yummy yummy smoked mackerel

Smoked mackerel is one of the loveliest, most savoury fish you will come across. There's nothing quite like the sight of the silvery skin, tinged with deep rusted flesh. It's also full of healthy omega 3 oils - the "good" oils.

With those good oils come a price - calories. Mackerel is not a low-calorie fish, like haddock or cod. But I think it's worth it: sometimes I would rather have less smoked mackerel than more cod. Every single time.

To balance out the fat content, I need a starchy vegetable. And of course, a good stalwart green vegetable.

Grilled smoked mackerel with sauteed paprika potatoes and green beans
(serves 2)

250 g smoked mackerel fillets
500 g potatoes, peeled, chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 tbsp paprika (or more)
1 tbsp onion powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil spray (up to 40 sprays)
250 g frozen green beans

Preheat the grill to medium-low. Place the potatoes into a small pot of water and parboil (about 5 minutes).

Heat about 15 sprays of oil in a saute pan and heat to high.

Drain the potatoes and toss with paprika, onion powder, salt and powder. Add to the hot pan and spread evenly. Saute for about 5 minutes, then begin to move the potatoes around to cook evenly. Spray more olive oil as necessary. Season further as well.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Add the mackerel to the grill and cook for about five minutes.

Remove the mackerel from the grill and transfer to a plate. Drain the green beans and add to the plate too. Split the potatoes evenly amongst the two.

Calories: for about 80g mackerel (one small fillet), half of the potatoes and half of the green beans: 550

Gorgeous. Full of flavour. I would have loved to have had more of the mackerel, but I recognise it's just a bit high in calories for me at the moment. But bulking up the rest of the dish with spiced potatoes and a hearty serving of green beans was just right.

I've still got that lovely mackerel flavour on my palate, even as I type. Mmmmmmm....