Roasted Mackerel with Herb Potatoes and Lemon

Symptom check-in

• POTS: None.

• Vestibular migraine: None.

• Lupus: No symptoms yet, but again i am trying to include more fish in my diet given my last blood test results from Wednesday.

Disorder safety check

Condition	Works?	Why
POTS	—	This meal doesn't specifically target POTS symptoms
Vestibular migraine	—	This meal doesn't specifically target vestibular migraine symptoms
Lupus	Yes	Mackerel is one of the highest sources of omega-3 fatty acids available which directly reduce inflammatory activity; potatoes provide gentle complex carbohydrates that are easy on the digestive system during a flare; lemon and herbs add antioxidants without stressing the body

Ingredients (makes 1 serving)

Fish

• 1 whole mackerel, cleaned and gutted — ask your fishmonger to do this

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• Salt and black pepper

• Lemon wedges to serve

Potatoes

• 2 medium potatoes, sliced into rounds about 5mm thick

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and black pepper

• Splash of water or white wine

Steps

1. Prep the potatoes — Preheat oven to 400°F. Layer the potato rounds and onion rings in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season generously with oregano, salt, and pepper, and add a small splash of water or white wine to the bottom of the dish to keep them from drying out. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.

2. Prep the fish — While the potatoes are cooking, pat the mackerel completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Score the skin 3 to 4 times on each side with a sharp knife — this helps the seasoning get in and stops the skin from curling. Rub the olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper all over the outside and inside the cavity.

3. Roast the fish — Remove the foil from the potatoes and nestle the mackerel directly on top of them. Return to the oven uncovered and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is blistered and crispy and the flesh flakes easily when pressed with a fork. The fish is done when the thickest part behind the head pulls away cleanly.

4. Rest briefly — Let the fish sit for 2 minutes before eating. The flesh continues to cook slightly and it's much easier to pull from the bone when it's had a moment to settle.

5. Plate — Slide the potatoes onto one side of a wide plate and lay the whole fish alongside. Add lemon wedges and squeeze generously over everything right before eating. Eat the fish straight from the bone — use a fork to lift the flesh away from the spine starting from the top and working down.