Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce

I went to Nottingham for the day in the summer with my Mum to see a couple of friends, who gave us a huge bag of gooseberries from their allotment. I don't think I've ever eaten gooseberries before and all I really knew about them was that they were exceptionally tart and so I stayed away. For dinner that night my Mum made Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce and I have to say I was dubious. I took a tiny teaspoonful to start with but once the taste hit my mouth I was won over. The sauce was amazing, lovely and sweet and it went perfectly with the gooseberries cutting through the oily fish. I also made the sauce to go with herrings, which I ate earlier this week and that worked just as well.

Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce (from Leiths Fish Bible)
(Serves 4)

4 mackerel

for the gooseberry sauce
340g gooseberries
30g caster sugar
30g butter
pinch ground ginger

Preheat the grill.

Clean the mackerel, cut off the fins and make 2-3 diagonal slashes into the flesh through the skin.

Prepare the gooseberry sauce: top and tail the berries and place them in a saucepan with a little water and the sugar, simmer until tender.

Push the gooseberries through a sieve. Beat in the butter and ginger and taste for sweetness. Add more sugar if they are too tart.

Grill the mackerel for about 5 mins on each side, depending on the size, or until cooked.

Serve the mackerel and serve the sauce separately in a  jug.