Enjoy a traditional Portuguese fish dish! This simple Seafood recipe takes Portuguese Mackerel through a Fish Breading before pan frying in lard or oil for some Crispy Fried Mackerel (Chicharros Fritos or Portuguese Fried Mackerel). Then saturates the mackerel fish Fry with an Oil & Vinegar sauce with Pimento Paste and lots of Garlic, also known as Villain Sauce or Molho Valão. Served with Rice or Potatoes. Optionally with Portuguese Cornbread to sop up the sauce and eat with the Chicharros, a very nice addition to the meal. Make it as Mild, Medium or Spicy as desired with the use of Hot Pimento Paste and/or Hot Paprika or by just adding Chili Flakes until the desired heat is reached.
Servings: 2 portions
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Pot Fitted with a fine sieve for straining out the oil
- 2 Bowls For defrosting & breading the Fish
- 1 Casserole with cover or tin foil to rest the fish
- 1 Tray with wire rack
- 1 Tong
Ingredients
- 7-8 Whole Blue Jack Mackerel - 750g package, optionally thawed the night before in the fridge
- 1 Portion Seasoned Flour - See notes
Villain Sauce
- 1 C Olive Oil & White Vinegar - each, Vinegar can be added in slightly more amounts
- 1/2 C Hot Pimento Paste - See notes
- 1 Tbl Smoked Paprika - Good Quality
- 1 Head Garlic - Thinly sliced
- 1 Handful Fresh Parsley - can do Cilantro or both
- 1 tsp Sea Salt - or more, taste and adjust
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper - or more, taste and adjust
Instructions
- Place the Frozen Fish into a bowl and fill with cold water, if not thawed the night before. It will take about 1 hour to thaw through. Meanwhile, prepare the Seasoned Flour and set aside. When the fish is completely thawed, gut the fish, wash and rinse the fish well a few times and strain out the water.
- Heat a deep skillet up over medium high heat with enough fat to almost cover the fish. Fit it with a thermometer so you can gauge the heat with better control. You want about 375F when the fish hit the pan, and stay around 350F — 375F.While that heats up, bread each fish on the inside and outside, shake before placing on a wired rack to await being fried.
- Fry the fish up in 2 batches until really crispy and brown. About 4–5 minutes per side, move them around and flip for even crisping and browning. Transfer the fish to a casserole. When finished frying the fish, empty the Oil into a pot fitted with a fine sieve and return the skillet to the heat.
- Add the Olive Oil with Garlic and fry to soften a bit, but no browning. Add the Pimento Paste & Paprika, mix well. Follow with the Vinegar and lower the heat to low. Cook until the Garlic has fully softened, about 5 minutes or so. Add a handful of Parsley, then empty the sauce over the Fish in the casserole, cover and let rest for 15–20 minutes or longer before serving.
Notes
Breading: Traditionally White Cornflour is used and for a Gluten Free version you can stay with using Corn Flour. Although I would still add in the Salt, Pepper and Cayenne from the Seasoned Flour for added taste. I prefer using the Seasoned Flour for an incredible, well seasoned breading that crisps up really nice. Either one is fine and just comes down to preference or what you have on hand.
Pimento Paste: This dish uses Hot Pimento Paste. But for better control of heat or if you only have Sweet Pimento paste, use Sweet Pimento paste and add Chili Flakes, until your desired heat level is reached. Add the Chili Flakes to the Fish Sauce when preparing it on the stove, taste and adjust as needed.