Roasted mackerel and chickpea salad is a delectable dish you can prepare in less than thirty minutes. The spices add loads of flavor to the fish and the salad compliments it too. Use another kind of fish if desired.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
2 tablespoons chopped fresh continental parsley
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
5 garlic cloves, crushed
4 Spanish mackerel fillets, skinned
350g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 2cm pieces
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 300g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
50g baby spinach leaves, trimmed
Preheat the oven at 220C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Combine 1/4 cup of oil, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, parsley, paprika and half of the garlic in a shallow baking dish. Mix well. Place the mackerel in the baking dish to marinate it. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Turn at least once.
Place the pumpkin in a medium sized bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat the pumpkin. Season it with salt and pepper. Transfer the seasoned pumpkin to a non-stick baking dish. Roast it in the oven for six to eight minutes or until soft and .the edges are browned. Once it is cooked, place it in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas, spinach, the remaining garlic and the oil. Toss gently to combine. Season it with salt and pepper. Split the salad into individual plates.
Drain the mackerel and then place them in the lined tray. Bake it in the oven for six to eight minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Pierce the fish with a fork to test doneness. Put the cooked mackerel over the chickpea salad and serve immediately.
Image from jetalone