RECIPE - Grilled Stuffed Mackerel (Cavala Grelhada e Recheada)

One of the very best ways to cook any fish that is high in fish-oils - those beneficial omega oils - is to cook it over a charcoal or gas grill. Think of grilled salmon or tuna, or if you've ever been to Spain or Portugal those small plates of grilled sardines. There's something about the dry, high heat and the smoke engendered by the oil from the fish dripping onto the heat source that minimizes those strong, "fishy" flavors that some people object to.

This Brazilian recipe for grilled and stuffed cavala (king mackerel) is an excellent way to serve this highly-nutricious and economical fish. When buying mackerel to prepare this way, be sure that they're not too big. This dish works best with fish no longer than about 10 inches (25 cm). And as always, make sure the fish is absolutely fresh - look for clear, transparent eyes, and make sure there is no noticeable odor.
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RECIPE - Grilled Stuffed Mackerel (Cavala Grelhada e Recheada)
Serves 4

3 oz (75 gr, 8 Tbsp) blanched almonds, finely chopped
a few sprigs fresh tarragon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
4 small mackerel, cleaned, heads and gills removed
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
lime wedges to garnish
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Brown the chopped almonds in a dry frying pan over high heat, being careful not to burn them. Put the browned almonds in a small mixing bowl, add some shredded tarragon leaves to taste, then add the chopped garlic. Add the bread crumbs, mix thoroughly, then add the beaten egg and mix again. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Stuff each fish with one quarter of the stuffing, and close the fish with skewers or twine. Cut three or four diagonal cuts in the flesh of each side of the fish, without cutting all the way through. Brush the outside with olive oil, then reserve.

Heat the grill to a high temperature. Place the fish on the grill and cook just until the skin is crispy and the flesh is opaque, about 5 minutes per side.

Serve immediately, garnished with wedges of lime and accompanied by rice or boiled potatoes and a green salad. Beer is recommended with this dish rather than wine.

Recipe translated and adapted from Blog do Adeodato.

FISH OF BRAZIL - Cavala (King Mackerel or Cavalla)

Anyone with just a bit of familiarity with the Portuguese language might logically think that the word cavala means mare - you know, a female horse. After all, the word for horse in Portuguese is cavalo, and normally words that end in -o are masculine and those that end in -a are feminine. So if horse (masculine) is cavalo, probably horse (feminine) is cavala. Logical, but wrong.

Cavala isn't a mare at all (égua is the world for mare) but rather one of the most common eating fish in Brazil. In earlier times, under its English names of king mackerel or cavalla, it was also a common eating fish in North America, but today is less commonly consumed there than in the past. Cavala is a very oily fish, with high levels of beneficial omega-3 oils. Only sardines and herring have higher levels of omega-3 oil per gram of flesh. However, it is that oil that has most likely caused mackerel to lose its popularity.

One of the supposed reason for the diminishing popularity of mackerel in North America and Europe is the perception that the fish has a strong, oily, some-would-say-fishy, taste. It's true that mackerel's high levels of omega-3 oils bring with them a stronger flavor, as oil carries taste more than does flesh, but if properly cooked and prepared, mackerel doesn't have to be overly-fishy. One way to eliminate this strong flavor is to buy only the very freshest mackerel, as the fishy flavor develops with age.

Cavala's popularity hasn't diminished in Brazil as it has in other world markets, probably due to the fact that there are still enormous stocks in Brazilian waters, and consequently the price is very low. Cavala is almost always the least expensive fish per kilo in Brazilian fish markets. Also, Brazilians tend not to shy away from strong-tasting fish, and value such fish rather than avoid them.

In an age of global over-fishing, the cavala/mackerel fishery remains one of the few that is sustainable at current rates of harvest. Vancouver Aquarium's internationally-recognized Ocean Wise program includes cavala/king mackerel in its list of sustainable fisheries.

In the next few posts, Flavors of Brazil will feature some typical Brazilian recipes for cooking cavala/king mackerel. If you can find mackerel at your supermarket or fishmongers, do give it a try. It's economical, very healthy, and can be eaten with a clear ecological conscience. And if cooked right, as the Brazilians know very well, it's also delicious.