The famous and revered “Mediterrenean Diet” is all about a high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, a moderate consumption of dairy products, moderate to high consumption of fish (particularly oily fish), low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption. Contrary to popular belief, simply holidaying or moving to the eastern coast of Spain along the Med will not miraculously improve your health! The “Mediterrenean Diet” unfortunately is not inhaled on the sea breezes, but it is readily available via the shops, markets, bars and restaurants and once you get into the habit of buying and cooking these wonderful ingredients you will start to love them for their taste and not just because they are so good for you. Here we have a tasty and cheap Spanish recipe for stuffed mackerel that will work really well alongside a nice fresh salad or vegetables of your choice. Mackerel is one of the oily fish central to the Mediterrenean Diet and it is one of my personal favourites because it is so tasty and cheap! Oily fish are a well known fantastic source of Vitamins A and D and are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. White fish contain the same nutrients, but at a much lower level and it is for this reason that the consumption of oily fish rather than white fish is generally considered more beneficial, particularly to those people with cardiovascular issues.
“Caballas rellenas de manzanas”
Ingredients for 4 people:
1 kilo of large mackerel
The juice of 1 lemon
4 cooking apples
Olive oil
Tarragon leaves to taste
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Clean the fish and then open them up to remove the middle bone.
Drizzle the fish with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Wash the apples and cut in quarters. Remove the core and slice them.
Cut the onions into rings.
Fill the mackerels with the onion rings, the apple slices and some tarragon leaves.
Take one piece of foil per mackerel and spread with oilive oil.
Put the mackerel on the foil, wrap up the parcel and put in the oven on a very high heat for 8 minutes.
Turn after the 8 minutes and then leave for 8 minutes more.
Open the foil and serve.
