Hake in Salsa Verde & Mussels

📝 Ingredients

• 3 frozen hake fillets (about 150 g each)
• 750 g mussels
• 600 g waxy potatoes
• 150 g frozen peas
• 4 garlic cloves
• 30 g fresh parsley (about ½ bunch)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• ½ vegetable stock cube + 300 ml hot water
• ½ lemon
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large sauté pan with lid
• Saucepan
• Colander
• Cutting board and knife
• Kitchen paper
• Wooden spoon

📖 Steps

1. The day before, put the hake fillets in the fridge to thaw slowly. When you're ready to cook, pat them dry thoroughly with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt on both sides.
2. Scrub the mussels under cold water and pull off the beards. Discard any that are broken or stay open when tapped. Keep them in a colander in the fridge.
3. Peel the potatoes, cut them into 3 cm chunks and put them in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 min over a medium heat, until the tip of a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain and keep warm, covered.
4. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the garlic, and finely chop the parsley leaves. Dissolve the half stock cube in the hot water.
5. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over a low heat and gently fry the garlic for 2 min, until fragrant but not coloured. Add the flour and stir for 1 min, then gradually pour in the stock, stirring to avoid lumps.
6. Simmer for 2 min, until the sauce thickens slightly, then add half the parsley. Place the hake fillets and peas in the sauce and cook for 3 min over a low-medium heat.
7. Gently turn the fillets, scatter the mussels over the top, cover and cook for 4 to 5 min, shaking the pan back and forth: this movement binds the sauce. Stop when the mussels have opened and the fish flakes easily.
8. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Add the rest of the parsley and some pepper, then taste before adding salt (the mussel juices are already salty). Serve immediately with the potatoes drizzled with sauce and the half lemon cut into 3 wedges.