Grilled Mackerel and Fennel

with Grilled Pickles and Yogurt Sauce

Makes 4 servings

My former chef de cuisine, Karen Shu, brought the idea for this dish to me, and we developed it together. Spanish mackerel is the perfect fish for grilling whole, as it has a tough skin that crisps up nicely on the grill, and its rich, oily flesh is difficult to overcook. With any whole grilled fish, I’ll make a couple of slashes through the thickest part of the body to help it cook in the same amount of time as the thinner tail end. If you don’t want to fire up the grill, you can also roast the fish in a 450°F oven for about 25 minutes, but you’ll miss out on the smoky charred flavor. The yogurt sauce is like a Greek tzatziki, but I swap out the grated cucumber for cucumber juice to create a smooth, creamy accompaniment to the unctuous fish.

Yogurt Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. The yogurt sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Fried Capers

Soak the capers in cold water for a few minutes and squeeze gently. Repeat two times. Transfer the capers to paper towels and pat dry. In a medium saucepan, heat about ¼ inch of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the capers (they might splatter at first, so stand back) and fry until just golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to drain. The capers can be made a day or two ahead; cover and store at room temperature.

Grilled Fennel

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the fennel wedges in a baking dish and toss with the olive oil and salt. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fennel is crisp-tender.

Prepare a hot grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Grill the fennel, turning a few times, until nicely browned and tender throughout, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, remove the core, and cut the fennel into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

For Serving

  • One 3-pound whole Spanish mackerel (with head and tail), scaled, gutted, and gills removed
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Grilled Fennel
  • 2 Persian or ½ English seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut on the bias into ¼-inch pieces
  • ½ cup diced Grilled Cucumber Pickles, or another pickled cucumber
  • 1 tablespoon julienned Pickled Ginger
  • 2 tablespoons chopped black (taggiasca or kalamata) olives
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 3 tablespoons chopped mint
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
  • Yogurt Sauce
  • Fried Capers
  • Flaky sea salt

Prepare a two-stage grill with medium and hot sides. Using a sharp knife, make a few 1-inch-long slits down the middle of the fish on both sides. Brush the fish all over with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Clean and oil the grill, then grill the fish over medium heat for 15 minutes. Using two spatulas, carefully turn the fish over and grill for 15 minutes longer. Move the fish to the hotter side of the grill and cook until the skin is nicely browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and let rest.

In a bowl, toss the grilled fennel with the raw and pickled cucumber, pickled ginger, olives, parsley, mint, and dill. Spread the yogurt sauce on the bottom of a serving platter, top with the fennel mixture, and place the fish on top. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fried capers and flaky salt, and serve.

The Takeaway

Homemade pickled ginger is much, much different than the pink stuff that comes with your takeout sushi. Jarred pickled ginger is too cloying and lacks the spicy punch that can add a big flavor in small amounts. My version (recipe here) is a little saltier and a lot less sweet, and also gifts you with a delicious, gingery brine that’s great in vinaigrettes. When buying fresh ginger to pickle, look for roots with smooth, tight skin—that’s an indication of freshness.