Hake Fillet Meunière Style

Pearly white flesh that flakes easily, protected by a thin golden crust. The smell of brown butter and a touch of lemon acidity balances the richness of the pan-searing.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 8 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 477
• Protein: 38 g
• Carbs: 19 g
• Fat: 27 g

Ingredients

• 4 piece European hake ( fillets with skin )
• 100 g Wheat flour ( for dredging )
• 80 g Minimum butter sweet ( diced )
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil ( for cooking )
• 1 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 1 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )
• 2 pinch Gray sea salt
• 2 pinch White pepper ground

Instructions

1. Fish preparation

   Carefully pat the hake fillets dry with paper towels. The skin must be perfectly dry to prevent sticking. Season both sides with grey sea salt and ground white pepper.

2. Flouring the fillets

   Dredge the fillets in wheat flour. Tap them between your hands to remove the excess: we want a light coating, not a thick crust. The flour will protect the delicate flesh.

3. Pan-searing in butter

   Heat oil in a pan. When hot, place the fillets skin-side down. Let them color for 3 minutes without touching. Add the butter. When it starts foaming and smells like toasted hazelnuts, baste the fish continuously with a spoon.

4. Finishing and deglazing

   Turn the fillets over gently for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Pour the lemon juice directly into the cooking butter to deglaze the juices. Add chopped flat-leaf parsley. The sauce should be smooth and coat the fish.

Chef's tips

• Only use white pepper to avoid staining the white flesh of the hake.
• Basting with brown butter is key: it provides the nutty flavor and keeps the fish juicy.
• If the butter browns too quickly, add a drop of water or lemon juice to stop the cooking process.

Storage

Eat immediately. Pan-seared fish loses its crispness and pearly texture in the fridge.