Pan-Fried Hake

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all your ingredients. Hake isn't a very bony fish, so you can use either hake fillets or hake steaks for this dish. Fresh (never-frozen) fish is ideal — it holds far more nutrients than frozen. If frozen hake is all you have, thaw it the right way: move it from the freezer to the fridge (around 40°F/5°C), then let it come up to room temperature.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the fish well and pat it dry. Pull off any membranes and stray bones. If your pieces are large — I had a fairly long hake fillet — cut them into medium pieces.

3. Step 3:

   

   A quick word on the flour. I used plain all-purpose flour, but rice, buckwheat, or corn flour all work too — each type of breading gives the fish a slightly different flavor. Stir the flour together with the salt. This is also the moment to mix in other dried herbs and seasonings. Great matches for fish: pepper and garlic powder if you like a little heat, or thyme and rosemary for a more refined touch.

4. Step 4:

   

   Dredge each piece of fish thoroughly in the flour mixture, coating all sides.

5. Step 5:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil well in a skillet. Any oil works — the cheapest sunflower or corn oil, or pricier olive oil — but it must be refined so it won't burn as it fries. A nonstick or cast-iron skillet (I use cast iron) is best; otherwise the crispy breading will stick to the pan.

6. Step 6:

   

   Also keep any moisture out of the hot oil, or it will spatter a lot. Fry the fish over medium heat for 5–7 minutes per side. Fish cooks fast, and this is usually plenty of time to cook it through. Enjoy!