Mackerel with Olives and Tomato
Mackerel with Olives and Tomato
Whole mackerel braised in a garlicky anchovy-tomato sauce with halved black olives, basted with fish stock until rich and thick.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes
What Is Mackerel with Olives and Tomato?
Whole mackerel braised gently in a sauce that starts with garlic and anchovies in olive oil, builds with diced tomatoes and halved black olives, and thickens with gradual additions of fish stock.
Why Make Mackerel with Olives and Tomato?
- Rich oily fish loves bold tomato-olive flavours
- Anchovy melts into the base as pure seasoning
- Mackerel is affordable and underrated
- One pan, 40 minutes
- The sauce demands crusty bread
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp flour (for dusting)
- 4 mackerel (about 350 g each, cleaned)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (crushed)
- 3 anchovy fillets (drained)
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives (halved)
- 225 mL diced tomatoes (drained (8 oz))
- 150 mL fish stock (2/3 cup)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Clean, dry and lightly flour the fish.
- Heat the oil in a large pan, add the crushed garlic and anchovies and cook over medium heat until the garlic is lightly browned.
- Add the fish and cook a few minutes, turning once.
- Add the drained tomatoes and the halved olives; continue cooking, adding fish stock from time to time, about 30 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the sauce is well thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley a few minutes before the end.
- Serve with the sauce poured over — good with garlic-rubbed, oil-toasted bread.
Cooking Tips
- Flour the fish lightly — it helps the skin hold and thickens the sauce
- Brown the garlic gently; bitter garlic ruins the base
- Add the stock gradually, not all at once
- Turn the fish only once to keep it intact
- Serve with garlic-rubbed toasted bread
Frequently Asked Questions About Mackerel with Olives and Tomato
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1. I can't find mackerel — what else works?
Any rich, firm fish works — trout, herring or small whole sea bream can be braised the same way.
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2. Why flour the fish first?
It protects the delicate flesh and helps thicken the sauce as it braises.
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3. Is the dish very salty?
Anchovies and olives carry salt — taste before adding more.
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4. Can I use fillets instead of whole fish?
Yes — reduce the braising time to about 15 minutes.
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5. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 2 days; mackerel is also good cold, flaked over salad.
Mackerel with Olives and Tomato Made Simple
Mackerel with Olives and Tomato gives a humble fish the full Mediterranean treatment. Unico anchovies, olives and diced tomatoes are the holy trinity behind it.