• 1.5 litre water, 1 teaspoon salt
  Bring the water to the boil in a large pan, add the salt.
• 180 grams polenta
  Pour the polenta in a stream into the boiling water whisking gently.
• Keep whisking until the polenta has thickened.
• Cover the polenta and either keep cooking on the stove at a low heat, or put in the oven at 150C.  Stir well every 10 minutes scraping down the sides.  Cook for about 30 minutes.
• 100 grams grated cheese, 20-30 grams butter
  Stir in the cheese and butter and serve immediately.

For the mackerel

• 4 mackerel fillets, 1/2 lemon, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  Place the mackerel on a flat plate or baking tray and cover with the grated lemon zest, lemon juice and a tsp thyme leaves stripped from the stalks, cover with cling film and leave for at least 20 minutes.
• 1 small onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 50 millilitres Madeira wine, 2 teaspoon butter
  Put the Madeira in a small pan on a medium high heat and simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Heat the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat and sauté the onion until soft, add the butter then cook the mackerel fillets for about 3 minutes each side.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  Serve the mackerel fillets on top of the creamy polenta and season the pan juices to taste and pour over the dish, the pour over the reduced Madeira.