Recipe for: Mackerel in honey and mustard with spelt and young asparagus - photo 1
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Recipe for: Mackerel in honey and mustard with spelt and young asparagus

Main Dishes Regional Cuisine of Poland 35 min Medium 25 wyświetleń ~15.22 PLN * - (0)
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Description

A modern Polish version of the classic sweet and spicy glaze on fatty fish. Juicy mackerel fried to a golden brown, drizzled with a glossy glaze of honey and mustard, served on fragrant pearl barley and with fresh, blanched asparagus. The dish combines the thick, delicate texture of pearl barley with the crispy skin of the fish and a slightly tangy finish from lemon. Perfect as a main course for a spring lunch or dinner for 4 people; it pairs wonderfully with young lettuce and a glass of light white wine. Visually, the contrast between the golden glaze, the green of the asparagus, and the dill makes the dish very appealing on the plate.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • Fresh mackerel 480 g
  • Honey 60 ml
  • Mustard 60 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Wheat flour 60 g
  • Lemon 1 szt. (~80 g)
  • Barley groats 240 g
  • Asparagus 400 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt (~4 g)
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty (~2 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Dill 30 g
  • Butter 20 g
  • Capers 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~15.22 PLN (3.81 PLN/porcję)
* Brak cen dla niektórych składników

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Addition: spelt

1

Prepare the pearl barley: rinse 240 g of pearl barley in a sieve under cold water, stirring with your hand until the water runs clear. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in 480 ml of cold water (ratio 1:2), add 2 g of salt (two pinches). Place over medium heat, bring to a boil uncovered, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, checking occasionally to see if the grains are soft but still firm. When the pearl barley has absorbed the water and is soft on the outside with a slightly 'al dente' center, remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and mix with half of the chopped dill.

Ingredients: Barley groats, Salt, dill
Use a pot with a diameter of 16-20 cm with a lid. If the pearl barley is still hard after 30 minutes, add 50 ml of boiling water and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Check a grain: it should be soft with a slight 'bite' in the middle.

Asparagus

2

Prepare 400 g of asparagus: snap off the tough, woody ends (grab and break; the break will occur at a natural point). In a large pot, bring about 1.5 liters of water to a boil with 1 g of salt. Place the asparagus vertically or horizontally into the boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes (thin spears for 1.5-2 minutes, thicker ones for 3 minutes). The asparagus should be bright green and firm, but not mushy. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water (known as shocking) for 1-2 minutes to stop the cooking and maintain the color. Drain and set aside on a paper towel to dry.

Ingredients: asparagus, Salt
Use a wide pot with plenty of water so that the asparagus can lie flat. Shocking in cold water stops the cooking process and maintains a bright color.

Glaze

3

Prepare the glaze: in a small saucepan, combine 60 g of honey and 60 g of mustard. Squeeze 20 g of lemon juice (about 1/4 of a lemon) and add it to the saucepan along with 1 g of pepper (a pinch) and 1 g of salt. Heat over low heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or spoon, until the mixture becomes uniform and slightly liquid (1-2 minutes) — do not bring to a boil. If you are using butter, turn off the heat and quickly stir in 20 g of cold butter until the glaze becomes shiny and smooth.

Ingredients: Honey, Mustard, Lemon, Black pepper, Salt, Butter
Use a small saucepan (diameter ~14 cm). Stir constantly to prevent the honey from burning. If the glaze is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of cold water.

Preparing the fish

4

Prepare the mackerel: if you have whole fish, ask the seller to gut and remove the head or prepare the fillets yourself. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel — dry fillets fry better. Lightly salt the skin and the flesh side (the total amount of salt used earlier included). Sprinkle 60 g of flour evenly on both sides and shake off the excess. Heat a pan (preferably 26-28 cm) over medium-high heat, add 30 g of rapeseed oil until it shimmers slightly (about 1-2 minutes).

Ingredients: fresh mackerel, Wheat flour, Salt, Rapeseed oil
Use a heavy-bottomed pan, with a diameter of 26-28 cm, which is ideal for 4 fillets. If you don't have mackerel fillets, use fresh fillets from another fatty fish (e.g. trout).

Frying and glazing

5

Fry the fillets: place the fillets skin-side down on a hot pan. Do not move for 3-4 minutes — the skin should set and become crispy; you will see the white protein under the skin change color. Gently flip to the meat side and fry for another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and brush a tablespoon of glaze on each fillet, fry for another 30-60 seconds until the glaze slightly caramelizes and becomes shiny. Be careful not to burn the honey — if it starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat for a few seconds.

Ingredients: fresh mackerel, Honey, Mustard, Rapeseed oil
Use a spatula to flip delicate fillets, preferably a wide metal spatula or a silicone one. If the skin sticks to the pan, wait another 30 seconds until it releases on its own.

Finishing and Assembly

6

If you are using capers, rinse 20 g of capers in cold water and drain. On a platter or on 4 plates, evenly distribute portions of barley (about 60 g of cooked barley per person). Place two mackerel fillets (or one larger fillet per portion) on top of the barley. Next to it, place the asparagus shoots. Drizzle everything with the remaining lemon juice and sprinkle with the remaining dill. Add the capers on top if using. Serve immediately — the fish is best hot with a crispy skin and a shiny glaze.

Ingredients: Barley groats, fresh mackerel, asparagus, Lemon, dill, Capers
Use metal tongs to move the asparagus and a spatula to transfer the fillets. Serve the dish immediately; the glaze loses its shine as it cools.

Serving tips

7

Serve with a slice of lemon on the plate and possibly with a simple salad of young leaves with a light vinaigrette. If serving cold, do not glaze beforehand — prepare the glaze while warm and drizzle just before serving.

Ingredients: Lemon, dill
If you are preparing the dish in advance, keep the barley and asparagus separate in a cool place and reheat the barley in a pot with a tablespoon of water, and briefly sauté the asparagus in a pan before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Mackerel has long been valued in Polish coastal regions; combined with honey and mustard, it creates a sweet-spicy contrast similar to traditional Polish glazes for cold cuts and fish used at gatherings.

Best for

Wiosenny obiad Kolacja dla gości Rodzinny obiad niedzielny

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve immediately after preparation — the crust should be crispy. For a more refined version, add a few leaves of romaine lettuce and a light dressing of olive oil and lemon. For wine, choose a light, dry white or prosecco.

🥡 Storage

Store the fish and bulgur separately in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours in airtight containers. Reheating fish in the microwave is not recommended — it's better to briefly sauté it in a pan to regain the crispness of the skin. The glaze can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours; warm it slightly before use.

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