Hake is a member of the cod family, a juicy and pliable fish that is easy to process and cook. Hake is boiled, stewed, but fried is the most delicious. Crisp or breading will preserve the flavor of the fish, and the marinade will give the meat the desired flavor.
How to cook hake correctly
Of course, you can cook delicious fish (including hake) by simply rolling it in flour and frying it in vegetable oil. But when cooking cod, which hake belongs to the family, there are some tricks. First, fish can only be thawed at room temperature. In no case should this be done in warm or hot water, because then all the beneficial substances will come out of the fish.
Secondly, it is necessary to fry the fish only in a well-heated frying pan in a sufficient amount of oil. In this case, the hake will get a beautiful golden crust and will not stick to the dishes.
Thirdly, note that hake fillets are somewhat thinner than fillets of other fish species, so it is important not to overexpose them in a pan, otherwise you will have to serve a dry dish.
To preserve the natural "juices", it is recommended to cook the fish in batter and marinate the fillets.
Hake recipe
Chefs offer a recipe for making hake using the following products: - 400 grams of hake fillet, - half a lemon, - 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, - ground black pepper and dried basil to taste.
For batter: - 3 eggs, - 2 tablespoons of flour, - 2 tablespoons of refined vegetable oil.
So, preparation: wash the hake fillets in warm, but not hot water, put on a napkin and cover with a second napkin on top (this way you will free the fish from excess moisture). Grate the fillet with lemon juice, soy sauce, pepper and basil, salt. In order for the finished dish to turn out more tasty and juicy, leave the fish to marinate for 40 minutes. During this time, prepare the batter.
Beat eggs, gradually add flour, add vegetable oil, salt and pepper a little. Next, pour the refined oil into the frying pan, while it heats up, dip the fish pieces into the batter. Fry the fish on both sides without covering the pan with the lid (otherwise the fish will rot and not be crispy).
How to fry hake
Remember the rule that hake fillets should not be fried for too long. Five minutes for each side should be sufficient. Use tongs to flip the slices over to avoid breaking them. The degree of doneness can be checked with a wooden stick, as if you were checking to see if your pie is baked. The finished fish has clear juice, so the removed stick should be wet but clean.
Place the finished fillet on a plate with herbs. Drizzle with lemon juice (here it is also important not to overdo it, otherwise the fish will taste too sour). One of the best side dishes for fish is boiled potatoes with herbs, but rice with vegetables is considered a classic.
