Mackerel and leek Fritters with Rhubarb Sauce
Mackerel and leek Fritters with Rhubarb Sauce
Inverawe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Smoked Mackerel
Cuisine
Scottish
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
I make this in spring when the first rhubarb appears. The sauce is a scaled-down version of a favourite chutney and it has just the right balance of tartness and acidity to cut through the rich smoked mackerel; it is my version of the classic combination of mackerel and gooseberry. You can of course use gooseberries if you are making the recipe in the late summer. It is equally delicious made with whatever is in the garden!
Ingredients
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350g (12oz) leeks, trimmed weight
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1 onion, finely chopped
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150ml (1/4 pint) light olive oil
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225g (8 oz) smoked mackerel fillets, skinned and flaked
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1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced (optional)
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3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
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55g (2 oz) self-raising flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
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1 large egg
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75ml (2 1/2 fl oz) milk
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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salt and freshly ground black pepper
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450g (1 lb) rhubarb, trimmed and diced or 450g (1 lb) gooseberries
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1 small apple, peeled and diced
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1 small red onion, finely chopped
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1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
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2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
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1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
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about 2 teaspoons sugar, to taste
For the Sauce
Directions
Thickly slice the leeks, rinse and drain well. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the leeks with the onion over a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a large bowl and add the flaked smoked mackerel, chilli, parsley and season with black pepper. Allow to cool.
In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and turmeric together, then whisk in the egg and milk to form a batter. Add the cumin seeds. Gently fold this batter into the leek and mackerel mixture.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and fry large spoonfuls of the mixture over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm while you fry the remainder in the remaining olive oil.
Serve warm, with the sauce on the side or drizzled over.
For the Sauce
Put everything together in a saucepan with 75ml (2 1/2 fl oz) water. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender. Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally , until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Set aside and serve warm or cold. If it is too thick, just let it down with a little extra water.