Madeira

Use a heavy iron or non-stick frying pan because you need to conduct the heat without burning the fish.

Chicharros de agraça com molho de açafroa (Spring mackerel with sour grapes and saffron salsa)

Serves 4

• 4 fine fat mackerel
• salt
• 4 tablespoons cornmeal
• fresh pork lard or olive oil for frying (or a mixture of both)

The salsa

• 1 mild onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves skinned and chopped
• 1 red pepper de-seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
• salt
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon green grapes halved and pips removed

First make the salsa. Combine the onion, garlic and pepper with the vinegar and a little salt in a small bowl and leave to marinate for the time it takes to cook the fish. Toast the saffron threads in a dry pan until they darken a little. DO NOT burn them. Crush the toasted threads and add to the sauce. Mix in the olive oil and add the grapes.

Rinse the fish and leave a little damp. Salt on both sides and inside as well. Spread the cornmeal on a plate and flip the fish in it to coat the fish on both sides. Make sure it is well coated.

Heat a little lard or oil (about 2 tablespoons maximum) in the frying pan anf fry the fish gently, turning once, until firm to the finger it should be between 4 and 6 minutes a side. Serve the fish with the salsa hand around separately.