Broiled Hake with Chorizo and Crispy Potatoes
Flaky hake fillets broiled over smoky paprika potatoes and crisp chorizo, with a parsley finish. A one-pan, high-protein dinner with a charred top and juicy centre.
- Total
- 51 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 36
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Rendering fat
- Savory
- Oven
- One pan
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 220°C.
~12 min
-
Cut the potatoes into 2 cm cubes. Toss them on the sheet pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast 20 minutes until the edges are golden and a knife slides in easily.
~20 min
A single layer with space between cubes lets moisture escape so the potatoes roast and crisp instead of steaming.
If the potatoes are browning unevenly, rotate the pan halfway through roasting rather than stirring, so the cut sides stay in contact with the hot metal.
Roasting Cut pieces evenly and spread in a single layer so they brown, not steam. Rotate the pan for even colour rather than stirring, keeping cut sides on hot metal.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the potatoes roast, dice the chorizo into 1 cm pieces and finely chop the parsley. In a small bowl, stir the paprika into the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to make a loose paste.
~5 min
Mixing paprika into oil blooms its fat-soluble colour and flavour compounds so the spice tastes fuller and more aromatic.
-
Push the potatoes to the edges of the pan and scatter the chorizo in the centre. Roast 5 minutes until the chorizo releases its red oil and crisps at the edges.
~5 min
The hot pan renders the chorizo's fat, which crisps the meat and releases smoky red oil to flavour the potatoes.
Roasting Cut pieces evenly and spread in a single layer so they brown, not steam. Rotate the pan for even colour rather than stirring, keeping cut sides on hot metal.
Rendering fat Cook chorizo over moderate heat until its red oil pools and edges crisp. Too high and it burns before the fat renders; too low and it stays greasy.
-
Pat the hake fillets dry and season both sides with the remaining 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper. Brush the paprika oil over the top of each fillet.
~3 min
Drying the fillets removes surface moisture so the paprika oil adheres and the fish chars rather than steams.
Patting the hake dry before brushing with paprika oil helps the surface char under the broiler instead of steaming.
-
Lay the hake on top of the potatoes and chorizo. Switch the oven to broil and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and the top is lightly charred.
~9 min
Broiling applies intense top-down heat that chars the surface while the fish stays moist and flakes at 63°C.
-
Scatter the chopped parsley over the pan and spoon some of the chorizo oil over the fish. Serve straight from the pan.
~2 min