Marsh Samphire Stuffed Mackerel With Alexanders & Wild Fennel Seeds

Baked mackerel coated in Alexanders & Wild Fennel Seeds, then stuffed with Marsh Samphire brings this dish alive with the full flavours of estuary & seashore.

I gathered the marsh samphire and wild seeds over a 50 foot area while walking my trusted hound. The mackerel I bought from Mary & Kay at Sidmouth Trawlers, whose family have been sustainably fishing Lyme Bay for generations. It?s as local and fresh as it gets without having to catch the blighters yourself!

Ingredients

5 tablespoons medium pinhead oatmeal
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon crushed Wild Fennel seeds
1 tablespoon crushed Alexanders seeds
Salt and black pepper
6 whole mackerel, cleaned with heads left on
Marsh samphire
Lemon slices
Olive oil

Suggested Instructions

Combine the first five ingredients and spread out on a large plate
Wet the mackerel under a cold tap, shake and roll them in the dry mixture. Lay them on an oiled baking tray.
Tuck a couple of lemon slices in each body cavity with some marsh samphire spilling out. Sprinkle over a generous amount of olive oil
Place in a hot oven at 200ºC or gas 6 for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the fish.

Serves 6