While the food blog community is sharing some Irish meals, Leprechaun cupcakes, and green food for St. Patrick’s Day this Saturday, I am singing a different tune and my post for today is focused on “seasonal” food. Since the weather keeps changing between warm and cold, sunny and rain, and I’m not sure if we are in winter or spring, I thought this dish might be fun to prepare as it uses ingredients from both the winter and the spring.
Yuzu are grown in winter and Sawara, or Spanish Mackerel, is caught in spring. My blogger friend Robert-Gills from Shizuoka Gormet wrote an article about the fish here if you are curious. As I entered my 2nd year of food blogging, I’m trying to be aware of food ingredients that are in season, although seasonal changes are sometimes hard to experience living in California.
This meal is very easy to prepare – marinate the fish and bake in the oven toaster for 25 minutes. During that time, you have enough time to prepare miso soup, rice, and 1-2 side dishes. I marinated the Spanish mackerel in the classic Japanese seasonings – soy sauce, mirin, and sake – and added yuzu zest. Poached kumquats are optional. They give nice refreshing taste and I like to eat them together with the fish. If you cannot find yuzu in your area, you can replace with lemon and adjust the flavor accordingly. If you enjoy yuzu, I have another recipe using yuzu: Pickled Turnip with Yuzu.
Lastly, I want to share my interview with The Orgasmic Chef. What’s your favorite childhood food? Find out mine HERE!
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- 2 fillets Spanish mackerel (sawara) (1 fillets = 4 oz or 110 g) (rinsed in cold water)
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 kumquats (kinkan)
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Gather all the ingredients.
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Combine seasonings and yuzu zest in a Ziploc bag and add the mackerel. Marinate the fish for 2-4 hours.
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Preheat toaster oven to 400 F.
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Remove the mackerel from the marinade and cook on a aluminum foil lined baking pan in toaster oven for 20-25 minutes, skin-side up, until it’s nicely browned. You can also broil in a regular oven.
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Serve immediately with the poached kumquats.
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In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil and boil until sugar is dissolved. Then add kumquats and bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
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Reem | Simply Reem
Beautiful!!!!
I love how simply you create all these beautiful recipes…
Those poached kumquats look so cute…
Yumm Nami…
Choc Chip Uru
Stunning dish my friend – it is presented heavenly 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
jack
Yum! Simple yet elegant – this is something I really love about Japanese food. I love all your recipes 🙂 I haven’t seen any local shops with Yuzu but I’ve seen it in some local restaurants so will definitely look for it. My mum loved the Yuzu juice in Japan!
Sammie
That’s definitely better than any St. Patty’s Day treat! Your meals look so authentic! I love it! I gotta say, love the photography and food styling you got going on there! You’re such a professional!
[email protected] Journal
This dish looks so lovely and delicious and I’ve never seen a yuzu fruit before. So cute and pretty colour.
Belinda @zomppa
That is one gorgeous piece of fish!!
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb
Now I am one of those people who loves loves mackerels and I am excited to learn a new marination technique from u! The poached kumquats look like gold on the plate, so pretty!
Jill Colonna
Phew! When I first saw the title, Nami, I’m so glad you didn’t colour it all green, LoL!
Another winner, my friend. Looks absolutely delicious and loving the poached kumquats as well.
Jenny
hi Nami, that looks delish! We tend to eat only smoked mackerel here, and that is obviously a mistake. Spring has come early for us, but I’m not complaining. London is so lovely when it’s in blossom. Enjoy the dance performance!
Ramona
I love mackerel. We eat a lot of curried mackerel (from a tin) so it’s nice to see it fresh. This looks light and lovely. I also am very interested by the poached kumquats. Very cool. 🙂
Baker Street
That’s one gorgeous piece of fish Nami!
Mark
Hi Nami,
Isn’t the weather in SF always somewhere “between winter and spring”? Never leave home without a jacket…
Great idea about combining winter yuzu with spring sawara. Asian dishes always have a special meaning. Somehow makes them even more delicious!
I keep seeing yuzu at the grocery store, but have yet to try it. Going to pick some up tomorrow to try this recipe out. Thanks Nami!
Mark
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
What a sophisticated plate of food, Nami! Gorgeous pictures… the flavors sound really delicious, and simple too… Elegant and beautiful post… 🙂
Sandra
My husband would take this over green cupcakes and beer anyday! Have you ever thought of teaching a cooking class?
Yi @ Yi Resevation
I love seasonal recipes such as the one you have posted. My experience with mackerel has been limited to pan frying and grilling. This yuzu flavored mackerel definitely will be added to my to-make list. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
[email protected] and Donuts
THis looks so lovely! Simple yet flavourful! I only ever seen the normal mackerel but will have to keep a lookout for the spanish variety. How different is it in taste from the normal kind?
Mi Vida en un Dulce
Ja,ja,ja…green food…yeah, I saw a lot around the blogs, its’ funny because we do not celebrate St. Patrick’s day, but I’m enjoying the recipes because most of them have Irish liquor.
Now, you are using a fish called Spanish mackerel, looking at the dictionary it may be the fish we call “caballa”, you know what, I never cooked that fish and we have a lot here, but I never saw a recipe for that fish. It’s great to have one now.
Katherine Martinelli
What a great dish! I love the idea of it being caught between winter and spring – that’s how the weather here has been too! I also only just learned that fish have seasons as well, so thank you for bringing that up! I need to be more conscious of that.
Elizabeth @Mango_Queen
Oh I love this dish! My younger son loves fish and I will make this for him soon. I’ve seen yuzu in the Asian groceries, but didn’t know what to do with it. So now, thanks to you recipe, I do. Thanks for sharing, Nami! Enjoy the changing seasons!
Liz
Beautifully done, Nami! I need to try this with salmon….mmmmm. Even though both my hubby and I are half Irish, he does not enjoy corned beef or mint…and then one of mine gave up sweets for Lent. So, I’m just going on without too many green posts like you are~
Ann
As always – stunning! I love the poached kumquats! I haven’t posted a St. Patrick’s Day recipe either. There are so many delicious ones already!
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies)
I love dishes like this, not just for simplicity but the flavors, too. Except for the yuzu, I always have your marinade ingredients on hand. Will have to try this. I can almost taste that mackerel. 🙂
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
Beautiful! My husband would love this dish, he is a huge fan of fish!
Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings
I LOVE yuzu!!! Only problem is, they cost so much here! $6.95 per fruit at my local Japanese grocer!
Terris-Free Eats Food
Nami, I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again: when it comes to preparing fish, you are a master. This is so elegant and beautifully browned! LOVE those little poached kumquats too. 🙂 Hope you are doing well. I hear that you have had lots of rain! We are still waiting for ours….haven’t seen a drop up here in the mountains.
PolaM
Looks wonderful!
Lori Lynn
Hi Nami – I prepare all kinds of fish but tend to shy away from mackerel. After reading your post, I think I will make this. And there are still a few yuzu fruits left hanging on my tree. Perfect way to end the yuzu season I think. Thanks!
LL
P.S. Love the idea of poached kumquats too!
Ellena
This is lovely and gorgeous!!!! So sad we can’t find Yuzu here. I have a few recipes that I wanted to try using Yuzu 🙁
Namitha
Nami, by coincidence I have also posted a fish curry from my motherland 🙂 Seems like I won’t do a post for st.paddy’s day this year. I really like the look of that fish slice and am sure it tastes wonderful. Have a great week end Nami 🙂
Priscilla M
I have to admit, that Mackerel is not one of my favorite fishes to eat. But your recipe makes me want to give the fish a second chance. It does look delicious 🙂
[email protected]
Hahaha I didn’t even think about it but now that you’ve mentioned it 🙂 it’s so true there are so many green and St Patrick recipes ~ I don’t really like fish and basically only eat salmon ~ But I know there’s so many benefits of eating fish so gotta start eating more of it 😀 Thanks for sharing Nami can’t wait to get Mr Bao to make it for me hehe ~
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
What a simple yet stunning dish, Nami! I love spanish mackerel… In fact, I had some last night at a wonderful sushi restaurant in Austin. Thanks for sharing!
Adora's Box
We love mackerel so much, Nami. It has a unique and rich taste. It is not very popular among the towns folk here so, yayyy, more for us. I love the way you cooked it and the citrusy seasonings you’ve used.
patty
Hi Nami! Beautiful preparation of spanish mackerel and the yuzu fruit is something I have to try, they look beautiful in your photo;-) I’m enjoying following your posts, glad to have found you!
Holly
I will have to make this for my husband. He loves saba with daikon oroshi, so this will be a nice variation. I don’t have yuzu but I have an abundance of lemons.
Cucina49
That dish is spectacular–the plating is particularly lovely. I’ve never been able to find fresh yuzu here, but I would love this dish!
Asmita
I love how simple and elegant your food is. Absolutely delicious.
Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi)
That is simply a beautiful preparation, and something I will definitely be doing. I love cooking seasonally whenever possible with the freshest ingredients. I also have to say I have a hard time making “green” food just because it’s St. P day or heart shaped cookies because it’s V-day. I usually do the opposite. LOL. So I appreciated this very non holiday post 🙂
Nancy/SpicieFoodie
I love, love Mackerel. Nami your photos are fantastic and I’m sure the fish tasted amazing. Thanks for sharing. In regards to the seasons, here it seems like it takes for ever for the seasonal fruits to arrive. But when they do, I take full advantage. Have a great weekend!
Susie
This dish sounds wonderful and Mackerel is such a tasty fish. I feel you on the weather I can’t gauge what season were having in Seattle right now. We had snow the other day it’s wacky.
Shirley
That looks light yet hearty, Nami. And elegant!
In Boston, it feels like we went from early summer back to winter within one week.
Charles
Hi Nami – I don’t often buy mackerel because I find you’ve gotta really cook it the “right” way or else it’s really not good. As you can guess, I haven’t yet discovered the “right” way. I never tried marinating it like this – it looks delicious and so golden. I’m really intrigued by the poached kumquats! I see them in the stores a lot right now and never tried to do anything with them because I have absolutely no idea how I should eat them 😀 Thanks for the wonderful idea 😀
Jeff
Oh Nami, you’re such a rebel! No St. Paddies day item? 😛 Actually, I’m super happy for the seasonal food movement, I couldn’t agree more! This is such a great way to cook a nice piece of fish and elegantly plated too! Bravo!
[email protected] Cooks
Very simple yet easy recipe, I like your marinade.
Never tried the Mackerel before, I can’t find it here in any store., may be will try it with other kinds of fish.
Happy weekend Nami, and have a good spring break…
Mr. Three-Cookies
The fish looks amazing, beautiful color on the skin. Spanish mackeral is nice, I don’t think its available here.
tigerfish
Nami, I’m also equally confused if it is winter or spring. We just “spring forward’ but this week is truly winter with the rain and shower, even snow at the mountains! But in the valley, it’s not cold with the drizzles..and in fact, feels muggy 🙁
I like how you create a dish that is “winter’ and “spring” – THAT is not confusing to me 😉
Valerie Brunmeier
Nami, I think I learn more from reading your blog than any other! This is a beautiful, simple dish. I think the flavors would be perfect paired with this fish.
[email protected]
I totally know what you mean about the weather changing. I feel like we’re eating salads one night and slow cooking the next haha. I love the clean-ness of this one Nami, its perfect!
Sandra's Easy Cooking
Nami, you are doing great job with every dish and your meal choices are elegant and delicious every time you post. I Love this idea too..such a pretty presentation! Your photos are on the professional level..Simply amazing!
Jeno @ Week Nite Meals
Nami, the fish looks good as always, but what caught my eyes were the yellow thingys, hahahah! I have never seen kumquats poached before, does the poaching process take away the sourness? just thinking about biting into a kumquat makes my mouth sour! Hope you are doing well, we are enjoying Trinity’s Spring Break, tomorrow I plan to take her to IKEA while Jon’s working, trying to set up a proper recycle station so we can be more “green”, the after effect of watching “The Lorax”!
A Little Yumminess
looks so elegant and delicious and I dont even really like mackerel. But hubby does.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Yuzu is one of my favourite flavours Nami! I wish we could get fresh yuzu fruit here 🙂 And I love the pairing with mackerel!
torviewtoronto
delicious looking fish lovely presentation
donna mikasa
Wow, it’s hard to believe you prepared such a beautiful dish in a toaster oven? I’m hoping to find sawara in an Asian market. Could I prepare saba this way? Just wondering.
Nami
Hi Donna! Spanish mackerel and mackerel are a little different but I think it’ll work okay. Do let me know if you try. I’m curious to know myself. 🙂
Jennifer (Delicieux)
What a beautifully simple recipe. I love yuzu, it’s one of my favourite flavours. I’d love to get my hands on fresh yuzu here in Australia, but I’ve not been able to so far.
The Café Sucré Farine
Nami, what a stunning photo, I love the simplicity of it and yet it looks so delicious. I never heard of yuzu before but will check out some of my local markets. I love learning about fun new ingredients, thanks!
Sissi
Nami, it looks like another simple, but sophisticated Japanese fish dish I will make. Unfortunately I will have to skip yuzu zest 🙁 but I can buy yuzu juice and maybe combined with lemon zest it will not be that bad…
Kumquats are still sold here, so if I hurry up and if mackerel is in season here too, I might make it soon. I love mackerels both horse and Spanish, so I am glad to learn another way to cook it ‘the only way I knew was simmering with miso, but it’s not so adapted to Spring 😉
Thank you!
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book
What a brilliant “taste-explosion” meal this is Nami – brilliant.
🙂 Mandy
Javelin Warrior
Nami, this looks delicious – simply prepared but mouthwatering… And of course your plating is perfect =) I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…
Soni
Oooh so simple yet, so tasty and flavorful!I love the simple marinade for the mackerel and those Kumquats, oh they look super cute and juicy and tender :)Easy weeknight meal, intrigued about yuzu though, need to check out in the local stores or asian stores!Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend 🙂
Beth Michelle
Oh nami how I have missed your blog the past couple of months! What a great recipe to come back to! This dish looks amazing. Such wonderful flavors. We are stuck between seasons too. Beautiful sunny weather one day and then rainy cold! I am so ready for spring!
Eri
Oh how simple this is with few ingredients! I love it!
I also love the links of your friends that you provide Nami, I am always visiting and learning new things!
Have a wonderful weekend my friend, and get some rest!
Hugs!
[email protected]
Seasonal food is best. this is a lovely way to prepare fish. I always bake my fish in the oven toaster oven too lol.
claire @ the realistic nutritionist
Wow Nami, this is STUNNING!!!
England
Thanks for the Spanish mackerel with yuzu recipe. Great photos!
mycookinghut
I love yuzu and mackerel – this is definitely my kind of food!
Bam's Kitchen
The in-between weather it is. One day hot, one day cold. “Holy Mackerel”, no pun intended! This dish has the lovely flavors of Yuzu and kumquats. You will not believe it but I have that very same dark plate at home. Ja Mata, BAM
sophia
I’ve eaten a lot of mackerel…but this is the most beautiful piece of mackerel I’ve ever seen, Nami!
Medeja
The seasoning is nice. Do you think it would work for salmon?
Nami
Hi Medeja! Salmon have stronger flavor than Spanish mackerel (white fish) but it might work. Let me know if you try. Thanks!
ko akasaka
It looks wonderful! It is not easy to find Sawara here, isn’ it? I have not been to Japan more than 20 years. So your blog makes me very hungry. You do great job!
ko akasaka
That looks very delicious. I like to try it this weekend. You do very nice job!
hemalata
Delicious recipe ! mackerel piece looks so yummy n flavorful.
Rathai
I always get carried away by your elegant food styling and presentation. I love mackerel (fish and seafood in general) but have only had canned mackerel and I’m totally jealous you get whole mackerels in California. I bet it tastes as delicious as it looks.
Alyssa
What a perfect combination of winter and spring foods. I know what you mean about the weather. Everytime I think the cold is over, it seems we have another chilly day. Now I’m off to see your interview (I’m curious to what your favorite childhood food was!) Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Steve @ the black peppercorn
I have never cooked with spanish mackerel. Looks delicious! And I have no problem that you stayed away from St. Patty’s themed recipes! This is great
[email protected]
Nami-every time I visit your blog, I feel like I just stepped into the most elegant Japanese restaurant. I don’t know of anyone that knows so many authentic Japanese dishes as you do! The Spanish Mackerel is incredible, the way you have prepared it. Very delicious, and so healthy, as well. Stopping over to check out your interview:DDD
Suzanne
Nami, this looks so easy to make but I bet it’s infused with lovely flavors. Your presentations is beautiful too. I’m a bit squeamish about fish skin,or other meat skins, bones etc., I would probably have to have (them-fish monger) take it off but I’m sure the skin adds flavor and moistness to the fish.
Biren @ Roti n Rice
I’ve never tried cooking with kumquats. I can imagine it must be delicious with fish. Will have to keep a look out for them.
Liren
I would have never thought to poach kumquats – what a delightful idea!
Claudia
It may be chilly in San Fran – but this is a taste of spring. I wish we could get Yuzu here – I only can ge the marmalade. The dish is a stunner!
Ira Rodrigues
oh, i can imagine how refreshing this dish, i love the idea of adding the yuzu zest to the fish, it makes the fish so refreshing for the spring! even though i have no idea how it smell and i have been curious 🙁
Raymund
I really adore how you make simple dishes like this so posh!
Jeannie
I love the way you cook this mackarel Nami, looks so fresh and crispy on the outside!
Parsley Sage
Never had yuzu…must find it! Your mackerel looks perfect 🙂 Great fish dish!
ちびか〜ちゃん
こんばんわ！
魚の中で一番サバが好きです！
そしてこうやって焼く魚だと更に好き〜〜〜！！
美味しいですよね。
そしてゆずも大好きなのですが、アリゾナでゆずを見た事がないです
[email protected]
I have saved some recipes using Yuzu as an ingredient, but I have yet to make them. The way you have prepared this fish does sound like something I would enjoy. I always have liked citrus and soy blends, especially on fish. Your plating does look enticing!
Lyndsey @ The Tiny Skillet
I love this simply elegant meal. The kumquats work perfect with it. I never know what to do when I have some kumquats, except put them in my bentos. 🙂 I feel the same way about seasonal food here in Florida. Our strawberries are on their way out, but still good. Since we blog with people from around the world where every one might have different seasons, or different climate. I guess we should just remember to eat local and eat fresh!
Carolyn Jung
It’s only as an adult that I truly grew to love mackerel. It has a strong taste, but a wonderful one, especially tempered with yuzu or anything with a bit of tang.
Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover
I can imagine how refreshing this dish is with addition of Yuzu, sound simply yummy!
Hotly Spiced
I read Maureen’s interview. Congrats on all your success Nami. I know you’ve inspired a lot of people to cook great food that’s good for them and challenged them to try a cuisine they might not ordinarily cook. And here’s another great recipe! xx
yummychunklet
What a delicious and healthy Omega-3 alternative when salmon’s not available!
sonia
Hi Nami,
Congratulations on the interview. This dish cudnt look better than this. Loved the presentation and writeup. Have a good day…Cheers, Sonia
Kitchen Belleicious
headed to look at your post at Maureens and can’t wait but until then this dish my friend- well you have out done yourself! Beyond beautiful, amazing, delicious and just perfection
Pure Complex
Nami, these look absolutely wonderful. I’ve never heard of this dish at all, but it certainly has my attention now 🙂
Pure Complex
This dish looks absolutely wonderful Nami. I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this dish before but it definitely has my attention now 🙂
Lyn @LovelyPantry
Hi Nami! Your presentation is absolutely stunning. I’m heading over to Shizuoka Gormet to learn more about this beautiful fish!
sippitysup
That fish is so far beyond beautiful I can’t wait to give it a go. GREG
Vicki Bensinger
What a great recipe! Nami I wanted to let you know that you have won The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook from At Home with Vicki Bensinger. Please contact me so that I can send you this wonderful cookbook.
Lola Lobato
What a wonderful recipe, looks fabulous and delicious!!!
FreeSpiritEater
This looks amazing Nami! You’ve brought Spanish mackerel to a whole other level. Stunning photos, presentation and recipe. Thanks for sharing, incredible job as always love. Hope you had a fab weekend =]
[email protected]
I love Mackerel Nami, and yours look super delicous. It’s quite hard to come by here in Sydney. We used to have lots of smoked eel and mackerel back in Poland, spread on fresh bread! But I like the Japanese version too.
Rosa
A fabulous dish! Refined in its apparent simplicity. Something I’d love to eat. Yum!
Cheers,
Rosa
[email protected]
Prepared and presented elegantly. Can’t help but have a complaining stomach and be very excited to try this dish. =)
balvinder ( Neetu)
You have presented this dish so beautifully.
Debra Kapellakis
As always a pleasure to look at and read. Thank you!
maha
awesome dish vth great cliks…wonderful space vth yumm recipes too…….visit mine when u find sum time dear……
Maha
Biana - Meal Planning Tips
This Mackerel recipe looks fabulous! The marinade looks so simple and so versatile. Definitely a delicious dish to try!
Magic of Spice
What a beautiful dish and recipe…I just love the color these flavors have imparted onto the fish!
Will go check out your interview 🙂
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Gorgeous!! I love mackerel and the flavors you used to marinate is outstanding. Kumquats are the cutest, no? 😀
Food Jaunts
Oh wow, I’m so jealous – that looks amazing! Those kumquats give the perfect accent.
Gourmantine
I love mackerel, but I think I don’t have enough recipes to cook it with, especially since it’s such an oily fish. I love the simplicity and the different flavors coming together in this dish! Must try (once I get my hands on Yuzu)
Evelyn
Nami, I love fish! This is definitely my kind of recipe. Your pictures look amazing!
sue
Nami,
I have always loved Spanish Mackerel. I tried your recipe and it is the most delicious and healthiest way to enjoy this fish!
Thank you for this recipe.
Nami
Hi Sue,
I’m so glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for writing your feedback. It’s very light flavor and that’s how we usually enjoy the Japanese food. The quality of material is very important in Japanese cooking. Thank you again! 🙂
Cha
Hi, Nami! this looks very inviting! Can i pan-fry the mackerel, instead?
Nami
Hi Cha! Yes, you can pan fry too. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!