Super Healthy Grilled Mackerel with Barley, Eggplant and Garlic Yoghurt

Mackerel would have to be one of the most underrated fish in Australia.

Ironically, most of the catch is ground into food for farmed  fish, which end up with nowhere near  the incredible flavour and texture of mackerel. Grilled slowly over coals, it offers a wonderful eating  experience: the natural oils in the fish mean  it stays juicy and succulent, and the flesh absorbs the smokiness from the grill.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
200 g (1 cup) pearl barley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 japanese eggplants (aubergines), halved lengthways
3 roma (plum) tomatoes, halved lengthways olive oil, for brushing
2 whole mackerel (about 700 g in total) large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves handful mint leaves

garlic yoghurt
140 g (1/2 cup) plain yoghurt
2 teaspoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1 Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil over high heat. Add barley, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until just tender, about  8-10 minutes. Drain barley and spread  over a tray or large plate to cool.
2 For garlic yoghurt,  combine yoghurt,  tahini  and garlic in a bowl, then  whisk in olive oil in a thin,  steady stream.  Season with salt and pepper.
3 Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue grillplate  over high heat. Brush eggplant and tomato with olive oil and season with salt. Place vegetables cut-side down on grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, then  turn  and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until tender. Remove and set aside on a plate covered  with foil.
4 Brush fish with olive oil and season with salt. Make sure grill is very hot – this will prevent  fish from sticking – then  place fish carefully on grill and leave untouched for 4-5 minutes. Turn  and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until fish is just cooked through but remains  juicy.
5 To serve, scatter barley over a plate, season with salt and pepper, then  arrange grilled eggplant and tomato on top. Lay fish on plate, drizzle with garlic yoghurt and scatter with herbs.

Recipes from the book The Agrarian Kitchen by Rodney Dunn and photography by Luke Burgess, published by
Lantern rrp $59.99.