William Drabble's baked mackerel with salsa and fishy crisps recipe

Method

1. Fillet the mackerel, discard the bones and rinse under cold water. Keep in the fridge until required.
2. Before starting, heat the oven to gas 4, 175°C, fan 155°C.
3. Place a sheet of pastry onto a floured work surface. Lightly brush with some butter and lay another sheet of pastry on top. Lay the other two sheets on top using the same method. Kids can do this simple step.
4. Cut the pastry into 4 small fish shapes. Brush each ‘fish’ with eggwash and let your little helper sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Cook the pastry in the oven for 10-12 minutes until crispy and golden.
5. Remove the skin and stone from the avocado and cut up the flesh into small, 5mm cubes, kids can do this with a blunt knife. Peel the cucumber and cut into the same sized cubes.
6. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for a couple of seconds. Then, put immediately into iced water. Take the skins off the tomatoes and remove the seeds, then cut into 5mm squares.
7. Combine the diced cucumber, tomato and avocadoin a bowl. Pour in the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside in the fridge until required.
8. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.
9. Remove the skin from the mackerel and check for any remaining bones.
10. Cut 8 sheets of baking paper, making sure they are a little bit bigger than the mackerel fillets. Brush the sheets with olive oil on one side. Place the fillets on one oiled sheet and lay another on top, oil-side touching the fish.
11. Keep the fish covered and lay onto a baking tray. Cook in the hot oven for a few minutes until cooked through – the flesh will be opaque and firm to the touch. Take out of the oven and squeeze some lemon juice over the fish.
12. To plate, heap the salsa onto plates and arrange the fish on top. Place the fishy crisp on top and serve.

• See more Fish and seafood recipes

• As part of a healthy balanced diet, we recommend this recipe for a special occasion or treat.