Mackerel Simmered in Soy Sauce

Another first - cooking with mackerel, which is one of my favorite fishes (especially in sushi). Bittman's recipe was simple, easy and flavorful - perfect over white rice with a side dish of butter-sauteed enoki and a bottle of Jennifer's Jamabalaya. Recipe, with a couple of tweaks, reproduced below.

UPDATE, 8 Jan 2010: Doubled this recipe, skipping the water and using mirin instead of the sake and sugar. Also tasted wonderful.

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sake
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 8-9 thin slices ginger, peeled
• zest of 1 lemon, grated (about 1 loose, heaping tbsp.)
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 skin-on mackerel fillets, 1-1.5 lbs.
• 1-2 scallions, chopped

 In a skillet large enough to hold all the fish fillets in one layer, mix the soy sauce, sake, sugar, rice vinegar, water, ginger, lemon and garlic. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Put the fish in the skillet, skin-side down. Simmer till done (when the fish is opaque, about 7-10 minutes).

Serve on a plate with white rice and some of the sauce, garnished with scallions.