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Merluza á galega
Poached hake with paprika garlic oil
Merluza á galega: Galician poached hake and potatoes with a garlic and paprika ajada
This is the Friday supper of Galician homes and the plain, honest plate you find in harbour restaurants from A Coruña to Vigo: thick hake steaks poached with potatoes, onion and bay, then drizzled with ajada, hot olive oil with garlic and paprika. It relies on very fresh fish and good oil. A common mistake is boiling the hake hard, which breaks it apart; it should poach gently in water that barely shivers. Chef's tip: lift out the fish with a slotted spatula and let it drain well, so the ajada sits on top instead of sliding into a watery puddle.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the hake and potatoes
- 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoespeeled and cut into 1.5 cm slices
- 1 onioncut into wedges
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 ¾ lb hake steaks, 3 cm thick4 pieces
For the ajada
- ½ cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp hot paprika
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoes, 1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 6 ¼ cups water and 2 tsp salt in a wide pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender.
15 minStep 2: Lower the heat so the water barely shivers. Add the 1 ¾ lb hake steaks, 3 cm thick and poach gently for 7–8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque all the way to the bone and flakes easily.
8 minStep 3: Meanwhile, warm ½ cup olive oil with 4 cloves garlic in a small pan over a medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold. Take off the heat, wait 30 seconds and stir in 1 ½ tsp sweet paprika and ½ tsp hot paprika (and a few drops of vinegar if you like).
3 minStep 4: Lift the hake, potatoes and onion onto warm plates with a slotted spatula, letting them drain well. Pour the ajada over and serve at once.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does merluza á galega take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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