FISH BLOG: Annie's Hake Recipe

Our regular fish connoisseur, Annie Sibert, takes us through some great recipes for Hake, a fish we're seeing a lot of in the harbour at Falmouth.
 

The price of Hake should make this wonderful fish even 
more attractive to you this week. A very delicate but meaty fish, with a sweet juicy flesh. We are seeing more of this fabulous fish because the Spanish are importing it from elsewhere. Ask your Fishmonger for it!

Quality check:

Hake has a naturally soft flesh and should be offered in steaks or fillets. Red blood around the bone area is a good sign (steaks) if the blood is brown in any way, this is a sign of ageing. If it is in fillet form, ask to see the skin, a good silver shine and a consistent grey skin (no damage) is good. The flesh should be quite white, but if the flesh is gapping, this is not a bad sign - Hake is very fragile and this is part of it.

Cooking - Fillet:

Less handling the better! Place the fillet skin side down. Place under the pre-heated grill for one minute and take out. If your grill was pre- heated you will see that the Hake is already cooking. With a small amount of butter on your knife, spread the butter evenly over the fillet, the butter should melt nicely on to your fish. A quick squeeze of Lemon and back under the grill. Keep checking the fish, if it starts to brown, this is natural, hake has a nice oil content. You can lower the fish away from the heat source to cook it a bit slower and to stop it from drying out.

Cooking - Steak:

As above, but the steak will need to be turned, just the once, do this very carefully.

Is it cooked? :

With a knife and fork separate the thickest part of the flesh. If the flesh comes away from the skin and is an even white all the way through, it is cooked!

With the steak, if it comes away from the bone with ease, this fish is cooked.

When Hake is cooking you will notice all the juice that starts to come out, do not panic! This is what happens, just try and capture the juice and pour it back over the fish when you are serving. Remember, the more juice the fresher the fish!

Serve with?
 
New potatoes and steamed veg.

Hope you enjoyed this and always use your local Fishmonger! Many thanks.

My Fish Kitchen