Mackerel Spaghetti

Instructions

1. Boil the spaghetti in salted water, draining it 2 minutes before the time on the package. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
2. Thinly slice the scallion, and mince or thinly slice the garlic.
3. Cut the salted mackerel in half to make 2 pieces.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the scallion and garlic, cooking over medium heat to build flavor. Set aside a little of the scallion for garnish.
5. Once the scallion and garlic are cooked through, push them to one side of the pan to make room, then place the mackerel skin-side down.
6. Sear the mackerel on both sides until golden, then set 1 piece aside on a plate for garnish.
7. Using pasta tongs, break the remaining mackerel into bite-sized pieces, crumble in the chili flakes, then add the fish sauce, pepper, and white wine, cooking off the alcohol over high heat.
8. Add the pasta water and spaghetti, toss well, and cook down the liquid so the sauce clings to the noodles.
9. Transfer to a plate and top with the reserved mackerel piece, the reserved scallion, 1 tbsp olive oil, and pepper. Finish by grating lemon zest over the top.

Tips

• It might sound fishy since it’s a fish-based pasta, but golden, crispy-seared mackerel actually pairs surprisingly well with pasta.
• To cut through the richness and any fishy smell that comes with oily blue-back fish, sauté plenty of scallion for aroma — a short burst of sharp chili flake heat also helps balance out the overall flavor.
• Adding a splash of white wine works for the same reason — the alcohol cooks off and leaves just a faint aroma behind, tying the savory fish and pasta together evenly.
• Adding fish sauce on top doubles the umami. Searing the mackerel until crisp and cooking the noodles down until they’re as al dente as possible, with the excess moisture evaporated, are the keys to getting this right.

Mackerel Spaghetti
Equipment: pot, frying pan, knife, cutting board
Ingredients (1 serving)

- spaghetti 80g
- salted mackerel ½ fillet (pre-cleaned salted mackerel)
- scallion 1 stalk
- red chili flakes 3
- garlic 2 cloves
- white wine 50ml
- olive oil 4 tbsp
- fish sauce 1 tbsp
- pasta water 1 tbsp
- lemon ½
- salt 1 tbsp (for pasta water)
- black pepper a pinch

Instructions
1. Boil the spaghetti in salted water, draining it 2 minutes before the time on the package. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
2. Thinly slice the scallion, and mince or thinly slice the garlic.
3. Cut the salted mackerel in half to make 2 pieces.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the scallion and garlic, cooking over medium heat to build flavor. Set aside a little of the scallion for garnish.
5. Once the scallion and garlic are cooked through, push them to one side of the pan to make room, then place the mackerel skin-side down.
6. Sear the mackerel on both sides until golden, then set 1 piece aside on a plate for garnish.
7. Using pasta tongs, break the remaining mackerel into bite-sized pieces, crumble in the chili flakes, then add the fish sauce, pepper, and white wine, cooking off the alcohol over high heat.
8. Add the pasta water and spaghetti, toss well, and cook down the liquid so the sauce clings to the noodles.
9. Transfer to a plate and top with the reserved mackerel piece, the reserved scallion, 1 tbsp olive oil, and pepper. Finish by grating lemon zest over the top.

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