Preheat the oven to 180 ºC and line a baking tray with foil.
To prepare the fish, use a sharp knife and score the skin of baby hakes. Carefully slit along the belly to open up, taking care that you don’t cut all the way through.
Mix the chopped herbs together; take a half moon of lemon and dab each side into the herb mix to coat, then place into the belly cavity of the baby hake. Use 3-4 pieces of herby lemon per fish, overlapping them slightly.
In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, chutney and garlic together.
Place the stuffed fish onto the baking tray. Spread the chutney butter generously on the outside of the hake and season with salt and black pepper.
Place the tray into the oven for 15-20 minutes to cook. Re-baste once with the remaining chutney butter during the cooking time. Cook until the fish is firm but still moist, the sugar in the chutney will caramelise and char the skin. Tip: for more caramelisation, change the oven to the grill setting for the last 2-3 minutes of cook time.
Remove from the oven and serve with your favourite side like potato wedges or a green salad.