This dish is packed with pizzazz from big, bold flavours. Hake fillet is coated in Cajun spice, charred to smoky perfection, and surrounded by a lemony pea and coconut milk purée. With a warm side of saucy butter beans, garlic, roast cauliflower, and crème fraîche.
Taphuis Blackened Cajun Hake
Taphuis Blackened Cajun Hake
with rustic pea and coconut milk sauce & a butter bean and cauli jumble
Hands on Time: 25 - 40 minutes
Overall Time: 45 - 65 minutes
Ingredients:
- Butter Beans
- Cajun Spice
- Cauliflower Florets
- Coconut Milk
- Creme Fraiche
- Fish
- Fresh Basil
- Garlic Clove
- Garlic Cloves
- Lemon
- Lemons
- Line-caught Hake Fillet
- Line-caught Hake Fillets
- Peas
- Red Onion
- Red Onions
- Spinach
- Vegetable Stock
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Paper Towel
- Blender
- Butter
CHARRED CAULI
Boil the kettle. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread out the cauliflower pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and crisping up, shifting halfway. Dilute the stock with 50ml of boiling water and set aside.
PEA PURÉE
Set aside 25ml of peas. Place the rest in a pot with the coconut milk and ½ of the grated garlic. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in ¾ of the chopped basil, some lemon juice, and ½ of the zest to taste. Blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Cover with a lid and set aside. If it needs reheating before serving, place over a low heat and stir until warmed through.
GET SAUCY
When the cauli has 10 minutes to go, place a pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until soft. Mix in the remaining garlic and a knob of butter. Fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, shifting constantly. Stir in the diluted stock until combined. Allow to thicken for 2-3 minutes until the stock has almost evaporated.
ADD THE VEG
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the drained butter beans, reserved peas, and roast cauli. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the peas and beans are heated. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the remaining zest. Place in a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
SPINACH & HAKE
Wipe down the pan and return it to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the shredded spinach for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside for serving. Pat the hake dry with paper towel. Coat the flesh in Cajun spice and seasoning to taste, pressing it so it sticks. Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the hake skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Reduce the heat, add a knob of butter, and flip the hake. Fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from the pan.
INDULGE
Cover one side of the plate in pea purée. Top with the spinach and blackened hake. Plate the saucy veg on the side. Garnish with the remaining basil and any remaining lemon. Look at you go!
Cauliflower Florets - 150g
Vegetable Stock - 5ml
Peas - 125g
Coconut Milk - 100ml
Garlic Clove - 1
Fresh Basil - 5g
Lemon - 1
Red Onion - 1
Butter Beans - 60g
Crème Fraîche - 45ml
Spinach - 50g
Line-caught Hake Fillet - 1
Cajun Spice - 15ml
CHARRED CAULI
Boil the kettle. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread out the cauliflower pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and crisping up, shifting halfway. Dilute the stock with 100ml of boiling water and set aside.
PEA PURÉE
Set aside 50ml of peas. Place the rest in a pot with the coconut milk and ½ of the grated garlic. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in ¾ of the chopped basil, some lemon juice, and ½ of the zest to taste. Blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Cover with a lid and set aside. If it needs reheating before serving, place over a low heat and stir until warmed through
GET SAUCY
When the cauli has 10 minutes to go, place a pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Mix in the remaining garlic and a knob of butter. Fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, shifting constantly. Stir in the diluted stock until combined. Allow to thicken for 3-4 minutes until the stock has almost evaporated.
ADD THE VEG
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the drained butter beans, reserved peas, and roast cauli. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the peas and beans are heated. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the remaining zest. Place in a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
SPINACH & HAKE
Wipe down the pan and return it to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the shredded spinach for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside for serving. Pat the hake dry with paper towel. Coat the flesh in Cajun spice and seasoning to taste, pressing it so it sticks. Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the hake skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Reduce the heat, add a knob of butter, and flip the hake. Fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from the pan.
INDULGE
Cover one side of the plates in pea purée. Top with the spinach and blackened hake. Plate the saucy veg on the side. Garnish with the remaining basil and any remaining lemon. Look at you go!
Cauliflower Florets - 300g
Vegetable Stock - 10ml
Peas - 250g
Coconut Milk - 200ml
Garlic Cloves - 2
Fresh Basil - 10g
Lemon - 1
Red Onion - 1
Butter Beans - 120g
Crème Fraîche - 85ml
Spinach - 100g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 2
Cajun Spice - 30ml
CHARRED CAULI
Boil the kettle. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread out the cauliflower pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and crisping up, shifting halfway. Dilute the stock with 100ml of boiling water and set aside.
PEA PURÉE
Set aside 50ml of peas. Place the rest in a pot with the coconut milk and ½ of the grated garlic. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in ¾ of the chopped basil, some lemon juice, and ½ of the zest to taste. Blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Cover with a lid and set aside. If it needs reheating before serving, place over a low heat and stir until warmed through
GET SAUCY
When the cauli has 10 minutes to go, place a pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Mix in the remaining garlic and a knob of butter. Fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, shifting constantly. Stir in the diluted stock until combined. Allow to thicken for 3-4 minutes until the stock has almost evaporated.
ADD THE VEG
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the drained butter beans, reserved peas, and roast cauli. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the peas and beans are heated. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the remaining zest. Place in a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
SPINACH & HAKE
Wipe down the pan and return it to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the shredded spinach for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside for serving. Pat the hake dry with paper towel. Coat the flesh in Cajun spice and seasoning to taste, pressing it so it sticks. Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the hake skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Reduce the heat, add a knob of butter, and flip the hake. Fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from the pan.
INDULGE
Cover one side of the plates in pea purée. Top with the spinach and blackened hake. Plate the saucy veg on the side. Garnish with the remaining basil and any remaining lemon. Look at you go!
Cauliflower Florets - 300g
Vegetable Stock - 10ml
Peas - 250g
Coconut Milk - 200ml
Garlic Cloves - 2
Fresh Basil - 10g
Lemon - 1
Red Onion - 1
Butter Beans - 120g
Crème Fraîche - 85ml
Spinach - 100g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 2
Cajun Spice - 30ml
CHARRED CAULI
Boil the kettle. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread out the cauliflower pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and crisping up, shifting halfway. Dilute the stock with 200ml of boiling water and set aside.
PEA PURÉE
Set aside 100ml of peas. Place the rest in a pot with the coconut milk and ½ of the grated garlic. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5-6 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in ¾ of the chopped basil, some lemon juice, and ½ of the zest to taste. Blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Cover with a lid and set aside. If it needs reheating before serving, place over a low heat and stir until warmed through.
GET SAUCY
When the cauli has 15 minutes to go, place a large pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion for 4-5 minutes until soft. Mix in the remaining garlic and a knob of butter. Fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, shifting constantly. Stir in the diluted stock until combined. Allow to thicken for 5-6 minutes until the stock has almost evaporated.
ADD THE VEG
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the drained butter beans, reserved peas, and roast cauli. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the peas and beans are heated. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the remaining zest. Place in a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
SPINACH & HAKE
Wipe down the pan and return it to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the shredded spinach for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside for serving. Pat the hake dry with paper towel. Coat the flesh in Cajun spice and seasoning to taste, pressing it so it sticks. Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the hake skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Reduce the heat, add a knob of butter, and flip the hake. Fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from the pan.
INDULGE
Cover one side of the plates in pea purée. Top with the spinach and blackened hake. Plate the saucy veg on the side. Garnish with the remaining basil and any remaining lemon. Look at you go!
Cauliflower Florets - 600g
Vegetable Stock - 20ml
Peas - 500g
Coconut Milk - 400ml
Garlic Cloves - 4
Fresh Basil - 20g
Lemons - 2
Red Onions - 2
Butter Beans - 240g
Crème Fraîche - 190ml
Spinach - 200g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 4
Cajun Spice - 60ml