Pan-fried hake, white bean & chorizo broth

Name: Pan-fried hake, white bean & chorizo broth
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 450g Dried white beans; 4 cloves Garlic; 2 Bay Leaves; 1 teaspoon Thyme; 6 tablespoons Olive Oil; 100g Bread; 100g Chorizo; 1 Onion; 3 tsp Paprika; 1 L Chicken Stock; Handful Parsley; 6 Hake

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Serves 5 537 kcal per serving Prep 15 min Cook 25 min

Ingredients

450g Dried white beans
4 cloves Garlic
2 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Thyme
6 tablespoons Olive Oil
100g Bread
100g Chorizo
1 Onion
3 tsp Paprika
1 L Chicken Stock
Handful Parsley
6 Hake

Instructions

Drain the soaked white beans and place them in a large saucepan. Cover with 2 litres of fresh water, add the whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes until the beans are tender, then remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread with the remaining garlic clove until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chorizo to the same pan and fry until crisp, then transfer to the bread and keep warm.
Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and cook the chopped onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the paprika, then drain the beans and add them to the pan along with the chicken stock. Season with salt and simmer for 5–10 minutes until the broth is well flavoured. Stir in the chopped parsley and keep warm.
Season the hake fillets. Heat the remaining olive oil in a clean frying pan over medium heat. Cook the hake skin-side down for 3–5 minutes until the skin is crisp, then turn and cook for a further 3–5 minutes until cooked through.
Spoon the white bean broth into bowls, place the hake on top and finish with the fried bread and chorizo. Serve immediately.

Tips

Pat the hake fillets completely dry before frying to ensure the skin becomes perfectly crispy.
Start the fish skin-side down in a hot pan and press gently with a spatula to prevent the fillets from curling.
Fry the chorizo first to release its paprika-rich oils, which will then flavor the bean broth.

Variations

Cod Substitution: Use cod or haddock fillets if hake is unavailable; they have a similar flaky texture.
Spinach Addition: Stir in a handful of fresh spinach to the bean broth at the end for extra color and nutrition.

Storage

The bean and chorizo broth stores well for 2 days, but the hake should be cooked fresh and eaten immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the hake fillet on top of a shallow bowl of the warm bean broth.
Garnish with fresh parsley and a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil.