Merluza en Salsa Verde
Hake in green sauce is a cornerstone of Basque cooking, its emulsion of olive oil, garlic and parsley built by gently shaking the pan rather than stirring. Delicate and elegant, it often gains clams, peas or asparagus to make a whole meal.
Approximate, per 1 hake portion (~250g). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Ingredients
- ·4 thick hake steaks or loin pieces (about 180 g each)
- ·12 clams, purged in salted water
- ·4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ·1 tablespoon plain flour
- ·A large handful of parsley, finely chopped
- ·300 ml fish stock
- ·100 ml white wine
- ·100 g peas (optional)
- ·80 ml olive oil
- ·Salt
Method
- 1
Season the hake lightly with salt and let it sit while you start the sauce; pat it dry just before cooking.
- 2
Warm the olive oil gently in a wide, shallow pan and soften the garlic over low heat until fragrant but not coloured.
- 3
Stir in the flour and cook for a minute to lose its raw taste, then add most of the parsley.
- 4
Pour in the white wine and let it reduce briefly, then add the fish stock and swirl the pan to begin forming a light, silky sauce.
- 5
Lay the hake in the pan, add the clams and peas, and cook over low heat, constantly shaking the pan in a circular motion so the sauce emulsifies and thickens around the fish.
- 6
After about 5 minutes, turn the hake carefully and cook for a few minutes more until it is just opaque and the clams have opened.
- 7
Taste the sauce for salt, scatter over the remaining parsley, and discard any clams that stayed shut.
- 8
Serve straight from the pan, spooning the green sauce generously over each piece, with bread alongside.