Jazz up your weeknight dinners with this baked Wild Atlantic hake dish, inspired by classic French cooking.
French chef Alex Petit has been shaping Irish cuisine since stepping into the role of Group Executive Head Chef for Trigon Hotels in Cork in 2022. Driven by a love of food, hospitality, and top-notch local produce, Alex offers his baked Wild Atlantic hake recipe for readers.
Serves four portions
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients :
For the papillote :
250 g baby potatoes, boiled and sliced
4 x 175 g hake fillets, skin removed and pin-boned
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
½ leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 bulb fennel, shaved finely
4 spring onions, finely sliced
50 ml white wine
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
50 g butter, diced
1 lemon, cut into eight slices
For the herb dressing :
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon zest
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method :
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6
Cut four sheets of baking parchment into roughly 30 cm square
Divide the potato slices evenly among the four parchment squares, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil
In a large mixing bowl, toss together all vegetables and season with salt and pepper
Distribute the vegetables evenly over the potatoes
Lay the hake fillets on top, then drizzle with the white wine and the remaining olive oil.
Top each portion with two lemon slices and finish with two cubes of butter per portion
Fold the parchment over to enclose the hake and vegetables, sealing the edges to form a neat parcel
Bake for 15 minutes, then let rest for an additional 4–5 minutes before serving
Make the dressing:
Rinse and dry the flat-leaf parsley thoroughly, pull out any tough stems, and finely chop the leaves.
Peel and mince the garlic, and zest the lemon
In a small bowl, combine the parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, then whisk in olive oil to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
Carefully remove the fish from the oven and unfold the parcel, taking care not to burn yourself on the steam
Using a spatula, lift the fish and vegetables onto a plate and crown with a generous spoonful of the herb dressing
Chef’s tips :
- Seal the parchment tightly when folding: trapping the steam helps lock in the flavours.
- Slice the vegetables as finely as possible: this ensures everything cooks evenly.
- Umami boost: add two chopped anchovy fillets to your herb dressing for extra depth.
For more recipes like this, explore our collection of recipes here.
