Monday 22 September 2008

Recipe - Pan fried Hake with creamy Garlic Potato Puree


This is another attempt at cooking some fish to try and vary my diet. Simply pan frying the fish is a very easy way of cooking it and if you season the fish properly it also tastes very nicely.

This was the first time I've tried to cook the potatoes for mash in stock. Trust me, this won't be the last time. I shouldn't be banging my own drum too much, but this was probably the best mash I've ever made. Nothing for vampires though, it had one hell of a garlic kick to it.

If you wonder what the 'brown blobs' that are circling the plate is, they're button mushrooms that's been fried in butter.

And yes, I know that I served quite a lot of mash given the size of the hake fillets. It would have made a better photo with less mash. However, that mash was so divine that I just had to get lots on to the plate from the start ;)

Ingredients (serves 2)
Two hake fillets, skin on
1 liter chicken stock
500g potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 - 2 cm cubes
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil
125 ml Milk
1 - 2 tablespoons Double cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Fresh parsley, chopped or torn
Salt
Pepper

Method
Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the potatoes and garlic cloves. Let this boil away until soft, 10 - 15 minutes. Drain. Push the potatoes and garlic through a food mill or a potato ricer back into the pan.

Season the hake liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan on a medium to high heat. Add the hake fillets skin side up. Fry for about a minute and then flip them skin side down. Cook for 6 - 7 minutes more on a medium heat, until the fish flakes easily.

While the fish is cooking, heat the milk and cream until it simmers. Slowly stir this into the potato and garlic mixture until it's a smooth puree. Cook very gently for 3 - 5 minutes, making sure to stir the whole time. Beat the butter and parsley into the puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the fish on top of the puree.

Enjoy!

5 comments:

  1. Hi Mike,
    I've enjoyed browsing through all of your recipes. Great blog here! I'll be back often to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jenny,

    Many thanks for your nice comment. It's good to know that someone appreciates what I do ;)

    I must say I like the Picky Palate blog, I got in my RSS reader so not to miss any posts.

    // Mike

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my! Hake! Mash! Garlic! Mushrooms! Butter! What's not to love about this meal!

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm thrilled to have found yours and your excellent recipes. And FWIW, I don't think you're lacking in the inspiration deartmentt!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gal,

    Thanks for your kind comment and for visiting my blog too.

    I'm looking forward to seeing what you post on yours in future!

    // Mike

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment. Positive or negative - all comments are welcome and useful. I do enjoy hearing what you think of my posts, what is good and what needs improving so please post away.

// Mike