Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz crab apples
• peeled and halved
• 250g/9oz sugar
• water
• to cover
• gelatine leaves
• soaked
• 100g/3½oz white rice
• 100g/3½oz demerara sugar
• 25g/1oz tea leaves of your choice
• 8 mackerel fillets
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• oil
• for greasing

Directions

• For the jelly
• put the apples and sugar in a pan and pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the apples are soft and falling apart.
• Strain the cooked apples through a sieve and pour the strained liquid into a measuring jug. For every 500ml/18fl oz of liquid you will need two leaves of gelatine. Add the gelatine to the liquid while it is still hot
• stir to dissolve
• strain again then chill the jelly in the fridge.
• For the smoking mixture
• mix together the rice
• demerara sugar and tea leaves in a bowl. Line a deep pan or wok with aluminium foil
• place over a high heat and add the smoking mixture.
• Season the mackerel with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grease a cooling rack with a little oil and place the mackerel on the rack
• skin side down. When the mixture begins to smoke
• place the rack on top of the pan or wok and cover with aluminium foil. Turn off the heat and let the mackerel cook slowly as it cools.
• When cooked
• place the mackerel fillets onto serving plates and serve with the crab apple jelly.