Frugal Recipes

Check out this amazing recipe for spiced whole mackerel with a chickpea, tomato and coriander salad - for £1.45 per person!

Recipe #20: Spiced whole mackerel with a chickpea, tomato and coriander salad (serves 5)

In our brand new Frugal Recipe series, we'll be looking at cheaper cuts of meat and cheaper, more sustainable fish and how to make them into some fantastic meals over the next couple of months.

I'll be showing you some recipes that are great alternatives to (and in my opinion equally delicious as) the more expensive pork chops, chicken breasts and unsustainable cod options.

One of the most sustainable fish in our waters is mackerel. It's also got a great deal going for it. It's cheap, nutritious, has bags of flavour and easy to cook. It can be a little oily for some so this salad adds a nice acidity that really balances the dish.

Ingredients

5 whole fresh mackerel (£6.50- £1.30 each at the Sainsbury's fish counter)
1 can of chickpeas (39p)
1 lemon (19p)
10 medium tomatoes (84p)
1 large red onion (20p)
25g (small bunch) of coriander (64p)

The cupboard staples...

Salt, black pepper, olive oil, 1 garlic clove, cumin, cayenne and turmeric

Total cost

If you already have the cupboard staples, then according to mysupermarket.co.uk, this trolley was cheapest at ASDA (and Sainsbury's fish counter), where it came to £8.76 - that's £1.75 per head!

Instructions

First up is to prepare the marinade for the fish and get the flavours developing. It's really simple. Grab a bowl and add 1 grated clove of garlic, 3 teaspoons of cumin, 4 teaspoons of cayenne and 2 teaspoons of turmeric - mix this together with a good glug of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Now take the fish and make some small incisions into the flesh (not too deep we just want to get some flavour into the flesh) and pour over the marinade. Give it a good rub into the fish and place in the fridge to marinade for 30 minutes.
Whilst the fish is marinating you can make the salad. Finely chop the red onion, coriander and tomatoes. I would de-seed the tomatoes before you chop them. Put all the chopped ingredients in a bowl along with the chickpeas, a little salt and pepper, three tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of one lemon. Mix together and place in the fridge whilst you cook the fish.
Get the grill on a medium-high heat and cook the fish for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. The beauty of mackerel is that the skin can really take the heat, so don't be scared of the fish burning. We need some colour on it!
Serve with the salad and happy eating!

A bit about our Chef, Paul Warburton

Paul Warburton, a lovemoney.com staff member, had a hectic career in the world of hot kitchens and screaming chefs before joining the lovemoney.com products development team.

During these years, under the tutorage of some great chefs, he honed his skills in cooking for numbers within a tight cost and portion-controlled environment.

Now he's planning to regularly offer his help to all budding chefs in the lovemoney.com community, so you can enjoy his original, low-cost recipes with your family and friends every Friday for free!

What lovemoney.com readers have said about Paul's other recipes

"We enjoyed this recipe very much: easy to make and even easier to eat!" varneyrob

"I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! Seriously good! Five of us feasted on it, and feasted well..." Ibeshy

"I made this recipe on Saturday night, and my 13 year-old son promptly requested it again for the following night!" Malcolm Wheatley

"This is a cracking risotto recipe. Just had it for lunch & it's a winner. More recipes please. Thanks." SavvyLass

"Another delicious offering from Paul. Thank you - keep 'em coming!" Palefire

Please add your own comments using the comments box below!

If you like this recipe, why not also try Paul's other Frugal Recipes: Pumpkin and sage risotto | Slow braised oxtail with autumn mash | Rolled breast of lamb with garlic mash and Savoy cabbage | Lemon & rosemary chicken thighs | Thai Pollock curry with egg noodles | Chunky pea and ham soup| Spaghetti alla carbonara | Pork stroganoff | Green chilli meat balls, sunflower seed couscous salad and mint yoghurt | Tagliatelle with air dried cured ham and minted peas | Beef, thyme and mushroom loaf with potato dauphinoise | Mixed bean and coriander green curry with fragrant rice | Egg Florentine with smoked cheddar and rocket salad | Beef, mushroom and thyme pie | Spicy tuna, bean and coriander lasagne | Beef koftas with a feta, spinach and fresh mint salad | Chorizo and pea risotto | Sausage and rosemary hotpot | Beef & thyme (Lancashire) hotpot