Featured Recipe
Pan-Seared Mackerel with Celery Root Mash
By Kate
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Pan-sear mackerel skin-side down weighted for a crisp crust. Celery root cubes cook 20 min with garlic and green onions, blitzed with softened butter and chives replacing parsley. Swap microgreens for pea shoots. Finish with sunchoke dice instead of kohlrabi. Oil drizzle and roasted green onions bring sharpness. Rest mackerel briefly off heat. Mix salt and pepper at each step. Mash not too smooth, some texture stays. Quick, earthy, bright herbal notes, a twist on traditional celery root mash. Cooking times slightly adapted for texture and flavor retention.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
60 min
Serves:
4 servings
seafood
French cuisine
healthy dinner
Introduction
Start with earthy celery root, peeled and diced, boiling in salted water. Garlic and sliced green onions join just before draining, adding a sharp aromatic punch. Blend with butter and chives for herbal brightness. This mash keeps some tooth against the creaminess—no overblending here. Skin-on mackerel, portioned and salted, hits an olive oil pool off heat. Weight presses skin flat for a crisp sear in 5 minutes. Flip carefully for a quick finish. Charred green onions sizzle in same pan, picking up fishiness and caramel sweetness. Sunchoke dices swap in for kohlrabi — a nutty ground note. Pea shoots replace cresson for fresh green pop. A drizzle of oil, a crack of pepper. Simple, focused, full of layers.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Reducing celery root quantity balances bulk with fish. Chives swap parsley to brighten with slight oniony freshness. Garlic remains mild, blended into mash. Sunchoke replaces kohlrabi to avoid strong cabbage notes but retain texture. Pea shoots offer delicate greenery instead of peppery cresson. Olive oil quantity scales with stovetop searing needs, extra for finishing gives fruity lift. Butter softened not melted ensures emulsion with mash. Mackerel cut into 8 portions for quick even cooking and skin crispness. Green onions diced small in mash; halved for roasting to shift texture and flavor. All produce fresh and peeled thoroughly. Season each element carefully through process.
Method
Celery Root Mash
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add celery root cubes, cook 20 min. Two minutes before done, toss in smashed garlic and sliced green onions. Drain immediately after cooking. Mix in chopped chives.
- Transfer hot vegetables to food processor with butter. Pulse until mostly smooth but retaining some texture. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- In large nonstick pan off heat, pour olive oil. Arrange mackerel skin-side down. Salt and pepper. Weigh down fillets with a heavy pan or plate to press skin flat. Heat over medium-high for 5 min until skin crisps and browns deeply.
- Remove weight. Flip fillets, cook 1-2 min more without weight. Remove fish, set aside on warm plate.
- Add green onion halves to same pan, sauté over medium-high 1-2 min till slightly charred. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon mash onto plates. Place mackerel atop mash. Scatter roasted green onions, sunchoke dices, and pea shoots over. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil. Crack black pepper freely.
- Serve immediately.
Mackerel
To Serve
Technique Tips
Begin celery root cooking timed to ensure tender yet firm cubes. Adding garlic and green onions late prevents overpowering cooking loss, adding freshness. Drain quickly, stir in herbs before blitzing. Processor pulses retain texture versus puree. Technique for crisp mackerel skin crucial—start with cold pan oil off heat placing fish to prevent sticking and curling. Weighting down ensures contact for browning. Flip briefly, avoid overcooking flesh. Immediately remove fish after cooking to rest; skin remains crisp. Using same pan for onions adds fond flavor, sauté till slightly charred, not limp. Assembly goes from warm mash mound, fish top, scatter greens and diced sunchoke contrasting crunch. Olive oil drizzle finishes with fruitiness, pepper brightens. Serve hot. Timing tweaked ±5 min for precise textures.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Starting with cold pan is key. Oil helps prevent sticking. Weight down the mackerel for crispy skin. Press firmly, but don’t overdo it. Rising temperatures mean better crust. Salt and pepper both sides before cooking. This enhances flavor. Timing? Crucial. Too long means dryness. Flip gently.
- 💡 For the mash? Don't over-blend. Retain some of the texture. Garlic adds a nice note if added late. Green onions bring brightness. Mix chives in well. They add oniony freshness. Serve warm. Mash should contrast texture of fish. Use less salt in the water. Balances with mackerel.
- 💡 Sunchokes instead of kohlrabi? Much nuttier flavor. Dice small, helps with cooking. Pea shoots as garnish? Great choice. Fresh and slightly sweet. Olive oil makes a difference. Great finishing flavor. Drizzle over just before serving. Adds depth and richness. Always taste as you go.
- 💡 Green onions give dual purpose. Mashed small in the mix, halved for charring. This brings sweetness to contrast mackerel. Keep the boiling time short. Prevents mushiness; seek tender yet firm cubes. Drain immediately. Stirring in the herbs must happen while hot. Better infusion.
- 💡 Don't forget seasoning at every stage. Important to ensure layers of flavor. Control your heat. Moderate to ensure fish cooks through without burning skin. Resting fish helps. Keeps the crispness intact. Timing for cooking mackerel adjusted for thickness. Every piece varies slightly.
Kitchen Wisdom
How do I ensure fish skin crispness
Start cold pan. Oil inside. Weight fish down. Medium-high heat. Watch closely. Flip once skin's golden. Quick on second side, 1-2 min. Rest before serving.
What if I overcook mackerel
Texture is key. Recovery? Thin sauce on the side could help. Relies on moisture. Adding broth while serving also retains flavor. Herbs help counter dryness.
Storage options after cooking
Refrigerate for 1-2 days max. Wrap tightly. Keeps flavors, but not same texture. Can also freeze, but best eaten fresh. Reheat gently, avoid microwave.
What to do about leftovers
Mash can be revived with butter. Warm gently. Fish won't be same, but edible. Use in salads if you must. Last resort but acceptable.
