Fish Expertise from Bianchi
Mackerel – from Grill to Sashimi
Grilled, pan-fried, delicately smoked, or fresh as sushi – mackerel are more in demand than ever.
Mackerel belong to the tuna family and are characterized by their vibrant greenish-blue skin with dark blue transverse stripes on their backs. After being caught, they shimmer with a blue-silver sheen. These fish are usually found in the open sea, where their agility helps them escape predators such as dogfish, porbeagles, tuna, and dolphins. Mackerel can swiftly evade, dive into deeper waters, or rapidly ascend from the depths to the surface.
They are schooling fish and prefer to stay near the water’s surface. During the winter months, they typically do not feed. In spring, they feed on plankton, pteropods, and small crustaceans. In late spring and summer, after spawning, their nutritional needs increase significantly. In groups, they hunt the young fish of herring, sprats, cod, whiting, and sand eels. An average mackerel reaches a length of about 30 centimeters and can live up to eleven years. In rare cases, they can even reach a maximum age of up to 17 years and grow to a maximum length of 50 centimeters.
Horse Mackerel
Lat. Trachurus trachurus
Appearance:
Blue-green color
Silvery belly
Hard-rayed fin
Flesh: pink
Size: max. 40 – 60 cm
Weight: max. 2 kg
Best enjoyed: Marinate the horse mackerel with salt, pepper, and olive oil, then grill it. Caution: This mackerel has many bones that must be carefully removed before consumption.
Also known as:
English: Atlantic horse mackerel
French: Chinchard
Italian: Suro
Atlantic Mackerel
Lat. Scomber scombrus
Appearance:
Torpedo-shaped
Blue-silver color
Fatty, juicy flesh
Flesh: reddish
Size: max. 20 – 40 cm
Weight: max. 1 kg
Best enjoyed: Atlantic mackerel is boiled in saltwater or roasted in oil with garlic and parsley. By the way: Mackerel liver and its roe are considered a very special delicacy among gourmets.
Also known as:
English: Mackerel
French: Maquereau
Italian: Sgombro
Yellowtail Amberjack
Lat. Seriola lalandi
Appearance:
Silvery sheen
Amber flanks
Bright yellow fin
Flesh: white-light pink
Size: max. 100 – 120 cm
Weight: max. 6 kg
Best enjoyed: Ideal for sushi and sashimi, as the high fat content highlights its pure, slightly mineral taste. Seasoned with sesame, soy, and ginger, yellowtail amberjack becomes a delicacy.
Also known as:
English: Kingfish (Hiramasa)
French: Sériole chicard
Italian: Ricciola
Mackerel migrate in large shoals through the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic, and the North Sea. These migratory fish are found in summer and autumn along the coasts of the Skagerrak, the North Sea, and in the southern part of the Norwegian Basin. In Europe, there are two main populations: one west of the British Isles and one in the North Sea and Skagerrak. Towards the end of the year, sexually mature mackerel migrate from the North Sea to spawning grounds west and southwest of Ireland.
Regarding the season, mackerel are specifically fished from September to early March. Smoked fish is mainly produced from frozen mackerel and is therefore available all year round.
Did you know…?
Interestingly, mackerel is among the ten most popular edible fish. A large proportion of mackerel is hot-smoked, while the second largest proportion is processed into preserves.
Cress, Gnocchi, Beetroot, and Mustard Caviar with King Mackerel