This is the mackerel version of the well-loved gravadlax (cured salmon with dill) and it is truly delicious. With such a quantity of fresh mackerel available from peerie (small) boats in the summer, this is a really good way to preserve a few of them. I am indebted to Jan Riise and Kenny Pottinger for their advice with this recipe. The dill crème fraiche sauce to accompany this is creamy and rich but the traditional dill mustard sauce is fine to use too. Warning: this is a three-day process. First, go to the beach and ‘gadder’ some large stanes! I’m joking! Any heavy weight will be fine.

Course: Starter
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 6 fresh mackerel fillets – filleted and skinned

• 25g demerara sugar

• 25g coarse salt (table salt will be fine)

• Small handful fresh dill

• Coarsely ground black pepper

Sauce

• 1 tub crème fraiche – 225g

• Small bunch dill – finely chopped

• 1 rounded teaspoon demerara sugar

Instructions:

Day 1

1. Lay the fillets in pairs in a shallow dish with the curing mixture between them.

2. Add a suitable-sized smaller dish on top and weigh it down with fine Shetland beach stones.

3. Leave in a cool place and check each day, turning them over and making sure that the curing mixture – which will now be very liquid – is reaching all the fish.

Day 3 (or 4)

1. Mix the sauce ingredients thoroughly and transfer to a small dish.

2. Scrape the peppercorns and dill off the fillets and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

3. Slice thinly at an angle and serve with the sauce on oatcakes, ryebread or a dark beremeal bannock.