Grilled Mackerel with butter and aniseed, and a Maltese tomato piquant sauce
 
Cook time
Total time
 
Simply grill or fry your mackerel on medium heat. You can leave the mackerel whole or my preferred method is to ask your fish monger to butterfly it and remove the head, tail and fins. It is easier and a little quicker to fry or grill this way.
Author:
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients
  • For the Maltese tomato piquant sauce:
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed or 1 small onion chopped
  • 7 small to medium tomatoes chopped (you can also add 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
  • 6 to 10 black olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • Small bunch of parsley chopped
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar (I used red wine vinegar but you can just use white or brown)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • For the mackerel
  • 1 large mackerel (about 1kg in size)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons aniseeds
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Prepare the sauce first.
  2. In a frying pan on medium heat add some olive oil. Fry the garlic for a few seconds.
  3. Add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and fry for a few minutes.
  4. Add in all other ingredients and fry for about 10 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. While the tomato sauce is cooking prepare the mackerel.
  7. In either a griddle pan or frying pan add half the butter and aniseeds.
  8. Spread the remaining butter and aniseeds on the mackerel.
  9. Place the mackerel in the pan and fry on either side on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the fish.
  10. Serve the mackerel with the tomato sauce.
  11. You can also serve with some green vegetables and potatoes.
Recipe by A Maltese Mouthful at https://www.amaltesemouthful.com/grilled-mackerel-butter-aniseed/