MIDDLE EASTERN
GRILLED MACKEREL SANDWICH – BALIK EKMEK
On the waterfront of the Bospherous in Istanbul, there are rows of Ottoman style boats serving one thing – Balik Ekmek. These amazing grilled fish sandwiches are usually served with a big glass of pickles and were a real standout memory of the beautiful city. This is our take on the amazing sandwich – with fresh grilled mackerel, crisp salad, garlic yoghurt, pickles and all in a demi baguette.
Ingredients
THE MACKEREL
4 Large Mackerel Fillets, deboned
1 tsp. Aleppo Chili Flakes, or regular dried chilli flakes
1 tsp. Sumac,
Generous Pinch of Salt and Pepper
THE SALAD
1 Large Baby Gem Lettuce, chopped
1 Small Shallot, finely sliced
2 Tomatoes, sliced
5–10 Small Cornichons, sliced in half
4–5 Guindilla Chillies, roughly chopped
1 Small Bunch of Dill, roughly chopped
1 Small Bunch of Coriander, roughly chopped
1 Small Bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped
THE GARLIC YOGHURT
150g Thick Greek Yoghurt,
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Juice of Half a Lemon
Generous Pinch of Salt
TO COOK
Olive Oil
TO SERVE
4 Demi Baguettes, warmed
Lemon Wedges
METHOD
THE GARLIC YOGHURT
- Combine the yoghurt, minced garlic, lemon juice and salt and thoroughly mix together. Refrigerate until needed.
THE SALAD
- Combine all the salad elements, mix together and set aside until needed.
THE MACKEREL
TIP – Fresh mackerel is amazing but can be tough to find at times. If you’re struggling to find fresh fillets, hot smoked fillets are widely available and an excellent stand-in.
- Combine all the salad elements, mix together and set aside until needed.
- Season the mackerel with the sumac, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and then rub with olive oil. Lay the mackerel fillets skin-side-down on the griddle pan and cook for 2 minutes before turning over and cook for a further 30 seconds.
THE BALIK EKMEK
- Slice the baguettes open and spread liberally with the garlic yoghurt, followed by a handful of the salad and lastly the grilled mackerel. Repeat and serve immediately.
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