Summer is around the corner, and for Capetonians, that means beaches, cocktails and fresh fish. What better way to kick the blues of lockdown than to invite a couple of friends over for a classic cult summer dish.
If you’re a novice at cooking fish, you’re going to love this simple and delicious recipe that we’ve prepared for you today. Cape Town’s fresh fish scene has grown immensely over the decades and many a man makes a living off of selling fresh fish all around our beautiful coastline. P

Pescaluna , a captain of great quality fresh fish in Cape Town, has partnered with South African celebrity chef, Reuben Riffel, to bring you Africa’s Greatest fish dishes. Indulge in a truly local and craft experience while you try out this gourmet, urban hake dish at home.

Recipe and Method

What a Catch!

Pescaluna reels in fresh fish from Cape Town on the daily, and we can’t wait to share the incredible hake recipe we’ve prepared for you. But before we wine and dine you, here’s a hake101 crash course.

Hake are members of the cod family and can be found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; with a humble total of 12 hake species that are known in the family of Merlucciidae. Their taste and texture can vary by species, although they all tend to have a similar mild taste, soft iron-grey skin and silver bellies.

Compared to cod, hake has a smaller flake and subtler taste.
The flesh of hake, when raw, is naturally very soft, and when cooked it becomes firm and meaty, absorbing surrounding flavours in a dish; leaving plenty of room for seasoning it to perfection. Which is exactly what we’ve done!

And if you want to find that perfect piece of hake for our recipe,  Pescaluna can help with that. We deliver fresh fish to your door. Our longline hake fish is our speciality and it finds high demand in markets globally.

Hooked on Hake

1. Hake fish is one of the finest sources of essential fatty acids (which plays a vital role in decreasing blood pressure, improving cardiovascular function), protein, minerals, vitamin A, E and D.

2. Hake is a non-oily, deep water fish which is low in calories and saturated fats (100 g holds just 78 calories).

3. Hake contains lean, white meat (resulting in a good amino-acids profile).

4. Hake's lean meat is an excellent source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can decrease the risk of a heart attack, hypertension and obesity.

5. Hake contains low levels of mercury in its flesh.

6. Hake is a moderate source of omega-3

“Hake longline fish is our speciality and it finds high demand in markets all over the world including, but not limited to, Spain and France where it is enjoyed as Africa's Greatest Catch.

We provide fresh and frozen fish around the world with over 20 years of experience in sustainable fishing practices and culinary knowledge.”
- Team Pesca

Have Your Hake and Eat it Too

Hake with Chenin Cream & Rooibos-Infused Tomatoes

Hake with Chenin cream and rooibos infused tomatoes on a bed of
pearly couscous. Finding fresh fish in Cape Town isn’t a hassle with Pescaluna; we are a sustainable fishing pioneer, who delivers fresh fish straight to your door from our dock in Hout Bay.

You can start planning your Summer menu with this urban dish that’s full of zesty and hearty flavours, and we’ll bring the freshest fish to you.

Ingredients

● 200g of hake
● 1 tablespoon of butter
● 1 cup of pearl couscous
● Zest and juice of 1 lemon
● 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
● 1 seeded and chopped green chilli
● Fresh parsley

Sauce

● 150g rosa or vine tomatoes
● 2 Rooibos teabags
● ¾ cup of olive oil
● Salt, sugar, pepper to taste
● ¼ cup of Chenin Blanc
● ½ cup of cream
● 1 teaspoon of castor sugar

The Secret Formula

Now that you’ve got all the ingredients ready, it’s time to hit the kitchen and cook up a storm by preparing our fresh fish dish, strictly local, and strictly lekker.

1. Bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil, add couscous and a pinch of salt, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure to drain the water properly.

2. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil very lightly, add lemon zest, chopped parsley, chopped green chilli and garlic - be careful not to have the heat too high! Add this mixture to the couscous along with the lemon juice.
3. Now heat olive oil lightly, add garlic, sea salt, Rooibos teabags and tomatoes with a pinch of sugar. Leave to one side to cool.

4. Heat the cream and Chenin and cook to reduce the sauce slowly by a third. Season and keep warm.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan, add butter and pan-fry the hake until golden brown for 6-8 minutes (until cooked through). Season with salt and pepper.

6. Plate the couscous in a wide bowl, place the hake to one side and top it with the tomato and Chenin sauce drizzled on the plate, and garnish it off with extra zest.

- Et voilà! Bon Appétit.

The Grape Vine

Perfecting Pairing

Of course, no fresh fish dish is truly complete without a glass of vino to make your tastebuds burst with flavour. White wine is definitely a favourite pairing with fresh fish cuisine.

The Chenin Blanc has a fresh, vibrant, fruity taste, and its flavour notes are characterised by Granny Smith apples; with hints of green plum and lime to more robust aromas of ripe stone, melon, clementine and tropical fruit. It is South Africa’s most widely planted grape. This wine can embody a herbal or floral character and its fresh crispness compliments a wide range of fresh seafood dishes.

For flaky fish like hake, which is thicker and firmer, we suggest a nice white wine that is filled with high aromatics and hints of aged oak.

Totsiens

Pescaluna has cast off to sea in search of the next great catch! Our journey to deliver fresh fish in Cape Town straight to your door, awaits.
Stand by to join us in the kitchen as Reuben Riffel conjures up and prepares yet another contemporary, flavourful seafood dish for you to enjoy.

Bon Voyage!