Merluza En Salsa Verde Hake In A Green Sauce Food

SPANISH HAKE AND CLAMS IN SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Scrub the clams under cold running water, discarding any that fail to close to the touch. In a large bowl, combine the clams, coarse salt, and water to cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours so that the clams release any sand trapped in their shells. Drain.
• In a large saucepan, combine the clams with the 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they open. As the clams cook, uncover the pan occasionally and stir with a wooden spoon to encourage them all to open at about the same time. Drain the clams, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard any clams that have not opened.
• In a large cazuela, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and fry, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic begins to turn golden. Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well blended. Add 3 cups of the reserving cooking liquid and the salt, parsley and wine. Decrease the heat to medium and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add more cooking liquid if you prefer a thinner sauce. Rotate the cazuela in circular motions over the burner to mix all the ingredients, and boil gently for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is blended and looks whitish green.
• Sprinkle the hake pieces with the salt and place in a single layer in the sauce. Cook, turning once, for 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque at the center when tested with a knife tip. Add the clams and asparagus, shake the pan gently to prevent sticking, and simmer for 2 more minutes so heat all the ingredients through.
• Garnish with the egg wedges and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

HAKE IN GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Make fish stock:
• Put fish bones or flap and tail in a 2-quart saucepan (set aside steaks or fillets) and add water, onion, parsley sprigs, and one third of garlic, then gently simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh or cheesecloth-lined sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them (you will have about 1 cup stock).
• Cook fish:
• Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil and remaining garlic in cazuela over low heat until garlic begins to sizzle. Add half of minced parsley and all of fish, skin sides up if fillets, then start gently swirling pot, holding onto both handles (it helps to plant your feet apart from each other) so fish moves slowly around edge of bottom of pot and oil laps over it. Cook fish, swirling pot, until bottom 1/2 inch of fish turns white, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and continue cooking, swirling pot and adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of stock every minute or two, until sauce is emulsified and fish is almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. (You will use about 1/2 cup stock.) Add peas and remaining minced parsley and cook, swirling pot, until peas are warm and fish is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.