Using fresh herbs in your dishes is not only a great way to enhance flavour, but also to add that ‘je ne sais quoi’, Chef! It starts with a mint-infused pea purée, topped with crispy-skin hake fillet. Drizzled over is a creamy white wine sauce and a side of golden butternut half-moons. Garnished with fresh mint and toasted almonds.
Paul Cluver’s Hake & White Wine Sauce
Paul Cluver’s Hake & White Wine Sauce
with minty pea purée
Hands on Time: 20 - 40 minutes
Overall Time: 40 - 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- Almonds
- Butternut
- Capers
- Fish
- Fresh Cream
- Fresh Mint
- Garlic Clove
- Garlic Cloves
- Line-caught Hake Fillet
- Line-caught Hake Fillets
- Onion
- Onions
- Peas
- White Wine
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Milk
- Blender (optional)
- Paper Towel
- Butter
BEGIN WITH THE BUTTERNUT
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the butternut half-moons on a roasting tray. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until golden, 25-30 minutes (shifting halfway).
GOLDEN ALMONDS
Place the chopped almonds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
CAPER & CREAM SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the sliced onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the wine and simmer until almost all evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Mix through the chopped capers and remove from the heat. Pour in the cream and simmer until slightly thickening, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and season. Reheat over a low heat before serving.
PEA & MINT PUREE
Return the pan, wiped down, to medium heat with a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the grated garlic and the peas until fragrant, 2-3 minutes (shifting constantly). Pour in 2 tbsp of milk and remove from the heat. Place the pea mixture in a blender with ½ the chopped mint and seasoning. Pulse into a smooth purée. (Alternatively, If you don't own a blender, make a rustic pea purée. After frying the peas and garlic, simply mash the peas with a potato masher or a fork, pour in the milk and mix until combined.) Add water in 10ml increments if it’s too thick for your liking. Set aside.
CRISPY HAKE
Place a clean pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the hake dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the hake, skin-side down, until crispy, 3-4 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and season.
SEAFOOD SENSATION
Spread the pea purée out on the plate and top with the golden hake. Drizzle over the white wine sauce and serve the butternut half-moons alongside. Garnish with the toasted nuts and the remaining mint.
Butternut - 250g
Almonds - 5g
Onion - 1
White Wine - 30ml
Capers - 10g
Fresh Cream - 50ml
Garlic Clove - 1
Peas - 100g
Fresh Mint - 3g
Line-caught Hake Fillet - 1
BEGIN WITH THE BUTTERNUT
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the butternut half-moons on a roasting tray. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until golden, 25-30 minutes (shifting halfway).
GOLDEN ALMONDS
Place the chopped almonds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
CAPER & CREAM SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the sliced onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the wine and simmer until almost all evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Mix through the chopped capers and remove from the heat. Pour in the cream and simmer until slightly thickening, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and season. Reheat over a low heat before serving.
PEA & MINT PUREE
Return the pan, wiped down, to medium heat with a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the grated garlic and the peas until fragrant, 2-3 minutes (shifting constantly). Pour in 4 tbsp of milk and remove from the heat. Place the pea mixture in a blender with ½ the chopped mint and seasoning. Pulse into a smooth purée. (Alternatively, If you don't own a blender, make a rustic pea purée. After frying the peas and garlic, simply mash the peas with a potato masher or a fork, pour in the milk and mix until combined.) Add water in 10ml increments if it’s too thick for your liking. Set aside.
CRISPY HAKE
Place a clean pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the hake dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the hake, skin-side down, until crispy, 3-4 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and season.
SEAFOOD SENSATION
Spread the pea purée out on the plate and top with the golden hake. Drizzle over the white wine sauce and serve the butternut half-moons alongside. Garnish with the toasted nuts and the remaining mint.
Butternut - 500g
Almonds - 10g
Onion - 1
White Wine - 60ml
Capers - 20g
Fresh Cream - 100ml
Garlic Clove - 1
Peas - 200g
Fresh Mint - 5g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 2
BEGIN WITH THE BUTTERNUT
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the butternut half-moons on a roasting tray. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until golden, 30-35 minutes (shifting halfway).
GOLDEN ALMONDS
Place the chopped almonds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
CAPER & CREAM SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the sliced onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the wine and simmer until almost all evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Mix through the chopped capers and remove from the heat. Pour in the cream and simmer until slightly thickening, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and season. Reheat over a low heat before serving.
PEA & MINT PUREE
Return the pan, wiped down, to medium heat with a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the grated garlic and the peas until fragrant, 2-3 minutes (shifting constantly). Pour in 6 tbsp of milk and remove from the heat. Place the pea mixture in a blender with ½ the chopped mint and seasoning. Pulse into a smooth purée. (Alternatively, If you don't own a blender, make a rustic pea purée. After frying the peas and garlic, simply mash the peas with a potato masher or a fork, pour in the milk and mix until combined.) Add water in 10ml increments if it’s too thick for your liking. Set aside.
CRISPY HAKE
Place a clean pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the hake dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the hake, skin-side down, until crispy, 3-4 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and season.
SEAFOOD SENSATION
Spread the pea purée out on the plate and top with the golden hake. Drizzle over the white wine sauce and serve the butternut half-moons alongside. Garnish with the toasted nuts and the remaining mint.
Butternut - 750g
Almonds - 15g
Onions - 2
White Wine - 90ml
Capers - 30g
Fresh Cream - 150ml
Garlic Cloves - 2
Peas - 300g
Fresh Mint - 8g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 3
BEGIN WITH THE BUTTERNUT
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the butternut half-moons on a roasting tray. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until golden, 30-35 minutes (shifting halfway).
GOLDEN ALMONDS
Place the chopped almonds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
CAPER & CREAM SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the sliced onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the wine and simmer until almost all evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Mix through the chopped capers and remove from the heat. Pour in the cream and simmer until slightly thickening, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and season. Reheat over a low heat before serving.
PEA & MINT PUREE
Return the pan, wiped down, to medium heat with a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the grated garlic and the peas until fragrant, 2-3 minutes (shifting constantly). Pour in 8 tbsp of milk and remove from the heat. Place the pea mixture in a blender with ½ the chopped mint and seasoning. Pulse into a smooth purée. (Alternatively, If you don't own a blender, make a rustic pea purée. After frying the peas and garlic, simply mash the peas with a potato masher or a fork, pour in the milk and mix until combined.) Add water in 10ml increments if it’s too thick for your liking. Set aside.
CRISPY HAKE
Place a clean pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the hake dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the hake, skin-side down, until crispy, 3-4 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and season.
SEAFOOD SENSATION
Spread the pea purée out on the plate and top with the golden hake. Drizzle over the white wine sauce and serve the butternut half-moons alongside. Garnish with the toasted nuts and the remaining mint.
Butternut - 1kg
Almonds - 20g
Onions - 2
White Wine - 125ml
Capers - 40g
Fresh Cream - 200ml
Garlic Cloves - 2
Peas - 400g
Fresh Mint - 10g
Line-caught Hake Fillets - 4