Nasello, European hake, comes in a considerable variety of sizes, and while some are best suted to being cooked whole, larger ones -- this, for example -- will yield fine fillets. What to do with them?

Nasello Piccante ai Peperoni Verdi - Spicy Hake with Green Peppers

To serve 4:

1 3/4 pounds (800 g) hake fillets
1/2 cup extravirgin olive oil
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 green bell peppers, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and cut into thin strips
An onion, chopped
A handful of pitted green olives
3-4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 salted anchovies, rinsed, boned, and crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable broth or unsalted vegetable bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, heat half of the oil and butter, sauté the onion until it begins to turn golden, and add the peppers.

When the peppers are done, add the olives and the tomatoes. Stir well and heat through.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat most of the remaining oil and butter in a broad skillet, flour the fish fillets, and set them to cook, turning them once to brown both sides. When both sides are browned add a little of the bouillon and finish cooking the fillets. Figure a cooking time of 5 minutes per half-inch (1.2 cm) thickness of fish.

The last thing to do is heat the remaining oil and butter in a small saucepan. Add the garlic, and after a few seconds, the anchovies. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until the anchovy fillets fall apart and the mixture becomes a paste.

Remove the vegetables from the fire, stir the anchovy mixture into them, check seasoning, and pour the mixture over the hake fillets. Cook for a minute to allow the flavors to meld, and serve at once.

How to Select Fresh Fish
How to Fillet a Fish
How to Serve a Whole Fish at Table
Other Fish Recipes