Mark Hix recipe: Crispy mackerel, broad bean and tomato salad

Serves 4

Serve Mark's salad as a starter or a main course (Jason Lowe)

This is a nice fresh summery salad you can serve as a starter or a main course. You can add other beans if you wish, such as green beans or runners.

A couple of medium-sized mackerel, filleted and boned
100ml milk
100-150g gluten-free self-raising flour
Vegetable or corn oil for deep frying
100g podded weight of broad beans, cooked lightly in boiling salted water for 2 minutes
2-3 tomatoes, different varieties if you like
A couple of handfuls of small salad leaves and herbs, washed and dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

1½tbsp cider vinegar
2tsp Tewkesbury mustard
2tbsp rapeseed oil
2tbsp vegetable or corn oil

If the broad beans are large you can remove the outer skins if you wish but I tend to leave small ones whole. Cut the tomatoes into rough 2cm chunks. Whisk all of the ingredients together for the dressing and season to taste.

Preheat about 8cm of oil to 160-180C in a large, thick-bottomed saucepan or deep-fat fryer. Cut the mackerel into rough 2cm-wide strips. Season them, then pass through the flour, shaking off any excess. Next pass it through the milk, and then again through the flour.

Deep fry for 2-4 minutes, turning the fish with a slotted spoon as it cooks, until crisp and golden. Remove from the oil and drain on some kitchen paper.

To serve, toss the leaves, tomatoes and broad beans in a little dressing and season. Arrange on serving plates with the crispy mackerel and spoon a little more dressing over.