This warm, nourishing dish is inspired by the nostalgia of seaside holidays. I make it at home on colder days to remind me of the sea breeze, the comfort of family and friends, and the rich, diverse flavours of the Cape.
EPICE’S FRAGRANT HAKE
EPICE’S FRAGRANT HAKE
with creamy chowder, sautéed leeks & roast potatoes
Hands on Time: 20 - 30 minutes
Overall Time: 40 - 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- Baby Potatoes
- Baby Spinach
- Cashew Nut Pieces
- Corn On The Cob
- Curry Powder
- Fish
- Fish Stock Sachet
- Fish Stock Sachets
- Fresh Cream
- Fresh Parsley
- Hake Fillet
- Hake Fillets
- Leeks
- Lemon
- Lemons
- Pickled Ginger
- White Wine
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Paper Towel
- Butter (optional)
- Water
GOLDEN ROAST
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Spread out the halved baby potatoes on a roasting tray with the corn. Coat in oil and season. Pop in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until the baby potatoes are soft and golden and the corn is charred, shifting halfway.
PREP & TOAST THE CASHEWS
Dilute only half of the fish stock sachet with 200ml of boiling water. Set aside the remainder for another use. Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthways and rinse thoroughly. Roughly chop half of them into chunks and set aside. Finely slice the remainder, keeping them separate. Place the cashew pieces in a pot over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan on completion and set aside. Roughly chop when cool enough to handle.
CHOWDER
Return the pot to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil or knob of butter. When hot, sauté the finely sliced leeks for 2-3 minutes until soft (reserve the roughly chopped leeks for later). Add three-quarters of the curry powder to taste and fry for a minute until fragrant. Mix in the white wine, then simmer for a minute until absorbed. Stir through the cream and diluted stock. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened and reduced. When the corn is done, slice the kernels off the cob. In the final 5 minutes, add the corn kernels to the pot. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
BAKE THE HAKE
Pat the hake fillet dry with some paper towel and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Coat in oil, seasoning, and the remaining curry powder. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and perfectly flakey.
ZESTY SAUTÉ
Place a pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the remaining leeks for 3-4 minutes until lightly charred. Add the rinsed baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in some lemon juice and zest to taste. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
EPICE’S TABLE TO YOURS
Serve up some golden roast baby potatoes alongside the sautéed leeks and baby spinach. Cover with the creamy chowder and pop the hake fillet on the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, toasted cashews, and chopped, pickled ginger. Finish off with a lemon wedge on the side. Bon appétit, Chef!
Baby Potatoes - 250g
Corn On The Cob - 1
Fish Stock Sachet - 1
Leeks - 200g
Cashew Nut Pieces - 10g
Curry Powder - 10ml
White Wine - 50ml
Fresh Cream - 50ml
Hake Fillet - 1
Baby Spinach - 20g
Lemon - 1
Pickled Ginger - 20g
Fresh Parsley - 5g
GOLDEN ROAST
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Spread out the halved baby potatoes on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Place the corn on a separate roasting tray, lightly coat in oil, and season. Pop both trays in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until the baby potatoes are soft and golden and the corn is charred, shifting both halfway.
PREP & TOAST THE CASHEWS
Dilute the fish stock with 400ml of boiling water. Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthways and rinse thoroughly. Roughly chop half of them into chunks and set aside. Finely slice the remainder, keeping them separate. Place the cashew pieces in a pot over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan on completion and set aside. Roughly chop when cool enough to handle.
CHOWDER
Return the pot to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil or knob of butter. When hot, sauté the finely sliced leeks for 2-3 minutes until soft (reserve the roughly chopped leeks for later). Add three-quarters of the curry powder to taste and fry for a minute until fragrant. Mix in the white wine, then simmer for a minute until absorbed. Stir through the cream and diluted stock. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes until thickened and reduced. When the corn is done, slice the kernels off the cob. In the final 5 minutes, add the corn kernels to the pot. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
BAKE THE HAKE
Pat the hake fillets dry with some paper towel and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Coat in oil, seasoning, and the remaining curry powder. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and perfectly flakey.
ZESTY SAUTÉ
Place a pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the remaining leeks for 3-4 minutes until lightly charred. Add the rinsed baby spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Stir in some lemon juice and zest to taste. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
EPICE’S TABLE TO YOURS
Serve up some golden roast baby potatoes alongside the sautéed leeks and baby spinach. Cover with the creamy chowder and pop the hake fillet on the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, toasted cashews, and chopped, pickled ginger. Finish off with a lemon wedge on the side. Bon appétit, Chef!
Baby Potatoes - 500g
Corn On The Cob - 2
Fish Stock Sachet - 1
Leeks - 400g
Cashew Nut Pieces - 20g
Curry Powder - 20ml
White Wine - 100ml
Fresh Cream - 100ml
Hake Fillets - 2
Baby Spinach - 40g
Lemon - 1
Pickled Ginger - 40g
Fresh Parsley - 10g
GOLDEN ROAST
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Spread out the halved baby potatoes on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Place the corn on a separate roasting tray, lightly coat in oil, and season. Pop both trays in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until the baby potatoes are soft and golden and the corn is charred, shifting both halfway.
PREP & TOAST THE CASHEWS
Dilute the fish stock with 400ml of boiling water. Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthways and rinse thoroughly. Roughly chop half of them into chunks and set aside. Finely slice the remainder, keeping them separate. Place the cashew pieces in a pot over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan on completion and set aside. Roughly chop when cool enough to handle.
CHOWDER
Return the pot to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil or knob of butter. When hot, sauté the finely sliced leeks for 2-3 minutes until soft (reserve the roughly chopped leeks for later). Add three-quarters of the curry powder to taste and fry for a minute until fragrant. Mix in the white wine, then simmer for a minute until absorbed. Stir through the cream and diluted stock. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes until thickened and reduced. When the corn is done, slice the kernels off the cob. In the final 5 minutes, add the corn kernels to the pot. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
BAKE THE HAKE
Pat the hake fillets dry with some paper towel and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Coat in oil, seasoning, and the remaining curry powder. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and perfectly flakey.
ZESTY SAUTÉ
Place a pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the remaining leeks for 3-4 minutes until lightly charred. Add the rinsed baby spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Stir in some lemon juice and zest to taste. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
EPICE’S TABLE TO YOURS
Serve up some golden roast baby potatoes alongside the sautéed leeks and baby spinach. Cover with the creamy chowder and pop the hake fillet on the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, toasted cashews, and chopped, pickled ginger. Finish off with a lemon wedge on the side. Bon appétit, Chef!
Baby Potatoes - 500g
Corn On The Cob - 2
Fish Stock Sachet - 1
Leeks - 400g
Cashew Nut Pieces - 20g
Curry Powder - 20ml
White Wine - 100ml
Fresh Cream - 100ml
Hake Fillets - 2
Baby Spinach - 40g
Lemon - 1
Pickled Ginger - 40g
Fresh Parsley - 10g
GOLDEN ROAST
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Spread out the halved baby potatoes on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Place the corn on a separate roasting tray, lightly coat in oil, and season. Pop both trays in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes until the baby potatoes are soft and golden and the corn is charred, shifting both halfway.
PREP & TOAST THE CASHEWS
Dilute the fish stock with 800ml of boiling water. Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthways and rinse thoroughly. Roughly chop half of them into chunks and set aside. Finely slice the remainder, keeping them separate. Place the cashew pieces in a pot over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan on completion and set aside. Roughly chop when cool enough to handle.
CHOWDER
Return the pot to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil or knob of butter. When hot, sauté the finely sliced leeks for 3-4 minutes until soft (reserve the roughly chopped leeks for later). Add three-quarters of the curry powder to taste and fry for a minute until fragrant. Mix in the white wine, then simmer for a minute until absorbed. Stir through the cream and diluted stock. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 12-15 minutes until thickened and reduced. When the corn is done, slice the kernels off the cob. In the final 5 minutes, add the corn kernels to the pot. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
BAKE THE HAKE
Pat the hake fillets dry with some paper towel and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Coat in oil, seasoning, and the remaining curry powder. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and perfectly flakey.
ZESTY SAUTÉ
Place a pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the remaining leeks for 5-6 minutes until lightly charred. Add the rinsed baby spinach and cook for 4-5 minutes until wilted. Stir in some lemon juice and zest to taste. On completion, season to taste and remove from the heat.
EPICE’S TABLE TO YOURS
Serve up some golden roast baby potatoes alongside the sautéed leeks and baby spinach. Cover with the creamy chowder and pop the hake fillet on the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, toasted cashew, and chopped, pickled ginger. Finish off with a lemon wedge on the side. Bon appétit, Chef!
Baby Potatoes - 1kg
Corn On The Cob - 4
Fish Stock Sachets - 2
Leeks - 800g
Cashew Nut Pieces - 40g
Curry Powder - 40ml
Fresh Cream - 200ml
White Wine - 200ml
Hake Fillets - 4
Baby Spinach - 80g
Lemons - 2
Pickled Ginger - 80g
Fresh Parsley - 20g