Grilled mackerel with harissa & coriander couscous

Grilled mackerel with harissa & coriander couscous

Oil-rich mackerel is full of omega-3 and is an environmentally aware way to enjoy fish

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Method

  1. Brush each fillet 2-3 times with a little of the olive oil and rub with the lime zest. Season and sprinkle with half the lime juice then marinate for 5 mins.
  2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan. Add half the onions and harissa, and stir over a medium heat for 2-3 mins. Stir in the couscous and toss to coat with the harissa. Add the hot stock, cover and remove from the heat. Stand for 5 mins, fluff with a fork and stir in the remaining spring onions, coriander, lime juice and some seasoning. Heat the grill.
  3. Grill the mackerel for 3-4 mins on each side or until the flesh is opaque. Divide the couscous between 4 plates and slide a fillet on top. Serve with lime wedges.
Try

Buying mackerel

Mackerel are best bought whole and filleted to order so you can tell just how fresh they are. This oil-rich fish is in plentiful supply and is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for brain development and reducing the risk of strokes. When buying, look out for line-caught fish, which is a selective method of capture and more environmentally friendly. Mackerel is a good choice in winter as it is in season and at its best with rich, meaty flesh.

PER SERVING

502 kcalories, protein 31g, carbohydrate 21g, fat 33 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 1g, sugar 3g, salt 0.65 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2011.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Beth

    21 February 2011

    Beth rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really enjoyed this- cooked by my boyfriend & was surprisingly tasty for such a simple recipe

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  • Binder photo Daniel

    09 March 2011

    Daniel rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Wasn't too impressed by this recipe. Not bad but certainly nothing special to me. Kinda plain sadly so doubt I'll cook it again!

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  • Binder photo MatthewJFox

    10 March 2011

    MatthewJFox rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Frantic Flapjack

    23 May 2011

    Frantic Flapjack rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    This was quick and easy to make. The harissa paste is very spicy so go easy if you don't like your food too spicy. The recipe says it serves 4 but I struggled to make 3 good servings with the couscous. Also, I think the couscous was a little soggy - maybe use less liquid or more couscous.

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  • Binder photo courgettes and limes

    09 June 2011

    courgettes and limes commented on this recipe

    i loved the couscous recipe - agree with Frantic Flapjack that the couscous is a little soggy and also that harissa paste is very spicy. I used 2 tsp instead of 2 tbsp and it was spicy enough.

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  • Binder photo courgettes and limes

    09 June 2011

    courgettes and limes commented on this recipe

    oh and you can bake the mackerel too instead of grilling it.

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  • Binder photo courgettes and limes

    09 June 2011

    courgettes and limes rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Ed Morris

    19 August 2011

    Ed Morris rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely loved it! Amazing flavours and the mackerel really stands up to the lime and spice. Only made 2 portions really but that was fine as we had 2 fillets each.

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  • Binder photo seren1980

    18 January 2012

    seren1980 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Fantastic - the spicy couscous really complimented the mackerel. I reduced the amount of stock down to 400ml which worked perfectly for fluffy couscous.

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  • Binder photo Polkadotumbrella

    19 June 2012

    Polkadotumbrella rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This recipe serves 2, not 4. Used 2 tsps jarred chilli as i had no harissa, and found it needed the juice of an extra lime in the couscous. Also followed a previous reviewer's advice and only used 400ml stock in the couscous, and even then it was a little soggy. I found the mackerel overcooked at 5 mins, I think 3 or 4 mins would have been plenty, 3-4 mins per side as per the recipe would have been way too much. Having said all that, we found it really tasty, and I will definitely cook it again with a few tweaks.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 small whole mackerel , gutted and filleted
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • grated zest and juice 1 lime , plus wedges to serve
  • 1 bunch spring onions , finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp harissa paste (more depending on taste)
  • 140g couscous
  • 500ml hot vegetable stock
  • 3 tbsp chopped coriander , plus sprigs to serve
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PER SERVING

502 kcalories, protein 31g, carbohydrate 21g, fat 33 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 1g, sugar 3g, salt 0.65 g

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