Mackerel with crispy bacon, fennel and gooseberry recipe
 Tangy gooseberries and aromatic fennel cut through the richness in this seasonal dish by Matt Tebbutt 2 tbsp olive oil3 rashers streaky bacon 2 mackerel fillets 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 tsp fennel seeds 100ml/3½fl oz white wine 50ml/2fl oz vermouth 150g/5½oz fresh gooseberries 1 bay leaffresh dill sprigs, to garnish 2 tbsp olive oil 3 rashers streaky bacon 2 mackerel fillets 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 tsp fennel seeds 100ml/3½fl oz white wine 50ml/2fl oz vermouth 150g/5½oz fresh gooseberries 1 bay leaf fresh dill sprigs, to garnish Method Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add some olive oil and the bacon and fry until crisp, this will take 2 minutes on each side Remove and keep warm, leaving the fat in the pan.Cut each mackerel fillet into 3 pieces and score the skin. Fry on medium heat, skin-side down, for 2 minutes in the bacon fat until it’s cooked three-quarters of the way, then flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes to finish cooking. In a saucepan, sweat the fennel, shallot and fennel seeds in plenty of olive oil. Add the white wine and vermouth and cover with a cartouche (a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle and placed on top as a lid). Simmer gently for 1 hour.Add the gooseberries and cook for another 20 minutes.Remove a few of the gooseberries for garnish. Use a hand-held stick blender or food processor to blend the rest into a smooth purée, then push through a sieve. To serve, spoon some purée onto a plate, top with the mackerel and bacon and spoon over some of the reserved gooseberries. Garnish with the dill sprigs to finish. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add some olive oil and the bacon and fry until crisp, this will take 2 minutes on each side Remove and keep warm, leaving the fat in the pan. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add some olive oil and the bacon and fry until crisp, this will take 2 minutes on each side Remove and keep warm, leaving the fat in the pan. Cut each mackerel fillet into 3 pieces and score the skin. Fry on medium heat, skin-side down, for 2 minutes in the bacon fat until it’s cooked three-quarters of the way, then flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes to finish cooking. Cut each mackerel fillet into 3 pieces and score the skin. Fry on medium heat, skin-side down, for 2 minutes in the bacon fat until it’s cooked three-quarters of the way, then flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes to finish cooking. In a saucepan, sweat the fennel, shallot and fennel seeds in plenty of olive oil. Add the white wine and vermouth and cover with a cartouche (a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle and placed on top as a lid). Simmer gently for 1 hour. In a saucepan, sweat the fennel, shallot and fennel seeds in plenty of olive oil. Add the white wine and vermouth and cover with a cartouche (a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle and placed on top as a lid). Simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the gooseberries and cook for another 20 minutes. Add the gooseberries and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove a few of the gooseberries for garnish. Use a hand-held stick blender or food processor to blend the rest into a smooth purée, then push through a sieve. Remove a few of the gooseberries for garnish. Use a hand-held stick blender or food processor to blend the rest into a smooth purée, then push through a sieve. To serve, spoon some purée onto a plate, top with the mackerel and bacon and spoon over some of the reserved gooseberries. Garnish with the dill sprigs to finish. To serve, spoon some purée onto a plate, top with the mackerel and bacon and spoon over some of the reserved gooseberries. Garnish with the dill sprigs to finish.