Grilled Hake In Foil Packets with Fresh Herbs and Garlic
This is by far one of the most GENIUS ways to cook anything - in aluminum foil packets, on the grill. Hake is a lovely, light, white meat fish, that is sustaining, sustainable, caught wild AND keeps its moisture through grilling. I might live 1.5 hours from salt water, but I am lucky to have access to a fantastically fresh fish market, about 20-25 minutes away. If hake isn’t available, a wild caught cod will taste and cook similarly. Flounder or sole would also work well, but would need to be cooked for less time, as those filets are usually much thinner.
This particular meal, pairs lovely with a super simple side - In season tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and basil? Grilled sweet corn, drizzled with melted butter? Insalata tricolore? Maybe all of the above??
Ingredients
1 Pound Hake
1 Garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 Handful Parsley
1 Handful Basil
1 Lemon, sliced into rounds
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Tin Foil - If you’re using regular tin foil, tear a piece large enough to wrap the piece of fish twice, as you’ll be folding this in half. If you’re using thick aluminum foil, wrapping the filet in one layer is enough.
From the 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, pour a dime sized drop on the foil and grease the sheet. Place the fish on the oiled foil. Lightly salt and pepper. Add the garlic, herbs and lemons on the tops of the filets and drizzle remaining olive oil over the tops of the herbed fish and fold securely (but not too tight) on all sides.
Grill for about 7-9 minutes. Let rest for a few before serving.
Helpful hints, tips and tricks for this recipe…
1.
Make sure your fishmonger has fully cleaned, descaled and deboned your filet. One pound of hake will serve 3-4 people. If you’re having company, ask your fishmonger to slice the fish into even servings; people think those foil packets are super cute and are always impressed when you serve it. It’s like everyone gets their own lil gift wrapped fish filet for dinner. If you aren’t cooking to impress, just keep the filet whole, and save yourself four times the wrapping.
2.
Curly or Flat Leaf Parsley? Another one of those “no big deal” things. They both taste EXACTLY the same. Personally, I choose according to what looks better in the grocery store. This is one of those things that doesn’t really matter and is of personal preference. I wish I could grow this, but I never seem to have any luck!
3.
Foil packet cooking on the grill. Like I said above, GENIUS. The French have been cooking fish and other foods “en papiotte” (“in paper”) for CENTURIES, using parchment paper. The food is cooked by steam, but as the paper isn’t sealed air-tight, some air escapes, yielding a perfectly lovely, perfectly cooked, piece of fish. This is a wonderful method for cooking all types of fish filets, especially lighter and whiter, more delicate ones.
