pan-fried mackerel
with chickpea salad and lemon vinaigrette
FIRST, A BIT ABOUT B12…
Vitamin B12 plays several crucial roles in the body, including red blood cell formation, neurological function, DNA synthesis, energy metabolism, and the regulation of homocysteine levels.
​
A deficiency can drive fatigue, weakness, pale or jaundiced skin, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy) and balance issues. If left untreated, severe deficiency may result in megaloblastic anaemia, neurological problems such as memory loss, depression, and confusion, vision disturbances, difficulty walking, and even psychological changes like irritability or paranoia.
​
Risk factors include being vegan or vegetarian, age (due to reduced absorption), pernicious anaemia or GI disorders and also the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors.
​
Treatment includes B12 supplementation (oral or IV) and dietary adjustments to ensure you're including meat, fish and eggs.
However, as well as a ready supply of the nutrient, B12 status relies on absorption: The parietal cells of the stomach produce ‘intrinsic factor’, a compound essential to our digestion of B12. If we have removed or damaged those cells (possibly as the result of gastric bypass or pernicious anaemia), we will need aggressive supplementation, potentially intravenously.
We should consult a doctor to ensure that we do not have any condition or infection that might interfere with parietal cell function, such as an active H.Pylori infection.
Provided we’re clear on the medical front, we could also consider adding some supportive nutrients like zinc and vitamins B1 and B6 that help in the production of intrinsic factor. Chickpeas and pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of all three of these nutrients.
​
This recipe is brought to you by The Diet & Lifestyle Project, which has an extensive library of articles on all aspects of nutrition, including a guide to boosting B12. Join us by signing up to our monthly or annual subscription plan, each of which offers a FREE 30-day trial with no obligation.
​
Click here for more details.
The specially designed recipe below provides a generous dose of vitamin B12 in the mackerel, plus supportive nutrients to aid with its absorption, thanks to the chickpeas.
the recipe
pan-fried mackerel with chickpea salad and lemon vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
100g fine green beans, trimmed
2 eggs
1 red onion
1 lemon (unwaxed)
10ml white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed once with the flat of a knife
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 fresh mackerel fillets
1 tbsp coconut oil (refined) or extra-virgin olive oil
1 large cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
2-3 tbsp chickpeas, rinsed & drained
a few sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
METHOD
1. Steam the green beans for 4 minutes and hard-boil the eggs (8 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. Cut a few wafer-thin slices of onion and place in a small bowl or ramekin.
3. Zest the lemon. Put half the zest in a clean jam jar, reserving the other half for garnish. Now cut the lemon in two and juice one half into the jar and the other half into the bowl over the sliced onion.
4. To the jar, add the vinegar, garlic, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the olive oil, put the lid on and shake well to emulsify.
5. Put a skillet on high heat for a few minutes. Pat-dry the mackerel skin with a piece of kitchen paper. Use a sharp knife to cut slits into the skin and sprinkle with plenty of salt. To the hot skillet, add the coconut oil (or olive oil if using) then place the mackerel skin-side down into the pan, pressing down to prevent curling. Sprinkle the flesh side with salt, cover the pan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
6. Carefully turn the mackerel over, turn off the heat and leave the fish in the uncovered pan for one further minute before removing to a plate to rest, skin-side up.
7. Peel the cucumber, then cut in half lengthways and slice into thick half-rounds.
8. Put the cucumbers in a bowl with the green beans, halved tomatoes and chickpeas. Peel and quarter the boiled eggs and arrange around the edge of the bowl. Shake the jar again and pour over three-quarters of the dressing.
9. Arrange the deboned (see Top Tip below) mackerel fillets on top of the salad. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and garnish with the onion, the remaining lemon zest and the chopped dill.
TOP TIP
Remove bones from the mackerel by running a finger down the centre of the flesh side, from head end to tail, and removing them with tweezers. It’s much easier to do this when the fish is cooked.
CLICK TO WATCH
Watch our video of the recipe being made, along with some extra tips and information
Notes & advice
Fish-boning tweezers are a really useful gadget if you’re cooking fish often, but you can simply use your fingers.
​
Make sure your jam jar has a lid. There’s nothing worse than making a dressing that you need to shake, before realising the lid is missing.
​
The best eggs are biodynamic (from hens who are able to roam and forage) or pastured. Avoid eggs from battery hens and don’t be tricked by eggs that claim to have ‘extra-golden’ yolks, as the producers have simply put paprika into the chicken feed.
​
A well seasoned cast-iron or steel skillet is useful in any situation where we want to get the pan hot. If we use a non-stick frying pan, the high heat will damage the coating, leaching plastic particles into the food.
​
When we lay fish or steaks into hot fat, we should be aware that the fat may splash if we drop them in too quickly. It’s wise to lay them in starting with the end closest to us, so that any splashing fat travels away from us.
​
If we don’t feel confident cooking the mackerel, or are unable to source fresh fillets, we can substitute smoked mackerel (removing the skin). It’s a delicious alternative and still full of B12.
​
As with all recipes, make this your own. Experimentation is one of the great things about being a cook.