Hake with Parmesan Crust

My mother has always said at home: "Hake, if it's of good quality, is delicious and has nothing to envy from more prized fish". The truth is she has always cooked hake in many ways and we often enjoy this fish, which I certainly find delicious.

A good way to make hake is with a touch of Parmesan, lemon and spices. This hake recipe is super simple and the result is attractive, with a lovely presentation and aromas that pair very well with hake.

Served with some French fries, it's a perfect everyday dish you'll enjoy.

To have it well presented, I do recommend using a pan that is suitable for both stovetop and oven (in this case we used the Le Creuset nonstick pan), because the less you handle the fish the better, otherwise it will flake.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of hake, ´clean, with skin but without bones (cut into 4 portions, ideally loins)
• 4 potatoes for frying, medium
• 60 g of breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Zest of one lemon
• 85 g of butter, melted
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 liter of vegetable oil for frying
• Lemon wedges and watercress to serve

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, the Parmesan cheese, the lemon zest, the melted butter, the herbs and the garlic. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. As a side for the dish we'll make double-fried potatoes. So we start by frying them. To do this, heat the oil in a high-sided iron skillet to 180°C. Peel, cut into matchsticks, rinse well and dry the potatoes with kitchen paper, and fry them until they are lightly golden, but not fully cooked through. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and set aside for later.
3. Preheat the oven grill function.
4. In the Le Creuset PRO nonstick pan (ideal for this recipe because it's suitable for stovetop and oven), add a little oil and heat it over low heat. Once hot, place the hake fillets in it, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden and crispy.
5. Turn the fish over and place the breadcrumb and herb mixture on top, along the hake loin.
6. We're going to gratin the crust, so move the pan from the heat to the oven, under the grill, and cook until the crust is golden and crispy.
7. While it browns, reheat the vegetable oil in the high-sided skillet to 180°C and fry the potatoes again until they are now nicely golden and crispy. Serve the fish and potatoes with some lemon wedges and watercress.

Notes

• Be careful when handling hake: it's a white, tender fish that will easily flake if we are not careful. Therefore, it's advisable to cook it in a nonstick pan over low heat (in an iron pan it could stick in this case), and also a pan that can go into the oven, so we don't have to transfer it unnecessarily to another utensil and risk it breaking.
• Exactly this same recipe is delicious with cod. The only thing to keep in mind is that cod loins tend to be thicker, and you'll need a couple more minutes for them to be cooked, or even to turn them and cook them on several sides before applying the crust and gratinating.
• We've mentioned the PRO nonstick pan, but you can also use the sauté or the TNS roasting pot: it's exactly the same finish and qualities, but with a different shape and sizes than the pan, and all are suitable for stovetop and oven.
• We mentioned in the recipe to rinse the potatoes well. This is vital before frying them in an iron skillet, because you must remove the starch they release when cut, as it's that starch that makes them stick in the iron skillet. Well cleaned and dried, you'll see that they fry fabulously well.
• If you want a lighter side, just pair it with some tomatoes, a bit of salad, or some veggies grilled on the griddle.