Hake with chorizo and potatoes (Merluza à la Gallega)

Paprika and chorizo flavour this simple one-pot fish dish from Galicia in Spain. You could try it with cod or haddock instead of hake if you prefer. Hake with chorizo and potatoes (Merluza à la Gallega).

Ingredients

• 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced thinly
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 70g/3oz chorizo, cut into cubes
• 100g/4oz padron peppers or other tiny green peppers, sliced (or 1 large pepper, diced)
• 900g/2lb baby new potatoes, halved lengthways
• 85ml/3fl oz dry white wine
• 300ml/10fl oz water
• 8 x 100g/4oz or 4 x 225g/8oz hake steaks
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a terracotta cazuela or a shallow flameproof casserole. Add the onions and garlic and cook gently until soft.

2. Add the paprika and fry for 2–3 minutes, then add the chorizo sausage and green peppers and fry for another 3–4 minutes.

3. Stir in the potatoes, then pour in the wine and water, season with some salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender and the liquid has reduced a little.

4. Season the hake steaks well on both sides. Put them on top of the potatoes, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the hake is cooked through.

Hake with chorizo and potatoes (Merluza à la Gallega)