So, you get back from work. You’re tired, you’re hungry, but you can’t really be arsed to cook. If this sounds like you, then your prayers are about to be answered. This recipe for hot smoked mackeral and a piquant (yeah that’s right, I said piquant) salad is fast, tasty, and with oily fish, bulgar wheat, and raw veg it’s also super healthy.
Ingredients
Serves 2-3
4 Hot smoked mackerel fillets
150g bulgar wheat
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 of a large cucumber, diced
10-15 baby plum / cherry tomatoes, diced
Handful of flat leaf parsley and fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon Maras Biberi
The juice of half a lemon, and the same quantity of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
The bulgar wheat salad is the only time consuming part of this dish, so get cracking with it first. Get a pan of water on the go, and when it’s boiling add the bulgar wheat. Simmer the wheat for 7-8 minutes, then drain with a sieve. At this point the bulgar will be almost cooked. Place the now full sieve back over the pan and put a lid on top of it. This allows the bulgar to drain thoroughly and also steam a bit so it’s cooked to perfection and a bit more ‘fluffy’ by the time you put the salad together.
Chop all the veggies and the herbs and place in a shallow bowl. Then make a sharp dressing by mixing the olive oil, lemon juice and Maras Biberi. Add the now fluffy and slightly cooled bulgar wheat and combine. Then add the olive oil and lemon dressing and mix.
Next get a dry frying pan on. Once it’s nice and hot, put the mackeral fillets it skin side down. Cook for about two minutes before flipping them over for another two.
Serve immediately with a big pile of the salad, and start feeling good.
Tags: Bulgar Wheat, Chilli, Cucumber, Healthy, Lemon, Mint, Olive Oil, Parsley, Simple, Smoked Mackeral, Supper, Tomato
