William Gleave’s Recipes For Catalan Fish Salad And Fried Salted Hake

6 hours ago

Salted fish, and salted hake successful particular, reminds maine of holidays. It’s very celebrated successful confederate Europe, wherever location are hundreds of recipes to take from. The salting draws retired immoderate of nan h2o and improves nan fish’s flavour and texture, and it’s a method that pre-dates refrigeration, erstwhile brackish was utilized to sphere food. Esqueixada is simply a Catalan crockery of sorts that’s fresh, cooling and utterly delicious. The fried hake, meanwhile, is simply a small heavier, but addictive and cleanable for sharing pinch a acold aperitif. Both are regulars connected our summertime menu, and we often flip betwixt nan two.

Esqueixada (pictured top)

Prep 15 min
Cure 30 min
Chill 2 hr+
Cook 15 min
Serves 4

For nan salted hake
2 heavy hake fillets (about 200g each), pin-boned
50g coarse oversea salt

For nan esqueixada
2 salted hake fillets (see supra and method)
2 very ripe ample tomatoes, coarsely grated to a pulp and skins discarded
2 tbsp extra-virgin oliva oil, positive a small other to finish
2 tsp top-quality white-wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp achromatic olives, pitted
1 tbsp salted capers, good rinsed
2 mini crockery onions, tropea ideally, though outpouring bulb whites will do, peeled if request be, trimmed and finely sliced

To make nan salted hake, laic nan food successful a crockery aliases tray ample capable to clasp nan fillets broadside by broadside without overlapping. Sprinkle evenly pinch nan salt, move to overgarment connected each sides, past screen pinch clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Wash nan brackish disconnected nan fish, pat barren connected room insubstantial and return to nan fridge to chill and patient up for astatine slightest 2 hours, and ideally overnight.

Bring a ample cookware of salted h2o to a gentle simmer, past driblet successful nan salted hake fillets, making judge they are submerged. Take nan cookware disconnected nan power and time off nan food to poach successful nan residual power for six to 8 minutes, until nan hake turns opaque and flakes easily. Transfer nan food to a sheet and time off to cool astatine room temperature.

Gently flake nan hake into a ample vessel and adhd nan herb pulp, oliva oil, vinegar, parsley and a mini pinch of salt. Fold gently, taking attraction not to break up nan earthy flakes of nan fish, past sensation and, if request be, set pinch much vinegar and a small brackish to taste.

Spoon nan crockery into 4 shallow bowls, garnish pinch nan olives, capers and sliced onion, decorativeness pinch a small extra-virgin oliva lipid and serve.

Fried salted hake pinch aïoli

William Gleave’s fried salted hake pinch aïoli.

Prep 10 min
Cure 30 min
Chill 2 hr+
Cook 15 min
Serves 4 arsenic a snack

For nan aïoli
1 ail clove, peeled and grated
2 ovum yolks
30g dijon mustard
30ml white-wine vinegar
½ tsp good salt
200ml sunflower oil
50ml extra-virgin oliva oil
5ml citrus juice

For nan fried fish
125g plain flour, positive a small other for coating nan hake
250ml sparkling mineral water
750ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying
2 salted hake fillets (see look above), each trim into 4 pieces
Salt, to taste
1 lemon, trim into wedges

First make nan aïoli. Put nan grated garlic, ovum yolks, mustard, vinegar and brackish successful a bowl, past whisk to combine. Now comes nan important part: whisking continuously, very slow commencement dribbling successful nan sunflower and oliva oils successful a very thin, dependable watercourse until nan substance thickens and emulsifies. Once each nan lipid has been incorporated, adhd nan citrus juice and whisk again. Cover and shop successful nan fridge until needed; nan aïoli will support for 3 days.

Now for nan batter. In a ample bowl, whisk nan flour and sparkling h2o until good combined.

Pour nan sunflower lipid into a deep-sided frying cookware and power to 175C (if you don’t person a probe, driblet successful a small blob of batter: it should sizzle and bubble, not pain and smoke). Coat nan salted hake pieces successful a ray dusting of flour, past driblet into nan batter. Working successful 2 batches, assistance half nan hake pieces retired of nan batter, fto immoderate excess batter drip backmost into nan bowl, past cautiously driblet nan food into nan basking lipid and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until aureate brownish and crisp. Lift retired pinch a slotted spoon aliases spider, transportation to a sheet lined pinch room insubstantial (or a rack) to drain, past repetition pinch nan remainder of nan battered hake.

Very lightly play nan fried food pinch salt, past service pinch nan aïoli, citrus wedges and a acold brew aliases vermouth.