As befits early January, this recipe from Epicurious is both quick and healthy. I am still slowly developing a taste for fish after years of fear and loathing, and hake is my favourite so far. As a child, my mother always warned me that one day as a grown-up, I would be in a social situation where it would be impolite not to eat fish, so I should try to get used to it. This has yet to turn out to be the case, but a gradual process of peer-pressure from my significant other combined with curiosity has led me down this path. I suspect my dislike of salmon will be eternal, despite this being one of the few fish Irish people seem to actually eat, but I am slowly getting to grips with white fish. This recipe would work with other firm white fish like cod or halibut just as easily. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces hake fillet
- 60g hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons drained tinned or fresh capers
- 1 small bunch chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Method
- Finely chop the hazelnuts.
- Dry the hake pieces with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Saute the fish, turn it once halfway through, until it is golden and cooked through approx
- Transfer to a warmed plate and cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
- Melt the butter in the same frying pan, and add the hazelnuts.
- After 1 minute add the garlic to the hazelnuts and continue to toast until the hazelnuts are golden brown.
- Add the vinegar and water to deglaze the pan.
- Remove from the heat and add the capers and parsley.
- Season, and serve spooned over the hake.
Wonderful recipe. I want to try this!
Hake is great and one of the white fish easy to get here, lovely ingredients, thanks, Tracey
Do you like bream? It is my new favorite white-fleshed fish. I LOVE IT.
I haven’t tried it yet, will put it on the list.
I use capers with fish a lot…I can’t wait to adding hazelnuts the next time I cook fish. I used to not like salmon at all as it is a strong tasting fish. Over a period of time of eating it with different sauces, I have learned to like it and now cook it often. I think we have to actually learn to like some foods…it is just a matter of if we want to or not and there are somethings I’d just rather not eat.
Looks incredible!