Broiled Tuscan Garlic Mackerel with Easy Tomato Sauce

As the regular readers / followers of the blog know, I love trying new foods. We made a joint decision a few months ago to incorporate more fish and seafood into our diet. This week's "fish on sale" item was mackerel. I'll admit, I had never tried mackerel and considered it a cousin to sardines which always make me think of the canned version. So I hesitated for about 10 seconds and took the plunge and purchased 1 1/2 pounds of mackerel fillets.  

Now the decisions to be made:  Baked? Broiled? Grilled? Seasonings?

I came home from work and decided to just let the creative juices flow. I really enjoy Mediterranean ingredients and what better time to use this delicious seasoning blend from Tomes.

So first I made a sauce for topping the fish after it was broiled.

1 t. olive oil

1 t. butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 T. Tones Tuscan Garlic Seasoning Blend

1 - 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. anchovy paste (optional, but please consider using!)

1 T. drained capers

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lemon

In a medium skillet, add olive oil and butter. Turn heat to medium and let butter melt. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften, 3 - 4 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients and reduce heat to low. 

Continue to stir frequently until mixture reduces somewhat, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add a few shakes of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and add more if necessary. Just before serving, add lemon juice and stir to blend. Remove from heat.

And now to cook the fish!

Preheat broiler to high.

Rinse mackerel fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Remove any pin bones which may still be attached to the fish.

Place fish on a baking sheet. Drizzle both sides with olive oil. Lightly salt, pepper, and sprinkle with Tone's Tuscan Garlic Seasoning Blend on both sides as well.

Place under broiler for 5 - 7 minutes until fish is cooked through. Watch the cooking carefully. Mid-way through the cooking time, you may need to reduce the broiler to the low setting if fish begins to brown too much.

Remove from oven and carefully top with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

I'm really glad I took the chance and tried mackerel. Neither of us thought it was "fishy," "oily" or anything but light and flavorful! Plus, it's an excellent source of the all-important Omega -3 oils!

We'll definitely be purchasing, cooking, and enjoying mackerel again.