Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 4
By Nathan OutlawFrom Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the fish
- 4 hake fillet (120g/4½oz each), scaled and pin-boned
- olive oil, for frying
- 75g/2½oz butter
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chervil
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 lemon, zest only
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the fried potatoes
- 100g/3½oz potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and diced small
- oil, for frying
For the tartare sauce
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 250ml/9fl oz olive oil
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream
- 100ml/3½fl oz hot fish stock (ideally made from roast fish bones)
- small handful sliced lettuce
- 100g/3½oz frozen peas, defrosted
- 1 gherkin, diced
- 1 tbsp capers in brine, drained
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chervil
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
To finish
- oil, for deep frying
- 50g/1¾ oz capers, drained
Method
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To make the fish, first check the fish over for any bones and discard. Place each fish portion on a tray and sprinkle well with sea salt. Set aside for 10 minutes to draw out any excess water.
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Meanwhile, to make the fried potatoes, simmer the diced potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for about 7 minutes until barely tender. Drain, refresh in cold water, drain again and set aside to dry off.
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To cook the fish, wash and pat dry the fish with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.
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Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Place the fish fillets skin-side down into the pan and fry for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down and add a knob of butter and then continue to fry for another 2 minutes. Add the herbs and season with lemon zest, salt and pepper.
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To cook the fried potatoes, heat a dash of oil in a pan and then carefully add the potato cubes. Fry for 6 minutes until crispy and golden-brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper, season and keep warm.
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Meanwhile, to make the tartare sauce, put the egg yolk, mustard and white wine vinegar into a bowl and whisk for 1 minute to combine. Gradually add the olive oil, drop by drop to begin with, then in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is emulsified and thick. Season this mayonnaise with a little salt.
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When ready to serve the fish, finish the sauce. Add the cream to the mayonnaise, then slowly whisk in the hot fish stock until the sauce is thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon. Add the lettuce and peas to the sauce and tip into a pan to heat through for 1 minute. Finally add the diced gherkins, capers and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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To serve, heat a deep fat fryer to 180C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Deep fry the capers until crisp (they can also be shallow fried if preferred). Carefully remove from the fryer using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
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Spoon the tartare sauce into four warmed bowls, place the hake on top and arrange the potatoes around the edge. Garnish with the crispy capers and serve with the tartare sauce. Serve at once.
