17-01-2015

Fossa’s mackerel

In this recipe by Nicola Fossaceca, sea and countryside merge into fresh and acid notes

Roasted mackerel with red garlic sauce, acid emuls

Roasted mackerel with red garlic sauce, acid emulsion and wild herbs by Nicola Fossaceca of Al Metrò in San Salvo (Chieti), one Michelin star

This is a special dish because the mackerel filet is first salted, then marinated and finally roasted with a torch. The final cooking makes sure the essential expression of the meat comes out. The wild herbs recall the countryside in different kinds of shades: wild mustard, wood sorrel... The two sauces balance the dish with fresh yet acid notes thanks to the emulsion made with vinegar, honey and mostocotto made with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The sauce of red garlic from Sulmona finishes a dish from Abruzzo full of personality and verve.

Roasted mackerel with red garlic sauce, acid emulsion and wild herbs

Recipe for 4 people

INGREDIENTS
4 very fresh mackerel
100 g salt
100 g sugar

100 g apple vinegar
500 g water
100 g sugar

4 cloves of red garlic from Sulmona
100 g milk

100 g water
100 g vinegar made with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine
20 g sugar
50 g millefiori honey
30 g mostocotto
10 g anchovy colatura
50 g ginger

wild herbs
wood sorrel
rocket salad
water cress
mariuoli
chives

Nicola Fossaceca, 32 years old in a few days

Nicola Fossaceca, 32 years old in a few days

METHOD
Clean and the eviscerate the mackerel, separate the filets without removing the skin. Mix with salt and sugar and marinate the filets for around 40 minutes.
Prepare a marinade by boiling the apple vinegar with water and 100 grams of sugar. Cool the liquid. Marinate the filets in this liquid for around one hour, then drain and dry the filets with kitchen paper, place them in the fridge and cover them so they do not dry.
Peel the red garlic from Sulmona, remove the cloves of their inner part. Blanch them in water 5 times, leaving them to cool each time. Boil them a final time with milk, then blend with a hand blender so as to obtain a liquid sauce, and keep it in the fridge.
In order to prepare the acid sauce, put all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce for 30 minutes over a low heat. Wash and clean all the herbs, dry them with paper.

COMPOSING THE DISH
Cut the mackerel and roast it with the torch, burning it on the skin side, and place it on the plate. Add the two sauces and the wild herbs.


Signature Dishes

by

Nicola Fossaceca

chef of restaurant Al Metrò in San Salvo, Abruzzo region

Author's articles list