GRILLED MACKEREL WITH CARROTS, RAISINS, PINE NUTS, AND HERBS
MACKEREL, ONE of my favorite Mediterranean fish, with its smooth, unctuous fl esh and its deep fl avor, is an excellent fi sh for the grill. I have adapted this Greco- Turkish recipe for stuffed mackerel to be done on the grill. The raisins, carrot, nuts, and croutons pressed into the mackerel’s cavity make this a particularly filling entrée.
- 4 large whole mackerels, about 2 pounds each, boned (best done by fi shmonger)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for brushing grill basket
- For the stuffing
- 1⁄3 cup golden seedless raisins
- 1⁄3 cup brandy or dry white wine
- 1⁄3 cup pine nuts
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing fish
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups plain croutons or 1⁄4- inch dried bread cubes made from stale, hard bread
- 1⁄2 cup chopped flat- leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions:
- Rinse and pat dry the boned fi sh. Season inside and out with salt and pepper and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make the stuffing: Soak the raisins in the brandy for 30 minutes. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and toast the pine nuts, tossing continuously, until lightly golden on both sides. Remove from the pan into a plate and set aside.
- Heat the grill to medium- hot. Oil a fl at, long- handled grill basket. You will need to use this to keep the stuffed fi sh together.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and carrot for about 7 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and stir together for another minute or so. Remove and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the onion- carrot mixture, the croutons, raisins and brandy, pine nuts, parsley, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well.
- Place one- fourth of the filling inside the cavity of each fi sh, pressing it gently in to be as compact as possible. Brush the surface of the fish, on both sides, with a little olive oil. Place each stuffed fi sh in the middle of a 14- inch- square piece of heavy- duty aluminum foil. Bring the sides up and around and fold closed securely and relatively tightly. There should be some room between the fi sh and the aluminum foil but it should be fairly compact. Place in the grill basket and grill the fi sh for about 35 minutes, turning once after about 20 minutes. Remove and serve hot.