This light, fluffy, smoky mackerel is both delicious and incredibly healthy, giving you a good dose of the right omega oil and a delicious change from boring lunchtime sandwiches! It takes about 10 minutes to prepare from scratch if you already have the mojo made, but even the mojo is very little work.
As well as these pitta tostadas (or crisp corn tortillas of course), you can use this deliciously garlicky, light mix to stuff inside baby gem leaves for a lighter bite, or fill a jacket potato, or put inside a hot quesadilla with a handful of rocket – yum!
Makes 12 tostadas
For the Mojo de Ajo (Salsa):
1/2 a bulb of Garlic
1 Ancho Chilli
1 Chipotle Chilli
3 Tsp Thyme Leaves
Salt
Vegetable Oil
For the mackerel
2 smoked mackerel fillets
3 pittas or baby gem lettuces leaves
4-5 large tablespoons crème fraiche
2-3 tbsp mojo de ajo (to taste)
1 lime
To serve
A little chopped coriander leaf
Some sliced radish
Slices of avocado
Method
Pre-heat oven/grill to 220C or high.
Start with the mojo de ajo salsa. Take your chillies and de-seed them. Add the de-seeded chillies to a dry frying pan and cook on a medium-high heat for 20 seconds each side. Once toasted, add to a jug and pour boiling water over the top to rehydrate them.
Next, peel and chop your garlic. Add about 1cm of oil to your pan and place on a medium heat. Once it begins to heat, add your garlic and turn the heat down as low as possible so that it doesn’t burn. Cook for 10-20 minutes (depending on the heat of your hob), whilst adding your thyme and a pinch of salt to the pan. Once this is done, pour the water out of your chillies and replace it for the garlic oil. Take a hand blender and gently blitz it.
Once you’ve made your mojo, it lasts for weeks in the fridge!
For the tostadas, cut open the pittas like a book and cut out two, 6-8cm sized circles from each half pitta. Arrange them on a baking tray and brush them with the mojo de ajo. Bake or grill for 5-10 minutes (depending on your oven and the thickness of the pittas), until golden brown and crisp.
Meanwhile, peel away the mackerel skin and break up the flesh with a fork. Mix in 2 tbsp of the mojo de ajo followed by the crème fraiche. Add the juice of half a lime and taste, checking to see if the mackerel needs a little salt and pepper.
Spread the mackerel over the tostadas and top with slices of radish and avocado and a sprinkling of coriander and serve with wedges of lime for liberal squeezing.
