Roasted hake and grilled mussels with leek and onion sauce
saturday kitchen recipe

Roasted hake and grilled mussels with leek and onion sauce

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Preparation time
less than 30 mins.

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Cooking time
10 to 30 mins

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Serves
Serves 2

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By Andi Oliver
From Saturday Kitchen[row]

Ingredients

For the leek and onion sauce

  • 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 leeks, thinly sliced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp dry white wine
  • 500ml/18fl oz double cream

For the roasted hake

  • 2 hake fillets, skin on, pin boned
  • dash olive oil
  • 50g/1¾oz butter
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • salt

For the grilled mussels

  • 10 mussels, cleaned, beards removed
  • 150ml/5fl oz white wine
  • 30g/1oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 20g/¾oz panko breadcrumbs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the crispy leeks and oil

  • 1 leek, green and white parts separated, green part halved and white part julienned
  • 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. To make the leek and onion sauce, melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the olive oil and fry the leeks, onions and garlic over a very low heat, until soft and tender but not coloured. Add the wine and cook for a further minute, then add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 6–8 minutes then remove from the heat and keep warm.

  2. For the roasted hake, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Season the hake skin with salt and cook skin side down for 1 minute. Add the butter, garlic and thyme and transfer to the oven for 8–10 minutes.

  3. To make the mussels, tap any that are open on a hard surface and discard any that don’t close. Place the mussels in a lidded saucepan over a medium heat, pour in the wine, cover with a lid and cook for 3–4 minutes, giving the pan a shake from time to time. The mussels are cooked when they’ve opened up. Be sure to discard any that don’t open.

  4. Once cooled slightly, open the mussels, leaving the meat attached to the bottom shell but discarding the top. Lay the opened mussels on a tray that fits under the grill.

  5. Preheat the grill to high. Mix together the butter, garlic, chives, spring onions and breadcrumbs in a blender. Season with salt and pepper and dab some onto each mussel. Place under a hot grill, until bubbling, then remove.

  6. Blend the green parts of the leek in a food processor with the olive oil and set aside.

  7. Fill a deep-fat fryer or a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with the oil. Heat to 180C (a cube of bread should turn brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended. Fry the julienned leeks for 1–2 minutes, until crispy, and season with salt and pepper.

  8. To serve, place the hake onto serving plates and spoon the sauce over each one. Serve the mussels on the side, drizzled with the leek oil and sprinkled with the crispy leeks.