Phenomenal Flavours and Foods to Include in Your Hake Fish Recipes
Seafood is tricky if you have never before prepared it from scratch. Overcooking it, seasoning it wrong, or using overpowering stocks and sauces that drown out its sea-fresh flavour are common mistakes at-home cooks make. Here at Sea Harvest, we believe that putting the fun back into each mealtime is not just about tasty food – but tasty food that is simple to prepare. Our line of scrumptious hake fish products makes this possible and are easily incorporated into healthy recipes that your entire family will love. If you are exploring seafood and how best to impress with delightful flavour fusions, our guide below will certainly help you out.
The Culinary Profile of Hake Fish
Not all seafood is the same, and each kind of meat is going to require different handling. Hake is a great “beginner” fish for anyone learning how to prepare seafood as it is such a versatile main ingredient in the dishes in which it stars. Various species do have slightly different tastes and textures, but it is beloved for its mild and subtly sweet meat. The off-white flesh is soft but firm and has a smaller flake than Cod. It can be fried (plain or in a delicious batter), sautéed, baked, grilled, and even steamed.
Foods and Side Dishes
When searching for fish recipes online, you will find vast catalogues of ideas. This is because hake is an ideal protein in how well it works in dishes of all kinds. You’ll often see it battered, deep-fried, and sold with a plate of golden, authentically South African “slap” chips. Potatoes pair well with fish across the board, and dishes such as creamy, cheesy potato bakes and mashed potatoes with chives are great additions to a pan-sizzled fillet or medallion. If you would like a lighter option, as is often the case for a lunch or summer-evening supper, then a side of aromatic, roasted vegetables or crunchy, vibrant salad is perfect.
Other recipes include pasta, which is another favourite for seafood. From a tomato-based spaghetti dish to an appetising seafood lasagne, pasta and fish make for good friends. Other starchy foods like rice, quinoa, and couscous spiced the right way are great in hake fish recipes too, and usually include complimentary flavours such as turmeric, lemon, and garlic.
The Best Herbs to Use
Speaking of complementary flavours, some herbs just bring out the best in most hake fish recipes. Not only do they add a level of depth to the dish, but they help to pronounce the mild and sweet flavour of the hake. Chives are a favourite, as they carry both an onion and garlic aroma to them. Fresh parsley as a garnish is superb for lemon and garlic sauces, as is dill and fennel. Dill is especially good at bringing out the sweeter hints in hake. Tarragon, with its liquorice-like flavour, adds some warmth when incorporated into a crumbed coating or batter.
The Right Sauce Makes All the Difference
Often, it is thought that hake is an ideal protein because it takes on the flavour of whatever sauce is prepared along with it. Seafood recipes, however, should not mask the flavour of the fish, but rather enhance it and boast its best traits. This is entirely possible, even with a mild species like hake, and it’s all about finding the right balance.
One can never go wrong with a fresh fillet drenched in a rich lemon-butter-garlic sauce, but there are other sauces with which hake, in particular, pairs well. Hollandaise sauce, a fragrant white wine and herb sauce, and even a creamy mushroom sauce, all add richness to any meal. Slightly tangy flavours such as citrus are exceptional at bringing out the sweetness in hake, and you can even experiment with stronger flavours like ginger, chilli, smoky paprika, and soy sauce. Lastly, we cannot forget good old-fashioned tomato sauce into which kids love dipping their crumbed fish fingers.
If you still find yourself stuck for ideas, then why not pay our recipes blog a visit? From fish cake recipes to curries and salads, you will find easy ways of preparing seafood using our high-quality, delicious products. For more ideas on scrumptious meals, simply click here and find some inspired dishes your family is sure to love.
Sources:
- Hake flavour profile: https://www.chefs-resources.com/seafood/finfish/what-is-hake-fish/
- Foods that go with fish: https://cfishct.com/blog/5-best-side-dishes-serve-fish/
- Herbs that go with fish: https://thehealthyfish.com/fresh-herbs-spices-flavor-fish/
- Sauces: https://www.thespruceeats.com/sauce-recipes-for-fish-and-seafood-996122
