Easter seems to be a time to eat more fatty foods again. Many years ago when food was sparse it would be at this time of year we would start to eat seasonal foods. I would like to think after the fasting from Christmas and the New Year we would start to eat vegetables that had just start to grow again.
There would have been certain veggies that would have been easy to harvest. Plus it would have also been lambing season. As humans we would once again start to fatten our bodies ready for the year. Eating fatty meats and fish would have help us to get through the next winter. Mackerel is not a fish I ate a lot at Easter but I do love the oiliness of it. It’s a meaty fish that tastes great with pasta. I decided to turn the fillets I had into a soup and I think it’s one we will be eating this Easter.
What foods do you love to eat at Easter? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping board
- Vegetable peeler
- Large saucepan
- Stirring spoon
- Tablespoon
- Teaspoon
Ingredients
- Mackerel fillets x 4
- Onions x 1
- Garlic x 2 cloves
- Carrot x 1 large
- Courgette x 1 large
- Tomatoes x 2 400g tins
- Tomato puree x 2 tbsps
- Tamari x 2 tbsps
- Dried mixed herbs x 1 – 2 tsps
- Chicken stock x 800mls
- Pasta x 300g
- Spinach or kale x 2 handfuls (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime x 1 juice
- Peel and slice the onion.
- Next peel and slice the carrot, courgette and garlic.
- Remove the skin from the mackerel and take the bones from the flesh.
- Set these ingredients aside.
- Put a large saucepan onto a high heat and add oil to the base of the pan.
- Leave the pan to heat up.
- When the pan is hot fry the onion until it becomes soft and see through.
- If the pan gets to hot during the process add in a little water and turn the heat down slightly.
- Add in the garlic and fry for a further few minutes.
- Now add in the carrot and courgette slices.
- Fry these ingredients for 5 minutes or so.
- Pour over the tomatoes and stock.
- Add in the tomato puree and tamari into the saucepan.
- Sprinkle over the dried mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring these ingredients to the boil.
- Add in the pasta and let in come to the boil again.
- Leave the pasta to simmer for as long as the packet instructions indicate.
- Once the pasta is cooked slice the mackerel if you haven’t already and add it to the pan.
- When the mackerel has cooked add in the spinach or kale and let it wilt down in the pan.
- Cut a lime in half and squeeze the juice into the pan.
- Then serve and enjoy.
Mackerel Pasta Soup was a hit with my little family. We ate this for dinner but it would make a brilliant lunch too. It was a quick meal to prepare and cook. The meal could be made in advance of a meal and frozen for another occasion. It also makes great leftovers too. We all really enjoyed this dinner and we hope you will too. However you decide to eat this meal, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 