Mackerel with Warm Lentil and Roasted Beet Salad

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the beetroot

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Cut the beetroot into roughly 2 cm cubes and toss with 10 ml olive oil, 2 g salt and half the black pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 35–40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork and the edges begin to brown.

   
2. 2

   Cook the lentils

   Rinse the lentils, put them in a saucepan and add 650 ml water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Add 2 g salt during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain off any remaining water.

   
3. 3

   Prepare the warm lentil salad

   Finely chop the onion and chop the dill. In a bowl, toss the warm lentils with the roasted beetroot, onion, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and the remaining 15 ml olive oil. Add 3 g salt, the remaining pepper and the dill. Cut the lemon in half; squeeze the juice from one half into the salad and toss.

   
4. 4

   Mix the horseradish dressing

   Mix the sour cream with the horseradish and finely grated zest from the other lemon half. Add the juice from that half of the lemon and the remaining 1 g salt. The dressing should taste refreshingly tangy and mildly hot.

   
5. 5

   Pan-sear the mackerel and serve

   Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and season with the remaining salt, distributing approximately 1 g between them. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place the mackerel skin-side down and sear for 3–4 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp. Turn and cook for a further 1–2 minutes; the flesh should be opaque and reach 63 °C at the centre. Serve on the warm lentil salad with the horseradish dressing.