Merluza en Salsa Verde

A Basque classic where the hake remains pearly and flakes easily. The sauce, bound with starch and olive oil, should be a vibrant green and coat the fish perfectly.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 446
• Protein: 41 g
• Carbs: 24 g
• Fat: 19 g

Ingredients

• 800 g European hake ( thick steaks )
• 3 piece Garlic ( finely minced )
• 1 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped bunch )
• 100 ml Dry white wine
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Wheat flour ( for dusting )
• 12 piece Clam ( cleaned )
• 8 piece Asparagus verte optional ( tips only )
• 100 g Green peas optional ( shelled )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 250 ml Fish stock ( hot )

Instructions

1. Fish preparation

   Season the hake steaks with sea salt. Lightly dust each side with wheat flour, tapping off the excess. The flour will help bind the sauce later.

2. Sautéing the garlic

   In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Sauté the minced garlic without letting it brown. The garlic should become translucent and perfume the oil without any bitterness.

3. Deglazing and adding liquid

   Deglaze with the dry white wine and reduce by half. Pour in the hot fish stock. Stir gently with circular motions to create an emulsion between the oil and the stock.

4. Slow poaching

   Place the hake steaks in the sauce. Add the green asparagus tips and peas. The sauce should barely simmer to keep the fish flesh tender.

5. Opening the clams

   Add the clams. Cover the skillet. As soon as the clams open, they release their briny juices which finish seasoning the sauce.

6. Green finish

   Finely chop the flat parsley and stir it in at the last moment. Shake the pan horizontally so the sauce coats the fish well. It should be creamy and glossy.

Chef's tips

• Never brown the garlic; if it turns brown, the sauce will be bitter.
• The back-and-forth movement of the pan is crucial to bind the oil and stock using the flour's starch.
• If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with an extra spoonful of stock.

Storage

Consume immediately. Fish does not reheat well as it dries out the fragile flesh.