Hake has become an exceedingly popular fish on this island over the 2-3 years. Personally, it is one of my favourite types of fish, and today we are going to show you an excellent recipe using a excellent quality piece of fish from Kirwans Fish Shop in Drogheda. The Kirwan family sold fish from a stall just across from the present shop, hence the name ‘Kirwan’s Fish Cart’; now operated by Patrick Kirwan, it offers a wide range of fresh whitefish and shellfish, mainly sourced directly from the local trawlers in Clogherhead. Any time I walk by there is always a que to get into the store and with the quality of fish they have on display you can see why. In this recipe we are going to cook this beautiful hake in the oven with some simple Italian flavours and I can assure you, they will be going back for a second helping.
Ingredients
- 4x175g (6oz) hake fillets, skin on and pin bones removed
- 12 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Small handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
- 120g (41/2oz) ball of buffalo mozzarella, sliced
- 2 tblsp basil pesto (shop-bought or homemade)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lightly dressed green salad, to serve
- Buttered baby boiled potatoes tossed in snipped fresh chives, to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
- Place the hake on a baking sheet, skin side down, and season the flesh.
- Arrange the tomato slices on top and tuck in the basil leaves.
- Cover with the mozzarella and drizzle over the pesto.
- Place the hake in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the hake is cooked through and the mozzarella is bubbling and lightly golden.
Transfer the hake with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella to warmed plates and have bowls of green salad and buttered baby boiled potatoes to hand around separately.
Easy Cooking 