Mackerel With Lemon Olive Oil and Tomatoes

By Melissa Clark

Published November 28, 2017

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(241)
Comments
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Mackerel is a sustainable, velvety, sweet-tasting fish that deserves more attention than it usually gets. Here, the pale fillets are roasted on a bed of fragrant basil leaves with a lemon zest-infused olive oil, chopped olives and juicy cherry tomatoes. If you have a bottle of cold-pressed lemon olive oil on hand, you can use it here in place of making your own. If infusing your own oil, feel free to use either a regular lemon or a Meyer lemon. Leftover lemon oil is great on salads, tossed with vegetables, or drizzled over avocado toast.

Featured in: An Underrated Fish Meets Its Match

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE LEMON OIL

  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon (save naked lemon for garnish)

FOR THE FISH

  • 6 to 8 large basil leaves, plus more for garnish

  • 1 ½ pounds Atlantic mackerel fillets, or use cod or black sea bass (tautog) if unavailable

  • Fine sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon olive oil, more as needed

  • ¾ cup olives, preferably a mix of green and black, pitted and halved, or chopped

  • 1 cup halved or quartered cherry tomatoes

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

6 grams carbs; 70 milligrams cholesterol; 416 calories; 20 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 29 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 675 milligrams sodium; 32 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the oil: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and lemon zest until you see the first tiny bubble appear on the side of the pan. Immediately turn off heat. You don’t want the mixture to simmer.

  2. Step 2

    Let infuse for at least 20 minutes (and preferably an hour) before using; you do not have to strain it. Oil can be made up to a month in advance. Store in a sealed jar at room temperature.

  3. Step 3

    When ready to prepare the fish, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place the basil leaves on a rimmed baking dish and arrange fish on top. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then drizzle the lemon oil over the fillets. Top with olives. Scatter tomatoes around the pan.

  4. Step 4

    Roast until the fish is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes for thin fillets and up to 12 minutes for thick fillets.

  5. Step 5

    Cut naked lemon into wedges. Serve fish drizzled with more lemon oil, garnished with lemon wedges and torn basil leaves.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
241 user ratings
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Comments

Angela Sasso

I love Mackerel. I was dismayed at the negative comments on this fish in the article above. I live in the UK, so maybe it's easier to find it fresh at our fishmongers here than there. The only thing that would improve this recipe (and something I do often) is to roast some sliced potatoes and onions first in the pan with oil - when they are ready, lay the fish and other ingredients on top and finish cooking the fish. Divine.

Dave

I have a simple (dumb) question: when you say a 425 degree oven, are you assuming convection setting or non-convection? This question goes for any recipe I see here, which rarely if ever specifies.

Dave

According to my oven instructions, it doesn't matter. Just select 425 F. If you also select "bake," that will be the final temperature. If you select "convection bake," the final temperature will be 400 F. Supposedly the two are equivalent in baking. I haven't found any real benefit to the convection setting.

Perpetual Novice

No mackerel available at nearby stores, so I made this with cod. It was easy and good. I did 1/2 cup olive oil and zest of two lemons. That way I had plenty to put on the accompanying steamed green beans. Will try again with mackerel if I find it.

Grace

We’ve been pan frying (defrosted) frozen Atlantic mackerel from Norway sold by weee! It’s reasonably priced and as good as cold water fresh mackerel. Atlantic mackerel from warm water is no good at all. We’ve caught mackerel off Southern California piers and it was inedible. Pan fried or baked, there is no better fish so long as it is well sourced.

Tracy

Mackerel needs to be ultra-fresh. This is terrific. I used some preserved lemon and spicy marinated olives and it was perfect

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