Please, there is no reason to pretend. I know what you are thinking…I’m in love with canned fish too…
First in a series of posts about the wonders of canned fish.
Each can of jack mackerel (costing $1.29 ~ $1.79) yields a lot of protein (and omega-3’s). I have no idea why they are so inexpensive but I definitely appreciate it. Scroll down for inexpensive preps of this fine fish: Jack Mackerel Cappellini (extremely fast), and Jack Mackerel Cakes (not as fast, but very nice!).
Jack Mackerel Cappellini
- 2 oz. of dry, whole wheat cappellini (angelhair); (1 lb of Full Circle = $1.59 / 8 = $.20);
- 3 or 4 frozen brussel sprouts (12 ~ 14 oz for $.87 / 6 = = $.15) ;
- 1/2 of canned jack mackerel filet ($1.29/6 = = $.22);
- olive oil (pennies);
- sea salt (I used Whole Foods 365 brand…can’t remember now what it costs, but, it was such a steal!);
- and pepper (pennies).
Boil and drain the pasta. Flake the mackerel, and mix it with the hot pasta, olive oil, pepper. Salt to taste – the fish is not salty, but contains salt. Microwave the Brussels sprouts for 2 or 3 min, halve them, and toss with everything else. It’ll be very nice (and about $.60 for this serving). I promise!
Jack Mackerel Cakes
Heritage Recipes has a simple, simple, simple recipe for Jack Mackerel Cakes. Three ingredients: 1 can of jack mackerel ($1.79 for the BumbleBee brand), cornmeal (I mixed polenta and cornmeal in my version because…the polenta was there…about $1.00/lb, and I used less than 1 cup…about $.50 worth), and 1 egg (I think I used a jumbo, probably $0.16). Makes seven huge cakes, as the recipe says (about $.35 apiece) . Took pictures of my process. Enjoy! I served this with a ketchup/Worcestershire sauce (to approximate a tonkatsu sauce). My dines were very very happy. The recipe works so great – this was my first time trying it, and I got rave reviews!
Update (03/20/08): I’m just adding a link I found in askmetafilter, about eating fish more frugally.
19 Comments
March 17, 2008 at 6:21 am
It is so good, I can eat it all day as snack.
Wonderful recipe!
March 17, 2008 at 7:43 am
I’m so glad you liked it!!!
March 23, 2008 at 9:44 am
This looks fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing it. I am definitely going to try it. I wonder, for a change if canned salmon would work well with this recipe too, as well as other types of canned fish? I am a fan of the slow cooker and looking for fish and organic-type recipes. So far this was the best one I found~ Thank you again!
April 2, 2008 at 10:30 am
[...] Part II in a series of posts about the wonders of canned fish. [...]
April 14, 2008 at 9:37 am
[...] III in a series of posts about the wonders of canned fish – click here for part I (about fishcakes and capellini), and here for part II (about fried [...]
June 16, 2008 at 7:06 am
Jack Mackerel has disappeared from the grocery stores here in Sacramento, CA. I asked the manager of my supermarket and he didn’t know why. Anyone know?
June 16, 2008 at 7:47 am
That is a real shame! It’s not quite as standard as tuna, but still! Usually the markets carry a can or two around. Is that happening in all the supermarket chains?
June 19, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for sharing the photos!
Holly
June 19, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Oh, it’s my pleasure! I’m so glad I found that recipe on your wonderful website!!!
July 25, 2008 at 2:33 am
Mackerel’s disappeared from all the stores here in Florida, too. It’s been my protein staple for the past 8 years or so. I do some travelling for work and have checked stores in surrounding towns on the way through and they’re all out. They have the spot for it on the shelf, but aren’t getting any stock coming in. I’m in the Ocala area.
July 25, 2008 at 1:55 pm
That is very odd – I wonder if demand is falling, or what’s the deal??? It’s a great fish, so, I’m very sad to hear that it’s disappearing from the shelves. any favorite recipes, and, what are you using to substitute for jack mackerel?
September 30, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I’ve been looking for months for Mackerel but can’t find any in central illinois either. Wonder if they took it off the shelves due to mercury content???
September 30, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Yeah, I just noticed it is missing from my local supermarket too…what a bummer!
November 16, 2008 at 11:55 am
Thanks for this great recipe – I was looking for something new to do with my canned mackerel, and it just so happened I had some polenta in my kitchen at the time too!
I am not ashamed to admit my love for canned fish. Mackerel in particular is a great bargain.
The cakes are great.
I got a few cans off the shelf in NYC back in early October. I hope it is still available here.
January 11, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Ack! Forgive my belated reply!!! Isn’t the recipe easy!?!?! And we who love canned fish must unite!!!
December 4, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I finally found some jack mackerel in the Baker City Oregon Safeway store. I gave up looking for and asking for it at the
Albertson store across the street. So today I’m celebrating my find. And I do hope you don’t all beat a path to this Safeway store to buy out my goodie! None of the clerks in the Albertson
had even heard of Jack Mackerel, by the way.
January 11, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Now I’m noticing that I can’t find it (in California)! Such a shame, because it is a wonderful fish.
January 31, 2009 at 3:46 pm
On one of my dog lists the members were also bewailing the lack of Jack Mackerel, which (along with canned salmon & sardines) makes a happy & healthy addition to doggie dishes once a week or so. It’s missing in a lot of places, but several people said they could only find it in Walmart. I just found some in my local Kroger supermarket here in Atlanta — on the can it says it comes from Chile.
February 1, 2009 at 10:45 am
It’s such a mystery…!