Pan seared fillet of Hake served with aromatic pay lentils, toasted walnuts, rosemary pesto and honey roasted heritage beetroot and carrots

Serves Four People:

For the Vegetable stock:

• 1 white onion – peeled, fine dice
• 1 large carrot – washed, peeled and fine dice
• 1 Celery stick – washed, peeled and fine dice.
• Rosemary stalks
• 1 bay leave bruised
• White pepper corns
• 150 ml White Wine
• 5 litres of cold water

To begin the  beautiful aromatic vegetable stock, weigh out and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.

1. In a large heavy based pan add a dash of olive oil, once the oil has came up to temperature add your vegetables, sauté until golden brown as when making any stock base colour equals flavour.
2. Next add your herbs, for this I am also using the stalks from the rosemary as they release a beautiful perfume to the stock, this woody herb is the star ingredient in this classic dish.
3. Along with your white pepper corns, add your white wine as this deglazes the pan, removing all of that cooked on goodness which will enrich and flavour the stock, cook the wine off a little as otherwise all your stock will taste of will be alcohol.
4. Add your cold water, and allow to come to the boil, once you have reached this stage, allow to stand for a minimum of 2 hours to allow all of the ingredients to infuse.
5. To finish the stock pass through either fine muslin or Chinoise, skim off any excess fat and reserve to one side for later.

For the base of pay lentils:

• 500 grams of pay lentils
• 1 banana shallot diced
• 1 white onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves fine diced and then pureed
• Fresh thyme (5 sprigs)
• Dash of olive oil
• Knob of softened butter

To begin the Pay Lentils weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.

1. To begin this classic French dish of braised lentils, in a heavy based range master pan add a dash of olive oil along with a knob of softened butter, once the butter is lightly foaming add your shallot, garlic, onion and thyme, reduce the heat and allow to sweat until they go soft and translucent, this will take roughly 30 minutes.
2. Once the base is ready add your 500 grams of lentils and cook them off a little, then add enough of your vegetable stock just to cover, as you can add more later on if needs be.
3. Place on a medium to low heat with the lid on and allow to cook, what you are looking for is a beautifully cooked lentil which is tender and al dente.

Honey Roasted Vegetables:

1. I chose to use heritage varieties of carrot and beetroot as they offer a different dimension to the dish in both flavour and colour. To celebrate these beautiful legumes I decided to roast them in a little olive oil, thyme and of course locally sourced sustainable honey.
2. In two heavy based trays drizzle lightly with a little olive oil, and place into the oven to warm, when preparing fresh vegetables most of the important vitamins and minerals can be found in the 4 mm thick skin, so don’t peel them as you are effectively loosing this. Now wash them under cold water, dry the beetroots and cut into quarters, leaving the baby carrots whole. Place into the tray with 4 sprigs of oiled thyme.
3. Cook for 30 minutes first at 180 degrees celcius, then remove from the oven drizzle with honey along with a little Maldon and black pepper, return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
4. To check if they are cooked pierce with a paring knife, there should be a little resistance but the knife should easily go all of the way through.
5. Make sure to check how your lentils are getting on.

Roasted walnuts:

1. Place a heavy based frying onto a high heat, once the pan is up to temperature add 12 walnuts to the pan, roasting for about five minutes.
2. Then remove from the heat and whilst they are still warm decant into a clean tea towel and rub to remove the skin.
3. Put aside the peeled walnuts into a little bowl until they are needed later.

Rosemary and walnut pesto:

• 60 grams of picked rosemary
• 60 grams of roasted and peeled walnuts
• Dash of olive oil
• 20 grams of grated parmesan
• Pinch of Maldon

1. To begin this fresh pesto, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.
2. Then into a marble pestle and mortar, add your walnuts and crush, at this point it really comes down to personal preference; as some people prefer a chunky pesto or a fine pesto.
3. Add your rosemary and bash to release the natural oils.
4. If needed add a little olive oil
5. Add your Parmesan and mix together, season and reserve to one side until it is required later on.
6. Check your carrots, Beetroots and Lentils:

Don’t Hake the P@£%

4 fillets of sustainable Hake:

To ensure that the fish is beautifully cooked, cook it for 80% of the time on the skin and 20% on the top flesh and now allow for resting.

1. Place a heavy based frying pan onto the heat, add a little olive oil and a knob of softened butter.
2. Allow the butter to colour and foam a little, then place the hake portions into the pan away from you, ensuring you leave a gap between each as this allows the pan to regain its temperature resulting in even cooking.
3. To ensure that your fish is cooked perfectly the Gent uses the 12 o’clock rule; think of the pan as a clock and place each hake fillet clockwise around the pan this way you know which order they entered the frying pan.
4. Ensure that the skin is golden and crisp, flip over to quickly cook the top flesh, remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place.

To plate: 

Pre- heat an artisan plate, onto which lay a bed of the bruised lentils, next place your fillet of hake on top, then add 4 quarters of the your honey roasted beetroot along with 6 whole baby carrots garnish with the roasted walnuts and lastly drizzle the pesto over the skin of the fish.

Serve and enjoy with a glass of good white wine..

Sauvignon Blanc

Pinto Blanc

White Rioja

Burgundian Aligote