Whole baked mackerel in vine leaves

As befits all sorts of things wrapped up in a package before being presented, this is a dish for a celebration! It’s impressive to make, and mackerel is always rich so sides can be kept simple: some roast potatoes and a simple green salad are all that you need.

Getting ahead: This is very dinner-party-friendly, as all the prep work can be done up to about 4 hours in advance. Take the fish up to the point where it’s sitting on the tray ready to go into the oven and it can wait