Beetroot and Mackerel Salad
Beetroot and mackerel salad. There’s a string of words that will kill the vibe at a party. It sounds like something an old person would say right before they start talking about retirement planning. Someone who has a list of oily fish committed to memory because their joints start to ache when a storm is brewing. I’m not saying I am that person but I do eat both beetroot and mackerel on a regular basis.
Oily fish are a useful group of swimmers and they make regular appearances at our table. Not herring so much but salmon, anchovies and sardines. I’ve gone on record as not a great fan of smoked salmon precisely because of my greater appreciation of smoked mackerel. Smoked salmon is more a texture to me than a flavor. Not that it has no flavor but, compared to smoked mackerel, it needs to work on its identity a bit. Stop leaning on lemons and capers to be interesting, man.
Smoked mackerel is that wonder of wonders: an ingredient that has enough heft on its own to be interesting while also cooperating with other ingredients in a way that isn’t shouty or off putting. It’s like your friend who can regale a small dinner party with stories of adventure and daring who also asks insightful questions when someone else at the table talks about generally accepted accounting principles. We all have our strengths. We all need each other. More importantly, life is too short to eat flavorless food.
This salad is full of strong flavors which is a big part of why it succeeds. The rocket is peppery and that plays well with the radishes. The beets are earthy to go with the smoke of the fish. The lemon and green onion lift it with some sharpness. Tarragon for fun. And you know I love a crouton whenever I can work one in. You could add feta cheese if you’re someone who doesn’t eat a salad unless it has cheese on it but I don’t think it really needs it.
Sadly, just recently the Good Fish Guide has rated Northeast Atlantic caught mackerel as a Fish to Avoid because of overfishing. That is unfortunate indeed and I’ll have to be more mindful of where I buy it from in the future. Looks like I need to invite herring to my next party and see what she’s all about.
