Cider Soused Mackerel

4 small mackerel salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and sliced
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
300 ml/1/2 pint dry cider

Remove the heads, fins and guts from the mackerel. Clean the fish and remove the backbones without removing the tails. Season with salt and pepper, then roll up each fish towards the tail.

Place the rolled mackerel in a shallow ovenprooldish, with the tails pointing upwards. Scatter the onion slices over aml around the fish. Add the lemon juice to the apple and put the slices in the dish, with the peppercorns, fennel and bay leaves. Pour over the cider.

Cover and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180 °C/350 °F, Gas Mark 4) for 30 to 40 minutes until the fish is tender. Serve cold.

SER VES 2