MACKEREL IN SCAPECE WITH LEMON SALAD
Scapece was originally a method of preserving fish for a week or two, and it still can be, but I love it for its vibrant acid rush; it really tunes me up. Try to find organic lemons, but regular lemons will be OK if you scrub them well. The longer the lemon salad sits, the sweeter it will be. If you can’t get high-quality mackerel, you can substitute bluefish or even fresh sardines. As with any oily fish, freshness is key: day 1, the fish is great; day 2, it won’t be. LEMON SALAD
- 2 thin-skinned lemons, scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves cut into chiffonade (thin slivers)
- 2 pounds freshest-possible king mackerel fillet, skin on
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 medium red onion, cut into â…›-inch-thick rounds
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, cut the lemons into paper-thin slices. (The salad looks prettiest with whole slices, but you may find it easier to cut the lemons lengthwise in half first and then into paper-thin half slices.)
- Layer the lemon slices in a large shallow baking dish.
- Sprinkle evenly first with the salt, then with the sugar, and then the pepper. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour the olive oil evenly over the lemons. Allow to sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
- Cut the mackerel into approximately 2-inch pieces. Put them on a small baking sheet, brush on all sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the mackerel pieces skin side down on the hottest part of the grill, leaving space between them, and cook, unmoved, until the cooked look has crept up the sides but the very top is still translucent, 3 to 5 minutes for thinner pieces, 5 to 7 minutes for thicker pieces. As the pieces cook, carefully remove them with tongs or a spatula and place raw side down in one layer in a shallow serving dish.
- Combine the vinegar, the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, the red onion slices, sugar, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the mackerel fillets and allow to stand for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the raw bottom part has cooked through.
- Add the parsley to the lemons, toss to mix well, and place on a serving platter. Stack the mackerel pieces on top of the lemon salad. Drizzle some of the vinegar mixture over the fish, and serve warm or at room temperature.