Baked Hake Accras

📝 Ingredients

• 400 g frozen hake fillets
• 120 g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder (5 g)
• 80 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 3 spring onions + 2 garlic cloves
• 15 g fresh parsley
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 limes (zest of 1 for the batter, 2 cut into wedges for serving)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Baking sheet + parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Fine grater

📖 Steps

1. Bring a pan of salted water to a simmer. Add the hake fillets while still frozen and poach for 8 to 10 min over a low heat, without boiling, until the flesh is white all the way through and flakes easily.
2. Drain the hake and leave it to cool for 5 min. Then squeeze it firmly in your hands or in a clean tea towel to remove as much water as possible: this is the key to a batter that holds together. Flake it finely with a fork, removing any bones.
3. Finely slice the spring onions (white and green parts), peel and chop the garlic, then chop the parsley. Grate the zest of one lime, then cut both limes into wedges and keep them in the fridge for serving.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, thyme, cayenne, ½ tsp salt and some pepper. Make a well, add the eggs and milk, then whisk from the centre outwards until you have a smooth, thick batter. Just a pinch of cayenne adds flavour without heat.
5. Fold in the hake, spring onions, garlic, parsley and zest, mixing well with a spoon: the batter should be thick and hold in a little mound on a spoon. Leave to rest for 10 min while the oven preheats to 210 °C.
6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and brush it lightly with oil. Using two tablespoons, drop small round mounds of batter (1 heaped tbsp each) 3 cm apart: about 24 accras.
7. Gently brush the tops of the accras with the remaining oil. Bake for 12 min, turn them over with a spatula, then bake for another 5 to 6 min, until well puffed and golden on both sides.
8. Serve the accras hot or warm, with the lime wedges to squeeze over at the last moment. They keep for 2 days in the fridge and can be reheated for 5 min in the oven at 180 °C to crisp up again.