Corned Hake Dinner with Boiled Potatoes

Corned hake is an old Maine dish. It is remembered by many and it is amazing how Maine families cling to serving this old-fashioned dinner. It is delicious and you will like serving it to your own family. Buttered beets are traditionally served with this meal but feel free to use what you like for a vegetable.

Pare potatoes, place in large saucepan with small amount of water. Do not salt. Cover pan and boil potatoes until nearly done; place drained hake fillets on top of potatoes, add dash of pepper if you wish. Cover, bring back to steaming point; lower heat, allow to simmer 10-15 minutes longer. Cook only until it “flakes.”

Serve with Egg Sauce

EGG SAUCE

Hard boil 3 eggs. Cool completely, peel and chop


Make a White Sauce (Sauce Bechamel)

Yield 2 cups

Melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat:
4 tablespoons butter

Whisk until well blended and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes:
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in:
2 cups milk

Return the pan to the heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce is smooth and hot and has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Season to taste with:

Salt and white or black pepper
Grated or ground nutmeg
Add chopped hard boiled eggs
Serve over fish and potatoes

DIRECTIONS FOR CORNING HAKE

Two and a half to three pounds of hake will serve four people amply and should leave enough fish to make hash or fishcakes.

Wipe fish, place in dish, sprinkle with salt on both sides, cover, place in refrigerator eight hours or overnight. Before using, drain fish but do not wash.

Pare potatoes and place in pan with water; boil until done. Remove potatoes reserving the liquid. Add Hake and bring back to a boil and cook until the fish flakes; about 20 minutes. Remove and mix potatoes, hake and egg sauce on plate. This is a very rich and filling dish!

Leftovers make great fish hash!
~ Recipes courtesy of Marjorie Standish See Fish Hash recipe.