2000s Recipes + Menus

Hake with Hazlenuts and Capers

Serves4
  • Active Time:10 min
  • Start to Finish:20 min
January 2009
Hake, like cod, is mild in flavor yet meaty in texture. Here, it embraces the crunch of sautéed hazelnuts, whose richness is offset by fresh parsley and briny capers.
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts
  • 4 (6-oz) pieces hake fillet
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons drained bottled small (nonpareil) capers
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Pulse hazelnuts in food processor until finely chopped.
  • Pat fish dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté fish, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
  • Melt butter in skillet, then sauté hazelnuts with garlic until nuts are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vinegar and water, scraping up any brown bits, then remove from heat and stir in capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon over fish.
Cooks’ notes: We've also got a web-exclusive recipe using the leftover hazelnuts and capers.
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