Acqua pazza with hake, fennel and tomatoes

Ingredients

• Hake fillets: 2 (about 150g/5½oz each), skin on and pin boned
• Fennel bulb: 1, cut into 8 equal-sized pieces
• Garlic cloves: 2, sliced
• Red chilli: 1, chopped
• Tiger cherry tomatoes: 10
• Mussels: 6, scrubbed and debearded
• Clams: 6, scrubbed and debearded
• White wine: 150ml/5fl oz
• Datterini tomatoes: 10
• Fresh flatleaf parsley: small handful
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Grilled sourdough: to serve, rubbed with garlic and olive oil

Method

1. Heat the Pan
   In a large frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Cook the Fish
   Pan-fry the hake fillets until they are cooked about 80% of the way through. Once done, remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
3. Cook the Fennel
   In the same pan, add the fennel pieces. Fry them for 2–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until both sides are nicely colored and partially cooked.
4. Add Garlic and Chilli
   Add the sliced garlic and chopped chilli to the pan. Fry for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
5. Add Cherry Tomatoes
   Add the tiger cherry tomatoes to the pan and stir-fry quickly over high heat.
6. Prepare the Shellfish
   Discard any mussels with broken shells or those that do not close when tapped. Add the cleaned mussels and clams to the pan along with the white wine.
7. Steam the Shellfish
   Cover the pan and steam the mixture until the clams and mussels begin to open. Discard any mussels and clams that remain closed.
8. Finish the Sauce
   Add the datterini tomatoes and fresh parsley to the pan. Drizzle in the olive oil to help emulsify the sauce.
9. Plate the Dish
   Place the cooked fish on a serving plate and spoon the sauce, including the shells, over the top.
10. Serve
    Serve with a slice of grilled sourdough bread that has been rubbed with garlic. Enjoy!