Gravad Max

[janiepopps]

A good days fishing out of Looe yesterday saw me staggering home with 48 Mackeral & 6 Herring



Some were gifted away, some were cleaned up and frozen, one or two jumped straight into the frying pan as soon as I got in the door and I was STILL left with loads!!

So I decided to experiment.

Knowing that Hugh Furry Whittlingtool would be able to come up with something a bit different I found his 'Gravad Max' recipe from The River Cottage Cookbook. If you've never had Gravad Lax (cured salmon) then that wont make any sense to you, but trust me its ruddy gorgeous! Here is the recipe if anyone is interested.

About 10 very fresh Mackeral

About 100g Caster Sugar
About 75g Coarse Salt
15g Coarsely ground black pepper
Large bunch of dill finely chopped

Use a plastic, wooden or other non metallic bowl or box with holes around the base for draining the juice (I used a small ice cream tub and stabbed some holes around the base with a shiny)
Sprinkle a small amount of the cure on the base of the tub, then lay a mackeral fillet, skin side down, onto the mix, sprinkle more on top of that and keep layering fish & cure mix till all used up. Place a rigid board (non metal again) on top of the fish and then a weight on top of that, HFW suggests a couple of housebricks. Put on a tray that will collect the drips, leave in a cool place and spoon the juice back over the fish once a day.

It can be eaten after 24 hours but apparently is best after 72 hours.

I am amazed how much liquid has come out of half a dozen small mackeral. Its only been 24 hours & I have already snuck a taste - so far so good

j

[queeg9000]

Janiepopps,

I've always wanted to try that recipe from Hughs book, I've even collected a nice sized wooden box to use, but haven't been mackeral fishing yet this year, apart from a very poor effort off Brixham breakwater last weekend whilst on a short break to Paignton! Not many mackeral around the Bristol Channel too muddy!

Ah well, I'll try to get down to the bluer seas soon and catch myself some........

In the meantime, enjoy the Max, and let us know how good it is please!

[janiepopps]

Well, it was very nice and I will do it again but;

I will definitely use fresh dill next time - I couldn't find any fresh at short notice so used some dried that had been hiding in the back of cupboard for, ummm..... possibly years....

Also I used the little tiddlers, next time I'll use the biggest fish I catch. Removal of the bones before curing will be easier and the finished product will slice more easily and look more impressive on the plate

Hmmm, is it lunch time yet.....