Yorkshire

East Riding Mackerel

• 4 Mackerel
• 4 medium shallots, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 4 or 5 tablespoons vinegar
• a little cornflour
• 4 tablespoons grated cheese

Behead and gut the fish, open them out flat from below, remove the backbones and give the fish a rinse. Lay them out, skin side down, in a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle the shallots and seasoning over them. Then cover them with equal quantities of vinegar and water.

Cover the dish with grease proof paper or foil and bake it in a moderate oven (355F, gas 4, 180C) for 20 minutes. Drain off the liquid and thicken it with cornflour (previously mixed with a little cold water). Pour the liquid back over the fish, sprinkle the grated cheese on the top and brown it under the grill for a few minutes.