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Merluza en salsa verde
Merluza en salsa verde: Basque hake with clams in a garlic and parsley sauce
Bilbao families have cooked merluza en salsa verde in a shallow clay cazuela for generations, and it still turns up at Sunday lunch and on Christmas Eve. The sauce is just olive oil, garlic, parsley and the fish's own juices, thickened by gently shaking the dish so the gelatine from the hake binds it, much like a pil-pil. Clams open on top at the end. A common mistake is stirring with a spoon, which breaks the fish; swirl the dish instead. Chef's tip: keep the heat low once the hake goes in, because the sauce only comes together when it barely simmers.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Check the 10 ½ oz live clams: throw away any with cracked shells and any open ones that don't close when tapped. Rinse well.
3 minStep 2: Season the 1 ¾ lb hake steaks or loins, skin on with 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes while you start the sauce.
2 minStep 3: Warm ½ cup olive oil in a wide clay or heavy pan over a low heat. Add 4 cloves garlic (and the chilli, if using) and cook for 2 minutes until it is fragrant and just turning golden; don't let it brown or it turns bitter.
2 minStep 4: Sprinkle in 1 tbsp plain flour and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the 1 cup fish stock (or water) little by little, swirling the pan, until you have a light, smooth sauce.
3 minStep 5: Add the hake skin side up with half the 2 tbsp parsley. Cook on a low heat for 4 minutes, shaking the pan in small circles all the time so the sauce turns thick and glossy.
4 minStep 6: Turn the hake over, add the clams, cover and cook for 3–4 minutes more, still shaking, until the clams open and the fish is opaque and flakes at the centre. Throw away any clams that stay shut.
4 minStep 7: Scatter over the rest of the 2 tbsp parsley and serve straight from the pan.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does merluza en salsa verde take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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