Joe Wright’s recipe for mackerel with aubergine, fennel and orange salad

Salted, charred mackerel skin reminds me of childhood family holidays in Portugal – every restaurant had the amazing smell of barbecuing fish. This quick, tasty recipe can also be easily be cooked using a griddle pan, or under a hot grill, if you prefer. The aubergine has a delicious smoky flavour and soaks up all the juices, which cut right through the oiliness of fish.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

1 aubergine
2 fennel bulbs
½ garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for cooking
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp capers
1 orange
2 whole mackerel, gutted

For the yoghurt:
200g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp sumac
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
Pinch of salt

Slice the aubergine into 1cm discs and cut the fennel lengthways in 1cm slices (keeping the root attached to hold it together).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, parsley and capers. Cut the skin and white pith away from the orange, slice into rounds and add to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the yoghurt.

Drizzle a little olive oil and salt and pepper over the aubergine and fennel slices, place on the hot barbecue, pan or grill and cook for two to three minutes each side, until tender and lightly charred. Add to the large mixing bowl and toss in the dressing.

Dry the mackerel skin using paper towels (this will help prevent it sticking to the grill), drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with plenty of sea salt. Grill for about five minutes each side, until just cooked through.

Once cooked, place the fish in the middle of the plates, spoon out the aubergine, fennel and orange salad and pour over any remaining dressing. Serve with a dollop of the sumac yoghurt.

Joe Wright is the chef and owner of Joseph Benjamin and Porta in Chester.

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Jack Monroe’s lentil, bean and kale salad recipe

Move over kale pesto, there’s a new kid in town. It is worth making plenty of this great little salad as the leftovers are perfect for taking to work to scoff at your desk – it is best at room temperature, so it doesn’t matter if you forget to take it out of your bag or fridge space is at a premium. Warm the dressing before tossing it through the salad to further soften the kale and ensure it clings to the beans. Then eat hot, cold or somewhere in between.

(Serves 4 for lunch)

100g dried brown or green lentils

100g dried black-eyed or haricot beans

8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

A handful of black olives, chopped

A fistful of parsley, torn

80g kale, chopped

For the dressing:

1 fat clove of garlic, minced

1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

130ml olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Soak the lentils and beans for at least eight hours, and preferably overnight.

Meanwhile, make your dressing – a good steeping in oil and acid will calm the chilli and garlic and meld the flavours. Put the garlic and chilli into a lidded jar and pour over the oil and some of the lemon zest and juice. Screw on the lid tightly and shake vigorously to emulsify. Unscrew, taste and adjust with more lemon, if needed.

When you’re ready to make the salad, thoroughly rinse the lentils and beans and put them in a pan of unsalted cold water. Bring to the boil, scrape off any scum and boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, warm the dressing in a small saucepan over a low heat.

Toss the other salad ingredients together with the pulses – there is no need to cook the kale. Add the dressing to taste and serve.

Green beans with anchovies recipes

Serves 2-3

green beans 200g
anchovies 6 large fillets
an egg yolk
olive oil 4 tbsp
red wine vinegar 2 tbsp

Trim the beans. Bring a deep pan of water to the boil, then salt it lightly.

Lower the beans into the boiling water and cook for 6 minutes, no longer. Mash the anchovies to a paste with a mortar and pestle, then mix in the egg yolk. Adding the oil a little at a time, mix thoroughly in a repetitive clockwise motion until you have a loose, mayonnaise-like dressing. Then mix in the vinegar.

Drain the beans in a colander then, while they are still hot, toss them in the dressing and serve with the steak.