For this month's recipe blog, we're joined by Chef Ricardo Mataba, our exciting and innovative chef manager who can usually be found impressing our customers at our South West London location.
With delicious British caught mackerel very much in season at the moment, Ricardo shares with us a sensational seasonal salad recipe that celebrates Great British produce and flavours just as we begin to enter spring; escabeche marinated mackerel and roasted vegetable salad
Ricardo is a fairly new face at Blue Apple, having taken over the managerial role at our new facility in the Richmond area in 2021. It's fair to say he's made a big impact in that time!
My Name is Ricardo, and I have been working as a chef for over 15 Years, during which I'm proud to have won a number of awards and have taken part in many cooking competitions. As a child and as I grew up, for my family cooking was pretty much my way of life, so I've always been found in the kitchen; cooking really is my way of expressing myself!
I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to have worked with some of the best, most talented chefs in the country. From them, and my upbringing, I've learned so much about flavours that inspire me. My absolute favourite part about cooking is the blending of flavours, spices, colours and textures to create a delicious dish that I have the absolute pleasure to serve people. I hope you enjoy my escabeche mackerel and roasted vegetable salad!
Ricardo's Escabeche Mackerel and Roasted Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
1 Whole mackerel, filleted, trimmed and pin-boned
5 Asparagus spears, lightly blanched
100g Fine beans, lightly blanched
120g Cherry tomato, seasoned with salt, pepper and sugar then slow cooked
100g Cooked beetroot, marinated with salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar
30g Red mustard leaves, washed and pat-dried
50ml Olive oil
50ml Balsamic vinegar
For the escabeche marinade
50g Carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
50g Fennel, washed and sliced thinly
¼ Small red pepper, diced
¼ Small yellow pepper, diced
2 Garlic cloves, sliced thinly
50g White onions, peeled and sliced thinly
1 Bay leaf
½ Orange, rind and juice
150ml White wine
3 tbsp White wine vinegar
1 tbsp Sugar
3 tbsp Olive oil
Method
Heat the olive oil in the pan and add the garlic, onions, carrots, peppers and fennel and cook for around 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the white wine, vinegar, orange rind and juice, sugar and bay leaf and cook for another 5 minutes or until reduced by half.
In a baking tray place the mackerel fillets skin-side up. Pour the reduction over the fish and cook in the oven for 4 minutes then set aside. TEMPERATURE?
On a separate baking tray place the asparagus, fine beans and beetroot. Dress with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast for 5 Minutes at 180°c, remove and allow to cool.
Placed the cooled vegetables and leaves on a plate dressed with the marinade. Cut the mackerel into 4 pieces, place on top and serve.
This dish is also great with a nice toasted sourdough. Enjoy!