Fancy a fish dinner which is a little indulgent? This recipe for pan fried hake with clams and hazelnuts is a lovely fusion of flavours and textures and quick to make. Preparation is the key, have all the ingredients ready to go. Omar Allibhoy (aka The Spanish Chef) has produced this dish in 8 minutes!
Grandads Cookbook is a collection of recipes from various sources reproduced here for convenience. Recipes are accredited to their original author where known and links are provided to any online source materials.
Omar says the key is to have really fresh Hake loins and the result will win over your dinner partner.
Hake is a great alternative to cod or haddock with a delicate flavour. Hake is a robust fish and holds together well during cooking.
Hake is also plentiful in UK waters so sustainable while other white fish like cod are no longer so plentiful.
Pan-fried Hake with Artichokes and Clams in a Saffron and Hazelnut Sauce
Ingredients
FOR THE FISH
- 4 hake loins skin on
- 4 artichokes
- Salt and pepper
- 25 ml olive oil
FOR THE ARTICHOKES AND SAUCE
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Spanish onion finely chopped
- 70 g smoke Spanish pancetta in lardons
- 50 g blanched hazelnuts some crushed
- 1 head of garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp flour
- 25 ml white wine
- 200 ml fish stock
- 0.2 g Spanish saffron
- 350 g Poularde Dorset clams cleaned and rinsed
- 20 g chive finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Conversions
Instructions
- Bring the fish stock to the boil and infused with the saffron for about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Peel the artichokes with the help of a pairing knife, discard the harder outer leaves and the skin on the stalk. If the artichokes are older, remove the choke (the hair looking thing at the heart of the flower itself). Cut them into quarters or sixth’s depending on the size. Leave them in some cold water with the squeeze of half the lemon for them not to discolour.
- Place a frying-pan over high heat to warm up. Pat dry and season the hake loins with salt and pepper. Add to the pan skin-side down, reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 5 minutes on the skin side and 2 minutes on the other.
- To prepare the garnish and sauce place a large frying-pan over medium heat, pour the olive oil and add the artichokes, fry them for 3 minutes. Add the finely chopped onion, the smoked panceta and hazelnuts and fry for 5 minutes. Add the finely chopped garlic and after 1 minute add the paprika and flour. Stir for another minute before pouring the white wine slowly and the saffron infused fish stock while stirring to dissolve any lumps from the thin roux we want to form. Add the clams, season with salt and pepper and let it all simmer for about 2 minutes before finishing it off with a sprinkle of chive and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
You may also like one of my other favourite recipes …
