Some of the most popular Spanish recipes are the tapas ones, and while everyone knows the famous ones, there are some hidden gems ready to be discovered.
Among the Spanish mackerel recipes, the cured mackerel recipe is an authentic national treasure that quickly became an Andalusian cuisine staple.
Scroll down this article to learn how to salt mackerel, how it can be stored and served, with some extra tips for ingredient substitutions.
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Background of the Dish
Hailing from Spain, the cured mackerel recipe is deeply rooted in the country’s rich culinary tradition of preserving and enhancing the flavors of seafood.
Influenced by the coastal regions, this recipe showcases a harmonious blend of Spanish expertise in curing techniques, resulting in a dish that pays homage to the maritime heritage and gastronomic finesse of the region.
Curing fish is a method that has been used for centuries as a way of preserving and enhancing the flavor of seafood, especially in those times when refrigeration wasn’t an option for storage.
Cured mackerel recipes have the particularity that they include more ingredients that are traditional in the Andalusian region such as olive oil, paprika, and parsley.
That makes the cured mackerel recipe a staple in Southern Spanish cuisine and one of the most beloved tapas seafood dishes.
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Things You’ll Need for Cured Mackerel Recipe
For this cured mackerel recipe you need mackerel filets, sea salt, granulated sugar, olive oil, fennel seeds, and ground pepper as the main ingredients.
The curing process is what “cooks” the fish, but there are other ways on how to cook Spanish mackerel that you can follow such as the steamed mackerel recipe and the smoked mackerel recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 fresh mackerel filets (skin-on)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (50gr) sea salt
- 1/4 cup (50gr) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (30gr) chopped fresh parsley
How to Make Cured Mackerel Recipe – Step by Step Guide
- For the first step in this cured mackerel recipe, rinse each Spanish mackerel fish under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Now grab a bowl and mix the sea salt, sugar, smoked paprika, lemon zest, orange zest, crushed coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and coarsely ground black pepper.
- Then, place a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Sprinkle a small amount of the dry mixture on the plastic wrap. Lay the mackerel filets, skin side down, on the plastic wrap. Generously coat the top of each filet with the remaining dry mixture.
- For the next step in this mackerel fish recipe, tightly wrap the plastic around the mackerel filets to create a parcel.
- After that, place the wrapped filets in a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the filets halfway through the curing process.
- Once the curing period has gone by, remove the filets from the refrigerator and carefully unwrap them. Rinse the filets under cold running water to remove the excess salt and spice mixture.
- To continue with this fish mackerel recipe, pat the mackerel filets dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the mackerel at a slight angle.
- After that, arrange the slices on a serving platter. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the sliced mackerel. Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley on top.
- To finish making this Spanish mackerel recipe, serve the cured mackerel slices with crusty bread, crackers, or as part of a tapas spread.
Substitution of Ingredients
The cured mackerel recipe only calls for a few basic ingredients but all of them are key to the recipe, so we recommend that you don’t change the mackerel, the salt, the sugar, and the olive oil.
Besides that, you can prepare the best mackerel recipe with your favorite herbs and spices, or even take inspiration from other dishes like the mackerel curry recipe and the spicy mackerel recipe.
You can prepare this as a king mackerel recipe or use mackerel steaks if you want them to be bigger chunks of cured mackerel, or simply cut the filet into bigger slices.
If you aren’t so sure about this cooking method for the fish, you can prepare the best way to cook mackerel which is mackerel oven-baked.
Tips on Serving Cured Mackerel Recipe
Elevate the presentation of your cured mackerel by arranging delicate slices on a bed of vibrant microgreens, creating a visually appealing and fresh contrast to the rich flavors.
Complement the dish with thin slices of crusty artisan bread or crackers to offer a delightful textural element and the perfect vehicle for savoring the delectably cured mackerel.
Just like the pickled mackerel recipe, the cured mackerel recipe will give you the perfect appetizer or Spanish tapas.
That means that you just have to cut the cured fish into bite-size slices or cubes and place them on top of your favorite toasted bread or crackers.
Some side dishes that could also go well with this cured mackerel recipe are the tortilla de patatas, patatas a lo pobre, Spanish mashed potatoes, or a simple Spanish mixed green salad.
You can use this cured mackerel as the filling for a mackerel Sushi recipe, and other Spanish recipes that you can prepare as tapas or appetizers are the mackerel patty recipe and the mackerel cake recipe.
How to Store Cured Mackerel Recipe
After you finish making this cured fish recipe you can store it in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, always doing a taste and smell taste before serving.
We don’t recommend freezing the cured mackerel as the freezer might alter the flavor and texture of this type of cured fish in a negative way.
Some recipes that you can prepare and then store in the freezer are the mackerel burger recipe, the mackerel steaks recipe, and the peppered mackerel recipe.
Recipe Card: Cured Mackerel Recipe
Easy Cured Mackerel Recipe
Some of the most popular Spanish recipes are the tapas ones, and while everyone knows the famous ones, there are some hidden gems ready to be discovered.
Among the Spanish mackerel recipes, the cured mackerel recipe is an authentic national treasure that quickly became an Andalusian cuisine staple.
Scroll down this article to learn how to salt mackerel, how it can be stored and served, with some extra tips for ingredient substitutions.
Ingredients
- 4 fresh mackerel filets (skin-on)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (50gr) sea salt
- 1/4 cup (50gr) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (30gr) chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- To start with this cured mackerel recipe, rinse each Spanish mackerel filet under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, mix the sea salt, sugar, smoked paprika, lemon zest, orange zest, crushed coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and coarsely ground black pepper.
- Place a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Sprinkle a small amount of the dry mixture on the plastic wrap. Lay the mackerel filets, skin side down, on the plastic wrap. Generously coat the top of each filet with the remaining dry mixture.
- Tightly wrap the plastic around the mackerel filets to create a parcel.
- Place the wrapped filets in a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the filets halfway through the curing process.
- After the curing period, remove the Spanish mackerel filets from the refrigerator and carefully unwrap them. Rinse the filets under cold running water to remove the excess salt and spice mixture.
- Pat the mackerel filets dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the mackerel at a slight angle.
- Arrange the slices on a serving platter. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the sliced mackerel. Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley on top.
- Serve the Spanish cured mackerel slices with crusty bread, crackers, or as part of a tapas spread.
Notes
Feel free to add your favorite fresh or dry herbs and spices to this cured mackerel recipe, so that it has the flavor profile that you like.
Other Spanish mackerel recipes that you can prepare similar to this one are the dried mackerel recipe and the soused mackerel recipe.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 202Total Fat 11.3gSaturated Fat 2.3gCholesterol 53mgSodium 2859mgCarbohydrates 7.9gFiber 1.1gSugar 6.4gProtein 17.7g
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