HAKE FACTS 101

Best way to cook

Nutritional value: High in protein

Pan-frying You can choose to fry your fish as is or cover it in flour or breadcrumbs. Using the extra coating will give your fish more texture and body. If you’re going to dip it in flour, soak the fish in a bowl of milk for 3 to 5 minutes, before covering it in flour or breadcrumbs. This will help the coating stick to the fish.

Get your pan ready for frying by pouring a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into it. You can also use clarified butter which will taste great on the fish. Heat the pan until the oil slides around easily. You can splatter a few drops of water in the pan – if the water sizzles, it’s ready for your fish. Place the fish flesh side down in the pan – the side you’ll be presenting to your diner (the non-skin side).

  Once your fish is in the pan, slide a spatula gently underneath to prevent it from sticking. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on one side and then flip it. Fish usually cooks for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use a wide spatula to prevent breaking the fish. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the flesh turns pearly white and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully lift it out of the pan and serve immediately.

Grilling Grilling fish gives you a great advantage as you have complete control over the temperature. Always coat your fish with oil or fat to prevent sticking. As you’re heating your grill, cover the grate loosely with aluminium foil. The intense heat will cause any residue to dissolve, starting the cleaning process for you. This also minimizes sticking.

  Blast the heat to 288°C. Remove the aluminium foil. Using a grill brush, scrape the grate clean. Fold a few sheets of paper towels into a small pad, dip them in oil using tongs and rub over the bars of the grate until it looks glossy.   Choose fillets that are thick and sturdy for grilling and can stand up to the intense heat of a live fire. Cut your fish into portions that have an even thickness to ensure you don’t have any dry or undercooked parts.

Coat your fish with some olive oil, salt and pepper and place it skin-side down and diagonally on the grill.   This makes it easier to flip the fish as it’s lying on an angle. The fish will take 8 minutes to cook through per inch of thickness, taking about 3-5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the grill and let it cook. When cooked properly, the meat will be firm to the touch, flake easily with a fork and appear opaque all the way through.

Best way to cook

Nutritional value: High in calcium

Pan-frying

You can choose to fry your fish as is or cover it in flour or breadcrumbs. Using the extra coating will give your fish more texture and body. If you’re going to dip it in flour, soak the fish in a bowl of milk for 3 to 5 minutes, before covering it in flour or breadcrumbs. This will help the coating stick to the fish.

Get your pan ready for frying by pouring a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into it. You can also use clarified butter which will taste great on the fish. Heat the pan until the oil slides around easily. You can splatter a few drops of water in the pan – if the water sizzles, it’s ready for your fish. Place the fish flesh side down in the pan – the side you’ll be presenting to your diner (the non-skin side).

Once your fish is in the pan, slide a spatula gently underneath to prevent it from sticking. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on one side and then flip it. Fish usually cooks for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use a wide spatula to prevent breaking the fish. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the flesh turns pearly white and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully lift it out of the pan and serve immediately.

Oven baking

Baking fish in the oven enables you to control the cooking temperature and limit how much you handle the fish, preventing it from overcooking or falling apart.

Season fillets with pepper, dip in egg and coat in bread crumbs. Preheat the oven to 275°C and line a baking tray (glass or metal) with aluminium foil. Brush with olive oil. Arrange the individual fish fillets on the baking tray in a single layer. Don’t allow the fish fillets to overlap one another. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily, basting frequently with butter.

Best way to cook

Nutritional value: High in protein

Pan-frying

You can choose to fry your fish as is or cover it in flour or breadcrumbs. Using the extra coating will give your fish more texture and body. If you’re going to dip it in flour, soak the fish in a bowl of milk for 3 to 5 minutes, before covering it in flour or breadcrumbs. This will help the coating stick to the fish.

Get your pan ready for frying by pouring a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into it. You can also use clarified butter which will taste great on the fish. Heat the pan until the oil slides around easily. You can splatter a few drops of water in the pan – if the water sizzles, it’s ready for your fish. Place the fish flesh side down in the pan – the side you’ll be presenting to your diner (the non-skin side).

Once your fish is in the pan, slide a spatula gently underneath to prevent it from sticking. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on one side and then flip it. Fish usually cooks for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use a wide spatula to prevent breaking the fish. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the flesh turns pearly white and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully lift it out of the pan and serve immediately.

Grilling
Grilling fish gives you a great advantage as you have complete control over the temperature. Always coat your fish with oil or fat to prevent sticking. As you’re heating your grill, cover the grate loosely with aluminium foil. The intense heat will cause any residue to dissolve, starting the cleaning process for you. This also minimizes sticking.

Blast the heat to 288°C. Remove the aluminium foil. Using a grill brush, scrape the grate clean. Fold a few sheets of paper towels into a small pad, dip them in oil using tongs and rub over the bars of the grate until it looks glossy.

Choose fillets that are thick and sturdy for grilling and can stand up to the intense heat of a live fire. Cut your fish into portions that have an even thickness to ensure you don’t have any dry or undercooked parts. Coat your fish with some olive oil, salt and pepper and place it skin-side down and diagonally on the grill.

This makes it easier to flip the fish as it’s lying on an angle. The fish will take 8 minutes to cook through per inch of thickness, taking about 3-5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the grill and let it cook. When cooked properly, the meat will be firm to the touch, flake easily with a fork and appear opaque all the way through.

Best way to cook

Nutritional value: High in protein

Pan-frying You can choose to fry your fish as is or cover it in flour or breadcrumbs. Using the extra coating will give your fish more texture and body. If you’re going to dip it in flour, soak the fish in a bowl of milk for 3 to 5 minutes, before covering it in flour or breadcrumbs. This will help the coating stick to the fish. Get your pan ready for frying by pouring a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into it. You can also use clarified butter which will taste great on the fish. Heat the pan until the oil slides around easily. You can splatter a few drops of water in the pan – if the water sizzles, it’s ready for your fish. Place the fish flesh side down in the pan – the side you’ll be presenting to your diner (the non-skin side).

Once your fish is in the pan, slide a spatula gently underneath to prevent it from sticking. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on one side and then flip it. Fish usually cooks for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Use a wide spatula to prevent breaking the fish. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the flesh turns pearly white and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully lift it out of the pan and serve immediately.

Best way to cook

Nutritional value: High in omega 3 and vitamin B12

Grilling

Grilling fish gives you a great advantage as you have complete control over the temperature. Always coat your fish with oil or fat to prevent sticking. As you’re heating your grill, cover the grate loosely with aluminium foil. The intense heat will cause any residue to dissolve, starting the cleaning process for you. This also minimizes sticking.

Blast the heat to 288°C. Remove the aluminium foil. Using a grill brush, scrape the grate clean. Fold a few sheets of paper towels into a small pad, dip them in oil using tongs and rub over the bars of the grate until it looks glossy.

Choose fillets that are thick and sturdy for grilling and can stand up to the intense heat of a live fire. Cut your fish into portions that have an even thickness to ensure you don’t have any dry or undercooked parts. Coat your fish with some olive oil, salt and pepper and place it skin-side down and diagonally on the grill.

This makes it easier to flip the fish as it’s lying on an angle. The fish will take 8 minutes to cook through per inch of thickness, taking about 3-5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the grill and let it cook. When cooked properly, the meat will be firm to the touch, flake easily with a fork and appear opaque all the way through.

Searing

Take your fish fillets out 20 minutes before cooking and salt the meat side of the fish.
Set a cast-iron or steel pan over high-heat until it is roaring hot. Pour the oil into the centre of the hot pan and swirl to coat it. If it starts to smoke, take the pan off the heat until it stops.

Place the fish fillets skin side down. If there’s no skin on the fish, lay it down on the side the skin used to be on. When the fillets hit the pan, jiggle them so the fish doesn’t stick. Salt the meat side of the fish and turn the heat down to medium.

By using a metal spatula, press down on each fillet for 30 to 60 seconds. After, don’t touch the fish and let it cook undisturbed for at least a minute. The key is to let 2/3 of the cooking occur on the skin side. This is what crisps the skin. The thicker the fillet, the longer the cooking time should be and the lower the heat.

If you’re cooking thin fillets, these might never need to be turned. Simply cook the exposed side of the fish by spooning the hot oil until the meat turns opaque. For thicker cuts, you’ll notice the cooked portion climb up the side. When you see this, it’s time to turn the fish.

A good test is to also shake the pan and if the fillet moves then you can flip it. If the fish is stuck to the pan, let it keep cooking. It will release when the sear is perfect. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and swirl so it quickly melts, tipping the pan to base the fish. Serve at once.