Fried Hake with Mustard Cream and Seared Vegetables

Hake, often sold as Cape Capensis in the United States, is a mild-tasting whitefish much like orange roughy, flounder, or sole, and it may be substituted for these other fish in just about any dish. For this recipe, be sure to choose thin filets that cook quickly and don’t have a very strong taste of their own—milder varieties complement the mustard cream instead of competing with it.

Hake Filets

While “fried” may be a bad word on some menus, the fish here is lightly breaded with panko and quickly seared in very little oil—so it’s not all that fried after all.

The sauce includes only three ingredients plus seasoning, but it packs a lot of flavor. I kept it lighter by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream. This results in a stronger mustard and lemon flavor—not a bad trade-off.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Mustard Cream

• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 2 tsp coarse-grain mustard
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Mustard Cream Ingredients

For the Fish and Vegetables

• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 cup panko or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 2 4- to 5-oz skinless hake filets, about 1/3 inch in thickest part
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided (plus more as needed)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 lb thin asparagus spears, cut into thirds crosswise, each third in half lengthwise
• 1 very small zucchini, halved, each half cut into matchsticks

Asparagus and Zucchini 

Zucchini and Asparagus Ready to Cook

Preparation

For the Mustard Cream

1. Whisk the half-and-half, mustard, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently over low heat until barely simmering and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm.

Mustard Cream

For the Fish and Vegetables

1. Whisk the egg white in a medium bowl and spread the panko on a plate.
2. Dip each filet in the egg white then press into the panko on both sides to coat completely. Season with salt and pepper.

Panko-Crusted Hake

1. Heat a heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the hake and fry until golden on the outside and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. (Drizzle with a little more oil if the skillet becomes too dry.)

Hake Beginning to Fry 

Fried Hake

1. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the asparagus and zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
2. Saute the vegetables until just tender and beginning to sear, about 3 minutes.

Vegetables Beginning to Cook

Cooked Vegetables

To serve, divide the vegetable mixture between 2 plates. Top each with a filet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of mustard cream. Serve right away.