Go Back
Poached hake fillet on a white plate with boiled potatoes, green beans, parsley, and glossy lemon oil

Nasello in Bianco: Poached White Hake with Lemon Oil

Poached white hake with boiled potatoes and green beans, dressed with lemon and olive oil. Serves 4 in 32 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Secondo
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 284
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Poaching broth
  • 1.4 l water
  • 100 ml dry white wine
  • 1 carrot small (80 g); sliced
  • 1 celery stalk sliced
  • 1/2 yellow onion small (60 g); sliced
  • 1/2 lemon sliced, plus the other half juiced for the dressing
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 6 flat-leaf parsley stems
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
Fish
  • 4 skinless white hake fillets (about 170 g each); pin bones removed, about 2 cm thick
Potatoes and beans
  • 500 g Yukon Gold potatoes peeled, cut into 3 cm chunks
  • 250 g green beans trimmed
  • 1 tbsp coarse salt for the potato water
Lemon oil dressing
  • 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil (4 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice from the remaining lemon half
  • 3 tbsp warm poaching broth
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers rinsed and chopped, optional
  • flaky sea salt to finish

Method
 

  1. Combine the water, wine, carrot, celery, onion, lemon slices, bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stems, and fine sea salt in a 30 cm / 12-inch deep sauté pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 10 minutes, until the broth smells of lemon and bay.
  2. While the broth simmers, put the potatoes in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan, cover with cold water by 3 cm, and add the coarse salt. Bring to a boil and cook 12 minutes, add the green beans, and cook 4 minutes more, until a knife slides into the potatoes and the beans are bright green. Drain.
  3. Pat the fillets dry and slide them into the broth in a single layer. The liquid should reach the top of the fish, so add hot water if needed. Turn the heat to its lowest setting so the surface barely trembles, about 85 C / 185 F, cover, and poach for 7 minutes. Don't let it boil: hake is lean and soft, and a rolling boil shreds it. The fish is done when it's opaque white throughout and flakes under a fork, at 145 F / 63 C. If the center looks glassy, cook 1 minute more.
  4. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, 3 tbsp warm poaching broth, parsley, capers if using, and a pinch of flaky salt in a small bowl until loose and slightly cloudy. Lift the fillets out with a fish spatula and drain on a folded towel for 10 seconds. Plate with the potatoes and beans, spoon over the dressing, and finish with flaky salt. Serve within 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Thaw frozen hake fully in the fridge overnight, then pat it dry before poaching.
  • Keep the broth at about 85 C / 185 F, with the surface barely moving.
  • Use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil, since it's added raw and carries the dish.
  • Cut potatoes into even 3 cm chunks so they finish at the same time as the green beans.