Crispy Skin Hake Chorizo Beef (Printable version)
Golden hake fillets paired with smoky, spiced beef crumb for an elegant main course.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skin-on hake fillets, 6.3 oz each, pin-boned
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Sea salt
04 - Freshly ground black pepper
→ Chorizo-Style Beef Crumb
05 - 7 oz lean ground beef
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
12 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
15 - 3 tbsp gluten-free breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
→ Garnish
17 - 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
18 - Lemon wedges, to serve
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F for finishing the fish if desired.
02 - Pat hake fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place fillets skin-side down, press gently with a spatula for 1 minute to promote crispiness.
04 - Sear skin side for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked through. For thicker fillets, transfer to the oven and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Rest fillets skin side up.
05 - In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, for about 5 minutes until browned and slightly crisp.
06 - Stir in smoked paprika, sweet paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
07 - Mix in tomato paste and red wine vinegar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes to blend flavors.
08 - Add gluten-free breadcrumbs and stir well. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes crisp and crumbly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
09 - Place chorizo-style beef crumb on warmed plates, top with crispy hake fillets skin side up, and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The contrast between crispy skin and tender flaked fish, topped with a savory, smoky beef crumb that keeps surprising you.
- It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in 40 minutes, making weeknight elegance actually feel possible.
- Completely gluten-free if you choose, and there's no dairy lurking anywhere to complicate things.
02 -
- Patting the fish dry is the single most important step for crispy skin; wet fish will steam instead of sear, and you'll never recover from that.
- Don't walk away while the hake is cooking the first side—those 3–4 minutes are critical, and you'll know it's ready when the skin releases easily from the pan.
- The beef crumb should be crumbly and relatively dry; if it's oily or wet, you've overcooked it slightly or used beef that was too fatty.
03 -
- Ask your fishmonger for fillets that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly; uneven fillets are the enemy of perfectly cooked fish.
- If your pan isn't big enough for all four fillets at once, work in batches rather than crowding—overcrowding drops the temperature and steams the fish instead of searing it.