Baked hake in creamy lemon coconut sauce

A tray of tender hake in a silky lemon and coconut sauce is the kind of dinner that feels generous without demanding an evening in the kitchen. The sauce is rich but bright, with garlic, citrus and a splash of dry white wine balancing the coconut cream, while mashed potatoes and crisp green beans make it a complete, comforting plate.

This version keeps the method simple: give the hake a quick sear for colour, build the sauce in the same pan, then finish the fish gently in the oven so it stays moist. From start to finish, dinner can be on the table in roughly 35 minutes.

Baked hake in creamy lemon coconut sauce

Serves 4

Prep and cooking time: about 35 minutes

Ingredients

4 to 6 firm hake fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
125 ml dry Chardonnay or other dry white wine
250 ml coconut cream
125 ml fresh cream
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon

To serve

1/2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1/2 tbsp freshly chopped dill
Creamy mashed potatoes
Green beans
1 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut or coconut flakes, optional

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C.

2. Pat the hake dry, then season on both sides with salt, pepper and paprika.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Sear the hake for about 2 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate. It does not need to be cooked through yet.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil. Cook the shallots for about 5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for a minute, scraping up any flavour from the base of the pan. Lower the heat, then add the coconut cream, fresh cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

6. Nestle the hake back into the sauce and spoon a little over the top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

7. Finish with parsley, dill and toasted coconut if using. Serve with mashed potatoes and crisp green beans.

A few easy swaps

If you would rather cook without wine, replace it with the same amount of light vegetable or fish stock and add a little extra lemon at the end. The sauce should be gently creamy rather than aggressively coconutty, so taste before adding the optional toasted coconut. For a lighter plate, swap the mash for steamed baby potatoes or rice and keep the green beans or another crisp green vegetable on the side.

Hake cooks quickly, so the main thing is not to leave it in the oven longer than necessary. Once the thickest part turns opaque and separates into moist flakes, it is ready to serve.