Place in a shallow bowl. 

Drumsticks frying in olive oil.

Dredge the drained chicken drumsticks in the flour, coat them in beaten egg and dredge them again in the flour. Pat off excess flour and lay the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet or pan. (See headnotes for more about quantity of oil and frying temperature.) Place a layer of drumsticks in the oil and lower the heat to medium. Fry the chicken slowly until golden-brown on one side (about 6 minutes). Carefully turn the pieces and fry them on the reverse side until browned. Remove and drain the fried chicken on paper towels or on a wire rack set over a pan to catch any drips.

Remove and drain the fried chicken on paper towels or on a wire rack set over a pan to catch any drips.

Serve chicken hot, room temperature or cold.

More for the Fourth:

Corn-on-the-Cob.

Crispy-Fried Chicken Wings.

A SUMMERTIME DISH, SWEET OR SAVORY

 A basket of ruby-red cherries and a flat of bright cherry tomates were keeping company on my kitchen table. Why not use them in a joint effort, for a dish, either sweet or savory, full of summer’s essence?

Clafoutis is a baked fruit dish, of French origin. It’s dense and eggy, somewhere between quiche and cake. The dessert version, traditionally made with black cherries, can be made with any sweet cherry, such as the cerezas or picotas now in Spanish markets, or other stone fruit such as nectarines, peaches or apricots. The savory version is with cherry tomatoes and diced zucchini. 

Twins, sort of--cherry clafoutis at the top and cherry tomato clafoutis below. Clafoutis is a baked custardy dish, sweet or savory. 

The batter for clafoutis, somewhat like pancake batter, is quickly mixed in a blender. The sweet and savory versions are basically the same. The cherry clafoutis has sugar —but not much—added to the fruit and to the batter. The tomato version has more salt, some chopped onion and fresh herbs (I used oregano). These cherry tomatoes are so sweet that this version could have been prepared with sugar, exactly like the cherry version. 

Just to keep things interesting, I added almond flour to the fruit version and, for the savory recipe, I subbed gluten-free breadcrumbs and flour. 

Use a round, oval or square baking dish or oven-safe skillet to bake the clafoutis. They will puff up in baking, but deflate as they cool. Serve clafoutis warm or chilled, scooped or sliced. Cream is a nice accompaniment to the cherry clafoutis; Greek yogurt goes well with both the fruit and the savory one.

Cherries bake suspended in a dense custard. 

This fruit dessert is not overly sweet. Whipped cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt goes nicely with it.

The savory version, with cherry tomatoes and zucchini, is flavored with snippets of fresh oregano.

These cherry tomatoes really pop with flavor!

Clafoutis with Cherries

Flan de Cerezas

18 ounces fresh cherries, pitted (3 cups)

Olive oil for the baking dish

4 tablespoons sugar

1 ¼ cups whole milk

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup almond flour (unsweetened)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup flour

Powdered sugar (optional)

Pit the cherries. (18 ounces whole cherries made about 15 ounces, 3 cups,  pitted.) 

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cherries in baking dish.

Lightly oil a 5-cup baking dish. Spread the cherries in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a blender container with the milk, eggs, vanilla, almond flour and salt. Blend at high speed until thoroughly mixed. Add the flour and mix at low speed until blended. Pour the batter over the cherries in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar on the top.

Bake the clafoutis until browned on top and set in the center (test with a thin skewer), about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve the clafoutis, warm or chilled, dusted with powdered sugar, if desired.

Clafoutis will puff up while baking, deflate as it cools. 

Clafoutis of Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes

Pastel de Calabacín y Tomates Peras

Use gluten-free crumbs and flour for this recipe, if desired. 

1 cup diced zucchini

Salt

Oil for the baking dish

4 tablespoons grated aged cheese

2 tablespoons fine dry (gluten-free) breadcrumbs

8 ounces cherry tomatoes

Chopped fresh herbs

1 ½ cups whole milk

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ cup (gluten-free) flour

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the diced zucchini in a colander and sprinkle it generously with salt. Let it drain 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Spread zucchini, tomatoes in baking dish.

Oil a 5-cup baking dish. Combine 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese with the breadcrumbs. Spread the cheese-crumb mixture in the baking dish.

Spread the tomatoes in a single layer in the baking dish. Pat the zucchini dry and tuck it around the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little chopped herbs.

In a blender container, combine the milk, eggs, onion and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Blend until smooth. On low speed, blend in the flour and pepper.

Pour the batter over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of grated cheese. Bake until the custard is set and the top is golden-brown, about 45 minutes. Serve, hot, warm or cold.

More recipes with cherries:

Cherry Gazpacho.

Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Ketchup.

Sangría with Cherries.

More recipes with cherry tomatoes:

Sauté of Beans and Cherry Tomatoes.

Pear Gazpacho with Cherry Tomatoes.

Cucumber Gazpacho with Cherry Tomatoes.

NO OVEN? NO PROBLEM!

 

Looks like a gratin, no? Summer vegetables cooked in the microwave are topped with cheese and crispy breadcrumbs. No oven needed.

Would you turn on the oven to make a summer vegetable gratin? That was a question posed in one of my food groups on Facebook. My answer: NO WAY. I don’t turn on the oven from the first of June until mid-September. That’s been the house rule for years. But now, with heat waves coming earlier and more severe (we hit 40ºC/104ºF a few days ago), we will have to extend the oven ban from May until October. Scary. 

If using the oven is out of the question, how to cook in the summer? I long ago stopped making baked goods, so that’s no problem. But I miss a weekly roast chicken, a simple preparation that’s good the first time round, with leftovers to last a few days. And, yes, I remember making summer vegetable gratins. How to adapt?

Andalusians have traditionally not used ovens at all. No roasts nor oven casseroles. So summer fare just means faster top-of-the-stove cooking—fried fish and gazpacho being a perfect summer meal. In the old days, paella cooked, on a wood fire, nowadays it’s still cooked outdoors, on a gas ring big enough for a huge paella pan. Fat bell peppers are roasted on the parilla, wood-fired grill, or else purchased with fresh bread at the village panadería, where the peppers are roasted in bread ovens.

At my house, I have adapted the roast chicken for the gas grill on the patio. And, the gratin, while not legally gratinée, works pretty well in the microwave.  

Vegetables cooked in the microwave soak up the olive oil, but keep their shape and texture. Fried bread crumbs added before serving give the vegetables some crunch. Serve this dish hot or cold, as a starter or side. It would make a great vegetarian main accompanied by rice or bulgur.

My summer substitute for oven-roasted chicken. Small, spatchcocked chickens are quick to cook on a grill.  

Leftover grilled chicken makes a great summer salad with cheese and tangy olives.

Microwave Summer Vegetables with Crumb Topping

Verduras al Microonda con Crujiente de Migas

I make a quite acceptable eggplant Parmesan in the microwave, after first frying the slices of eggplant in a skillet. This is different in that all the vegetables are layered raw. They never become totally soft as with an oven-baked casserole, but keep their texture very nicely. I’ve added the crunchy bread crumbs after removing the vegetables from the microwave.

A ceramic tian casserole is perfect for this dish, as long as it fits inside your microwave unit. A deep-dish glass pie pan is a good alternative as is an earthenware cazuela or any round, flat-bottomed bowl with straight sides. Presumably, microwave-safe plastic would work, although I didn’t try it. 

Slice vegetables.

The vegetables need to be cut in fairly equal ¼-inch slices. Salt the eggplant slices and let them stand in a colander 15 minutes so they release excess liquid. Slice the tomatoes, salt them lightly and lay on a plate. When assembling, lift them and discard the liquid. 

I used a vegetable peeler to peel the bell peppers.

You can use more or less of the listed vegetables or swap others. If you use sliced potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or butternut squash, steam or parboil them before layering with the other vegetables. 

Serve the vegetables hot, room temperature or cold. Sprinkle with the crispy crumbs right before serving. Cold, the vegetables are good with a squeeze of lemon.

Serves 4-6.

For the crumb topping:

3 slices day-old bread (5 ounces), crusts removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

Pinch of dried thyme or parsley

For the vegetables:

Olive oil

1 cup reserved crumbs

1 onion

2-3 medium eggplant (1 pound)

3 plum tomatoes

1 medium zucchini and/or yellow squash (12 ounces)

2 bell peppers, yellow and/or red

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Basil leaves, torn

1 ounce thinly sliced cheese

2 ounces grated cheese

Crispy bread crumbs.

Tear the bread into pieces. Use a food processor to chop it into coarse crumbs. You should have about 2 ½ cups crumbs.

Reserve 1 cup of the crumbs to layer with the vegetables. 

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of crumbs and fry them until they begin to turn golden. Add the chopped garlic and continue to fry until crumbs are browned and crispy. Stir in thyme. Remove crumbs from the skillet.

Oil a microwave-safe dish. Spread the reserved 1 cup of crumbs that were not fried in the bottom of the dish.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Cut the onion in thin julienne slices. Sauté until they are softened and beginning to brown, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spread half of the onions in the bottom of the dish on top of the crumbs.

Slice the eggplant crosswise into rounds. If eggplant is very large, cut the slices in half. Salt them lightly and leave 15 minutes  in a colander to drain. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Slice the tomatoes crosswise. Salt them lightly and lay flat on a plate.

Overlap sliced vegetables in dish.

Slice the zucchini, peppers and any other vegetables selected into more-or-less equal-sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Arrange the eggplant, tomato, zucchini and pepper slices in overlapping rows in the dish. Push slices of the sautéed onion and sliced cheese between the sliced vegetables. Tuck pieces of basil between the vegetables. When all of the vegetable slices have been incorporated, drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over the top. 

Test vegetables for doneness.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a microwave plastic lid. Microwave on High for 5 minutes. Microwave on Medium-High until vegetables are done to taste, about 15 minutes. The heavy dish will be very hot, so use oven mitts or a towel to protect hands when removing the dish. 

Remove the lid or plastic wrap. Sprinkle the grated cheese on the top of the vegetables. Return the dish to the microwave uncovered. Microwave on Medium-High for 5 minutes. Leave the dish in the microwave for at least 5 minutes.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with the crispy crumbs. 

Grilled Chicken

Pollo a la Parilla

Two-pound chickens

These supermarket chickens come two to a package, each weighing only 2 pounds. Once spatchcocked and opened flat, they cook very quickly on the grill (40 minutes or so). “Dry brining” helps to keep them juicy.

Try different spice blends. I’m currently experimenting with Middle Eastern za’atar, a mixture of thyme, oregano, sumac and sesame seeds. Other mixes to try: Spanish pinchito spice, Moroccan ras el hanout, Indian garam masala. Or make up your own. 

2 small (2-pound) chickens

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

Spice-herb blend such as za’atar

Lemon juice

Spatchcock (butterfly) the chickens by cutting out and removing the back bone, opening the chicken out and pressing the breastbone to flatten it. Sprinkle the chickens on both sides with salt and pepper. Leave them, uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to eight hours.

Before grilling, brush the chickens with oil. Sprinkle them with the spice-herb mixture and squeeze lemon juice over them. 

Preheat grill. Grill the chickens, bony-side down, over indirect heat for about 30 minutes. Douse any flare-ups and adjust the position of the chickens so they don’t burn. Turn them skin-side down. Grill until golden-brown and done in the thickest part. (Test by cutting into the thigh to see if juices run clear.)  

Allow the chickens to rest 10 minutes before serving. Or, store refrigerated, for use in chicken salad (recipe follows).

Chicken Salad with Olives

Ensalada de Pollo con Aceitunas

Cut leftover grilled chicken into strips or cubes for the chicken salad.

The slight sweetness of vinegar made from Málaga wine complements the vinaigrette for this chicken salad. PX vinegar would also be good. Both are mellow and less sweet than balsamic.

Trusty olive pitter!

Serves 2 to 3.

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in strips or cubes

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup sliced pitted green olives

¼ cup seedless black grapes

2 tablespoons diced celery

1 tablespoon diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped onions

2 ounces cheese, cut in strips or dice (½ cup)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoons Flor de Málaga vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad greens to serve

Cherry tomatoes to garnish

Sprigs of fresh herbs to garnish

Place the cut-up chicken in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the olives, grapes, celery, red pepper, onions and cheese. Mix gently.

In a jar combine the mustard, vinegar, salt and pimentón. Stir well. Add the oil. Cap the jar and shake it until dressing is smooth.

Stir the dressing into the chicken and combine well. (If not serving the salad immediately, store it, covered and refrigerated.) Spread plates with salad leaves. Spoon the chicken salad on the greens. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and sprigs of fresh herbs.

More recipes for the microwave:

Seabass in Papillote.

Marinated Turkey Breast.

Zucchini Timbale.

Stuffed Peppers.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake.

Another way to use the grill instead of the oven:

Cornbread on the Grill.

EGGPLANT, HOW DO I LOVE THEE?

 Let me count the ways—fried, grilled, roasted, steamed, stewed. With cheese. With ground meat stuffing. With seafood. With molasses. As a tapa, a side or a main dish. Spanish cooking has dozens of ways for preparing this versatile summer vegetable. 

This recipe for eggplant croquettes is one more reason for love. Crispy on the outside, meltingly creamy on the inside, the croquettes don't require bechamel sauce. They make a great aperitif to pass around with drinks or, served with rice and a sauce, a vegetarian main course.

Serve these croquettes as an aperitif with drinks.

Eggplant croquettes are crispy on the outside, creamy inside.

Serve croquettes with a dipping sauce. We like alioli, garlic mayonnaise.

Serve the croquettes on rice with sauce for a main course.

A delightful vegetarian main dish.

Eggplant Croquettes

Croquetas de Berenjena

The eggplant needs to be cooked until soft enough to mash. You can roast it on a grill or in the oven or, easiest in hot weather, steam it in a microwave. A food processor is helpful for grinding fresh breadcrumbs, chopping parsley and garlic, and mixing the eggplant.

Makes 20 croquettes

2 medium eggplant

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup parsley

¼ teaspoon cumin

Pinch hot pimentón (paprika) or cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated cheese (3 ounces)

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat

To fry the croquettes.

Flour for dredging

1 egg beaten with 2 teaspoons of water

Fine dry breadcrumbs for dredging

Olive oil for frying

To microwave, wrap in plastic film.

  

 Place the eggplant in a microwave-safe dish. Wrap the dish in a double thickness of plastic film wrap. Microwave the eggplant on High for 5 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before unwrapping. (The eggplant should feel soft to the touch.) 

Split eggplant and scoop out flesh.

When cool enough to handle them, slit the eggplant open and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. There should be approximately 2 cups pulp. Place in a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice.

Mince the garlic and parsley in a food processor. Add the eggplant pulp and pulse to chop the eggplant finely. Don’t puree it. Blend in the cumin, pimentón and salt. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the grated cheese. Add the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly.

Chill the croquette mixture at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Place the flour, beaten egg and fine breadcrumbs in bowls. 

Roll the eggplant mixture into walnut-sized balls and shape them into cylinders. Dredge them first in flour, then coat in beaten egg, then roll them in fine crumbs. Sprinkle a spoonful of the crumbs on a sheet pan and place the croquettes on it as they are shaped.

Dredge in flour.

Dip in egg, then roll in crumbs.

After breading, spread the croquettes on a tray to dry.

Allow the croquettes to dry at room temperature for 1 hour.

Place oil to a depth of 1 inch in a deep pan. Heat the oil until shimmering, but not smoking. Fry the croquettes, a few at a time, turning them as they brown. Remove when golden-brown and drain them on paper towels.

Drain excess oil on paper towels.

Serve the croquettes hot or room temperature. They can be reheated in a hot oven.

More recipes for eggplant love:

Fried Eggplant with Molasses.

Eggplant and Shrimp Rollups.

Moroccan Eggplant Salad (Zeilouk).

Roasted Eggplant with Cheese.

Pickled Eggplant, Almagro Style.

Eggplant Tortilla.

Meat-Stuffed Eggplant.

Eggplant Timbale.

Grilled Eggplant and Peppers (Escalivada).

Microwave Baba Ghanoush.

HOLY MACKEREL!

 They’re cheap, they’re healthful, they’re delicious. Mackerel, a fish in no danger of over-fishing, is a summertime treat. 

If mackerel has any drawback, it’s that the oil-rich flesh deteriorates rapidly. Eat them fresh, fried, baked or grilled. For longer keeping, put them in escabeche, a vinegar marinade. 

Fillets of mackerel in escabeche center a salad platter, a perfect summer lunch.

Escabeche is an ancient way of preserving foods in a marinade. (The word derives, via Arabic, from the Persian sikbâg.) Typically, escabeche is made with vinegar, olive oil and salt, often with aromatics such as garlic and herbs. Vinegar is a potent preservative. Olive oil in the marinade rises to the top as the food cools and creates a protective seal, allowing the escabeche foods to be kept for periods of time without refrigeration.  

Mackerel in escabeche is particularly popular in Cádiz, Málaga and Huelva (Andalusia) where this fish is common. In Galicia, simple escabeche, with vinegar, garlic and pimentón (paprika) is used for sardines, shad and lamprey as well as mussels and oysters. In inland regions such as La Mancha, escabeche is a traditional way of preserving fresh-water fish such as trout, pike and tench. If you haven’t got mackerel, sardines or trout, try this with farmed catfish. 

Traditionally, the fish is gutted, floured and fried until thoroughly cooked. Then boiling hot escabeche marinade is poured over the pieces of fish. Easier, skip the frying and cook the fish right in the marinade.

You can make this dish with whole (gutted) fish or fillets. Even when the spine has been removed, mackerel has fine bones that are much easier to pull out after the fish is cooked. 

For presentation, try to keep the fillets intact—but save any chunks that break up, as they are terrific mashed up with hard-cooked egg and mayonnaise for “tuna” salad sandwich.

How to serve escabeche? As a cold dish garnished with leafy greens and tomatoes, it makes a good starter or luncheon entrée. Those crunchy pickled carrots in the marinade are delicious, by the way.

Serve mackerel in escabeche as a starter, garnished with pickled carrots, potatoes, eggs and greens.

Serve mackerel fillet on toasts and garnish with strips of red pepper from the marinade.

Mash the mackerel up with chopped carrots, red peppers, hard-cooked egg and a little mayo. Use it as a sandwich spread or topping for toasts.

Salad with mackerel and vegetables makes a main course dish.

Mackerel in Escabeche Marinade

Caballa en Escabeche

Serves 6.

Mackerel.

3-4 whole mackerel, 2 ½-3 pounds

Salt

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, julienne sliced

2 carrots, sliced

½ cup julienned red bell pepper

6 cloves garlic, slivered

Red pepper flakes (optional)

2 bay leaves

Sprig of lemon thyme (optional)

Strip of orange or lemon zest

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon coriander seed

Pinch of ground cloves

½ cup white wine

¾ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup water

Cooked potato, sliced, to serve (optional)

Leafy greens, to serve (optional)

Hard-cooked eggs, to serve (optional)

Flaky salt

Use paper towels to wipe out any remaining blood in the cavity of the fish. Wash the mackerel well and pat them dry. Sprinkle them inside and out with salt.

Heat ½ cup of the oil in a pan large enough to hold the fish. Add the onion, carrots, red pepper and garlic. Poach them in the oil until somewhat softened, 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, if using; the bay leaves; thyme, if using; lemon zest; peppercorns; coriander; cloves; wine; vinegar; water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and cook the vegetables 10 minutes.

Carefully place the fish in the pan. Raise the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cover the pan and cook the fish 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mackerel to finish cooking in the residual heat, 15 minutes. (The fish is cooked if it easily separates from the bone.)

Lift out spines.

  Use a slotted spatula to remove the mackerel to a platter. While     they are still warm, use a table knife to scrape off the skin. Split a fish open along the spine and lay it flat. Lift out and discard the spine. Cut each half into two fillets, carefully removing any bones. (Fingers work best for finding the bones.)

  Place the fillets in a non-reactive container (glass or ceramic). Ladle     escabeche over each layer. If fillets fall apart, layer the pieces along with the whole fillets. Pour all the remaining escabeche liquid over the mackerel. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of remaining olive oil over the top.

Layer mackerel with marinade.

Cover tightly with a lid or a triple layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 36 hours. 

To serve, lift fillets of mackerel out of the marinade and place them on plates with leafy greens. Garnish with strips of red pepper and sliced carrots from the escabeche plus sliced potatoes and eggs, if using. Spoon escabeche marinade over the mackerel and potatoes. Sprinkle with flaky salt and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Escabeche plated.

More escabeche recipes:

Quail Lollipops in Escabeche.

Chicken Wings in Escabeche.

Anchovies in Bitter Orange Escabeche.

Pickled Mushrooms.

Quinoa Salad with Partridge in Escabeche.

Marinated Bonito with Olives.

More recipes with mackerel:

Mackerel with Pisto Vegetables.

Horse Mackerel Biscay Style.