This mackerel couscous recipe has its origins in a Moroccan restaurant grandly named Le Royal Couscous in Goderville, Normandy. August 1997. I had been living and working in Norway; picked up my two boys — Danny, seventeen, and Chris, fifteen — from England; loaded them into my Auto Sleeper Talisman motorhome; and took them across the Channel to experience France.
It was August. Every campsite in Normandy was full. We eventually found a pitch at Goderville and walked into town one evening, past the kind of streets that make France feel like France, and ended up at Le Royal Couscous. Danny ordered a steak. He was not impressed. Chris and I shared the Royal Couscous for two. It was brilliant — fragrant, generous, completely unexpected in a small Norman town — and it started a quiet love affair with couscous that has never really ended.
Couscous can be bland on its own. The secret is to treat it as a base rather than a dish — something to build on rather than serve from a packet. Add chopped vegetables, a spoonful of hot sauce and something with flavour and texture alongside it.
I came across Bio integral couscous while searching for something else online entirely. It is whole grain, retaining the bran and germ, giving it more flavour and substance than the standard processed version. It is also considerably more interesting to cook with. Worth seeking out.
Tinned mackerel in oil is the perfect partner. Packed with protein and omega-3, it flakes beautifully into warm vegetables and carries the spice from a fresh red chilli without disappearing. A splash of Sunstrike Habanero Fermented Hot Sauce at the end takes it somewhere else entirely.
Mackerel Couscous Recipe – What You Need
(serves 1)
- 100g Bio integral couscous
- 1 tin of mackerel in oil
- 1 onion, diced
- ½ small cauliflower, chopped into small florets
- A handful of green beans, chopped
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
- 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- A splash of hot sauce to finish — Sunstrike Habanero if you have it
Method
Prepare the integral couscous according to the packet instructions. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Sauté the onion in a little of the oil from the mackerel tin until softened. Add the cauliflower, green beans, peas, garlic and chilli and cook until tender.
Flake the mackerel into the vegetables and stir through gently. Season with salt and black pepper.
Serve the mackerel and vegetable mix over the couscous. Add a splash of hot sauce to finish.
This mackerel couscous recipe is part of my Fish & Seafood Recipes collection.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef
