Spring Mackerel With Sour Grapes And Saffron Salsa

Total Time: 44 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 24 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 mackerel, fresh, gutted, the more subcutaneous fat the better
• 2 teaspoons salt, as needed
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons frying oil (traditional is lamb lard, next best olive oil or a mix of the two, don't use a "flavorful" oil like )
• 1 onion, mild, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, skinned and chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron thread
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grapes, cut in half and seeded, immature (green)

Recipe

• 1 first make the salsa -- combine the onion, garlic, pepper, vinegar and a little salt in a bowl and marinate for the time it takes to prepare the fish.
• 2 dry roast the saffron threads until they barely darken (don't let them burn).
• 3 crush the saffron and add it to the marinating salsa in the bowl.
• 4 mix in the olive oil and the grapes.
• 5 now for the fish -- rinse and clean the fish.
• 6 salt both sides and the cavity.
• 7 dredge through the cornmeal, making sure to get a thorough coating.
• 8 heat up 1-2 tbsp oil in the frying pan, then pan fry each fish for 4-6 minutes per side, turning gently to leave the cornmeal coating intact.
• 9 plate the fish, with the salsa along the side or passed separately.