Roast mackerel with beet & spelt salad

This recipe ticks so many health boxes yet still feels like a treat. It's rich in folate, fibre, iron and omega-3. Roasting whole fish on the bone retains flavour, but if you'd rather use fillets, they'll roast or grill in just 10 minutes

Prep:15 mins
Cook:1 hrs

Serves 2
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 855
fat 52g
saturates 9g
carbs 50g
sugars 18g
fibre 12g
protein 42g
salt 2.5g

Ingredients

300g whole raw beetroot, scrubbed
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, crushed but left in their skins
250g pouch ready-cooked spelt (or cook your own, see tip)
2 tsp clear honey
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts or flaked almonds
50g pitted black olives, roughly chopped (I use the dry Provencal type for texture)
2 whole cleaned mackerel
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
small pack dill, roughly chopped
small pack coriander, roughly chopped (optional)
1 small red onion, finely sliced
thick creamy yogurt, to serve

Tip

Cooking spelt

To cook your own spelt, cover 100g (makes 250g) pearled spelt with cold water and bring to a simmer. Add a little vegetable bouillon powder if you like. Cook for 20 mins until just tender, then drain.

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the beets into wedges and toss with 1 tbsp oil plus some seasoning in an oiled, medium roasting tin. Roast for 40 mins, adding the garlic to the tin with 20 mins to go, until tender and caramelised.
Cook the spelt following pack instructions. Whisk together the remaining oil, the honey and vinegar. Toss this, plus the spelt, nuts and olives, into the beetroot and set aside to cool.
Line a large baking tray with foil. Slash the fish a few times down to the bones on each side and place on the foil. Mix the spices with seasoning, then rub them all over the fish. Raise the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and roast the fish for 15-20 mins or until golden and the dorsal fin at the back pulls away easily.
Just before serving, fold the herbs and red onion into the salad. Season to taste and serve with the fish and a dollop of the yogurt.