Hake in chervil sauce with prawns

This is a wonderful recipe for discovering chervil, a delicate herb that works beautifully with white fish like hake. Learn more about chervil in our June Herb of the Month.

(serves 6)

For the marinade and fish:

  • 3/4 cup loosely packed chervil sprigs (1/2 oz.)
  • 1 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup of rocket, finely chopped
  • 2 shallots onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 pounds skinned hake  fillets, cut into 6 equal portions (could also substitute with Halibut fillets)

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup loosely packed chervil sprigs, plus sprigs and chive flowers for garnish
  • About 1/2 tsp. salt

For the prawns

  • 18 Headless King prawns
  • 1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped
  • 15 g butter

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200Β°. Put marinade ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until until very smooth. Pour into a bowl, add fish, and gently turn to coat. 
  2. Arrange fillets on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet and bake until they flake slightly when gently pressed, and a bit of liquid collects around them, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Heat butter in a frying pan, add prawns and cook, turning regularly, until they have all turned pink and are cooked through, approximately 5 mins.  Add garlic and cook for 2 more mins. 
  4. Meanwhile, make sauce: Put wine, shallots, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes, then whisk in butter, 1 tbsp. at a time. Pour into a blender and mix briefly, then add 3/4 cup chervil and pulse until finely chopped.
  5. Pour sauce into shallow bowls, top with fish and put 3 prawns on top of each fillet, add salt to taste, and garnish with more chervil.

Learn more about how to grow and cook with chervil.

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