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.

 

Mustard Roasted Fish

4 8 ounce fish fillets

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
8 ounces crème fraiche
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 Tablespoons minces shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place fish in an oven proof baking dish, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Combine crème fraiche, both mustards, shallots, capers, a little salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon evenly over fish (completely covering fish)
Bake 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish, until it’s barely done.
(The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it’s done)
Do Not Overcook It!
Serve with the sauce spooned over the top.

 

Fish Hash

2 cups mashed or boiled potatoes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons margarine or butter

Combine leftover fish and mashed potato, or if it’s leftover boiled potato, then chop fine with fish. Add pepper and salt, mix with beaten egg. Add some dry mustard if you wish. Melt 2 tablespoons margarine or butter in heavy fry-pan, add hash , cover pan. Use foil if your pan has no cover. Fry, using medium heat until browned on the bottom. Fold over and serve very hot. Serves 4

Recipes courtesy of Marjorie Standish, see Corned Hake Dinner with Potatoes