How to make: lemon couscous with lemon-marinated mackerel

The fish needs a little time to marinate, but once that's done you have all the makings of a simple, nutritious and delicious mid-week supper!

Ingredients
4 mackerel fillets, pin-boned and skin removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1½ tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp chopped fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 tsp coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Couscous
200g couscous a large pinch of ground turmeric
a large pinch of ground coriander
a large pinch of ground cumin
a large pinch of ground ginger
3 or 4 dried apricots, diced
2 tsp sultanas
2 tsp raisins
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
finely grated zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1
250ml boiling water
1 tbsp chopped mint

Method

1. First prepare the couscous. Put all the ingredients, except the mint and lemon juice, in a bowl and add the boiling water. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave the mixture to stand for 15 minutes. Remove the clingfilm, fluff up the couscous with a fork, then add the mint and lemon juice.

2. Place the fish fillets in a shallow dish. Mix the oil, lemon juice and zest with the thyme and seasoning, add this to the fish and leave to marinate for 3 hours. Remove the fish fillets from the marinade and place them in a non-stick roasting tin. Preheat the grill and cook the fillets for 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the couscous.

Taken from ‘Easy’ by Tom Aikens (Ebury Press) £25 hardback