Seafood › Lemon & Parsley-Crusted Hake

Lemon & Parsley Crust (This will make enough for 10 servings.  One piece is used for this dish; keep remainder in the freezer)

• ½ loaf brioche bread
• 1 cup softened butter
• zest of 4 small lemons (2-3 larger ones), preferably organic
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley (2-3 oz), washed and dried

Tomato Confit

• 4 Roma tomatoes, skins removed, seeds scooped out, halved or quartered
• Olive oil, enough to generously drizzle over tomatoes

Champagne Beurre Blanc Sauce

• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 whole shallot, peeled
• ¼ cup Champagne vinegar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp butter

Hake Filet

• 5 oz piece of hake per serving
• kosher salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard
• 2-3 slices of tomato confit

Olive Oil Smashed Potatoes

• 2-3 small potatoes (suggested:  Yukon Gold)
• pinch of salt
• ⅔ cup olive oil

Beet Tops

• 4-6 beet tops per serving (or wintery greens of your choice, spinach etc)
• ½ tbsp butter
• pinch of salt

Tomato Confit

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Place peeled, seeded and halved (or quartered) tomatoes, core side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet
3. Drizzle with olive oil and roast at 250 degrees for about 1½ to 2 hours

Lemon & Parsley Crust

1. Remove the crust from the brioche, break into chunks, put into a food processor and briefly pulse to a crumb-like texture
2. Add 1 cup softened butter and lemon zest and blend in the food processor briefly to combine
3. Add 2-3 oz (1 bunch) fresh parsley and blend/pulse to combine
4. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap
5. Press with your hand to flatten a bit, then with a rolling pin, start from the middle and gently push out to the end on all sides until you've made a thin, even layer
6. Freeze for 30 minutes

Champagne Beurre Blanc Sauce

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup dry white wine, 1 whole shallot, peeled, ¼ cup Champagne vinegar and cook over medium heat to reduce for 5-7 minutes
2. Add cream and heat to reduce for 3-4 minutes
3. Remove from heat and add 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp butter, transfer to a smaller pan. Set aside and keep warm

Prepare the Potatoes

1. Cook potatoes with peel on for 45 minutes to 1 hour
2. Peel potatoes and smash them into the pan, do not mash like mashed potatoes, you have to smash them into larger chunks
3. Transfer to a saute pan and add a pinch of salt and ⅔ cup olive oil and warm them up (they're already cooked)

Saute Beet Tops

1. Saute beet tops (4-6 per serving) in ½ tbsp butter and a pinch of salt until wilted and half-cooked

Cook the Fish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Season a 5 oz fillet of hake both sides with kosher salt and cayenne pepper
3. In a saute pan, add 1 tbsp butter and ¼ cup water
4. Lightly brush 1 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard over the top of the fish
5. Add about 3-4 slices of tomato confit
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes
7. Remove plastic from chilled lemon & parsley crust and cut a piece to fit the fish and place on top of the fish
8. Return fish to the oven just to melt the crust (2-3 minutes - but keep an eye on it; you're just looking for the crust to melt)

Plate

1. Start with a layer of the beurre blanc sauce, top with olive oil potatoes, beet tops and the lemon and parsley-crusted hake