PAN ROASTED HAKE

Ingredients

For the Savoy cabbage potato cakes

• 800g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• ½ small Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• A knob of butter, for frying

For the hake and vegetables

• 4 skin-on hake fillets, approximately 180g each
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 leeks, washed and cut into thick rounds
• 150g curly kale, with the tough stalks removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the white wine sauce

• A knob of butter
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
• 200ml dry white wine
• 300ml double cream

For the optional herb oil

• 15g fresh basil leaves
• 15g fresh chives
• 50ml olive oil
• 50ml rapeseed oil

Method

1. Prepare the potato cakes

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the potatoes for 15–20 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.
• Blanch the shredded Savoy cabbage in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain well and remove as much excess water as possible. Mash the potatoes, fold in the cabbage and season to taste.
• Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape into round cakes, approximately 9cm wide. Use a metal ring if you would like a neat, uniform finish. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to help them hold their shape.

2. Make the white wine sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the sliced onion and leek and cook slowly for around 10 minutes until softened, without allowing them to brown.
• Pour in the white wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the double cream and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon. Pass through a fine sieve, season to taste and set aside.

3. Prepare the herb oil

• For an optional finishing touch, blend the basil, chives, olive oil and rapeseed oil until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and warm gently for 2 minutes.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes before straining through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper. Set aside until ready to serve.

4. Bake the crispy kale

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).
• Toss the kale with the olive oil and a pinch of salt, then arrange in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast for 8–10 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.

5. Cook the potato cakes

• Heat the rapeseed oil and butter in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the potato cakes and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the cakes are heated through.

6. Char the leeks

• Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Place the leek rounds on the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, until tender with attractive charred markings. Set aside somewhere warm.

7. Pan-roast the hake

• Pat the hake fillets dry with kitchen paper and score the skin lightly two or three times. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the rapeseed oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Place the fillets skin-side down, pressing gently for the first few seconds to help the skin remain flat.
• Cook for 4–5 minutes without moving the fish, until the skin is crisp and golden. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for a further 4–5 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

8. Plate and serve

• Gently reheat the white wine sauce. Place a potato cake in the centre of each warm plate and arrange the charred leeks alongside. Set the hake on top, with its crispy skin facing upwards.
• Spoon the sauce around the fish and finish with the crispy kale and a few drops of herb oil, if using.