Mackerel fillets in mustard

Mackerel fillets in creamy Dijon mustard sauce with flakes of Brittany seaweed and mustard seeds. 

Serving tip: try these served warm or cold, the cannery say. On a bed of creamy mash, or with leeks browned in butter, with green lentils or rice. Or with some good bread. 

About the mackerel: the mackerel are caught in winter when they are at their fattiest. The cannery, officially recognised in 2022 for its commitment to sustainability, sources only the amount of fish it requires for its production and works exclusively with fleets that fish sustainably. The cannery listens to scientific recommendations when deciding which fishery to source its catch from. The mackerel are hand-prepared at the cannery, and cooked in a court-bouillon or seasoned broth, according to tradition.

About la belle iloise:

The cannery was founded in the fishing port of Quiberon, Brittany in 1932 by Georges Hilliet, when he was 22 years old. Quiberon was one of France’s key sardine canning hubs, with 14 canneries located there. The cannery was simply called Établissement Georges Hilliet.

Hilliet was a firm believer in quality, artisanal production from the outset and resisted the emergence of mass retailing in the 60s, keeping faith with his own production values. He vowed he’d sooner sell his sardines from a basket on the beach than compromise on quality. The company was eventually re-named la belle-iloise, a tribute to the people of Belle-Ile - the island opposite Quiberon where the sardines are caught.

Today Hilliet’s granddaughter Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu helms the company, continuing her grandfather’s ethos of quality, sustainable production and tinned fish that melds traditional recipes with innovative flair.