Merluza en Salsa Verde (hake in green sauce)

Name: Merluza en Salsa Verde (hake in green sauce)
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Basque
Ingredients: 4 Hake Loins, skin-on; 150g Fresh Clams (Almejas), purged; 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 4 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced; 1 bunch of Fresh Parsley, very finely chopped; 1 tbsp Plain Flour; 150ml Dry White Wine; 250ml Fish Stock, hot; 8 spears of Jarred White Asparagus Spears, drained

This classic Merluza en Salsa Verde showcases tender hake loins bathed in a bright, garlicky parsley sauce with briny clams and silky white asparagus. The fish is lightly floured and seared to hold its shape, then gently poached in a fragrant wine-and-fish-stock broth until everything melds into a comforting, restaurant-worthy stew.

This classic Merluza en Salsa Verde showcases tender hake loins bathed in a bright, garlicky parsley sauce with briny clams and si... Show more

es-pv Traditional Basque Recipe

Health Grade

S · Outstanding

Rating

4.2

Time

35 min

Price

2,27 €

Calories

378 kcal

low calorie

healthy

nutritious

one pot

Method

Prep the ingredients

Pat the skin-on hake loins dry with paper towel and set them aside. Give the fresh clams a quick rinse in cold water, then drain them well and discard any cracked shells or any that stay open when tapped. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, finely chop the fresh parsley, and drain the jarred white asparagus spears thoroughly so they are ready for the finish.

Build the sauce

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and just starting to turn pale gold; don't let it brown. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring it into the oil so it forms a smooth paste. Pour in the dry white wine and the hot fish stock, whisking as you add the liquid so the sauce stays lump-free, then stir in the parsley and simmer for 5 minutes until silky and lightly thickened.

Simmer the fish

Slip the hake into the sauce, spooning a little over the top so it cooks evenly. Add the clams around the fish, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 6 minutes until the hake flakes easily and the clams open. Discard any clams that stay closed, and avoid stirring so the loins stay intact.

Plate and finish

Transfer the hake to plates, spoon over plenty of sauce and clams, and arrange the asparagus spears alongside or on top. Serve right away while the sauce is glossy and the fish is at its juiciest.