Name: Hake in Saffron Broth with Chorizo and Potatoes
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for serving; 1 onion , chopped fine; 3 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage , sliced ¼ inch thick; 4 garlic cloves , minced; ¼ teaspoon saffron thread , crumbled; 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice; ¾ cup water; ½ cup dry white wine; 4 ounces small red potatoes , unpeeled, sliced ¼ inch thick; 1 bay leaf; 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless hake fillets , 1 to 1½ inches thick; Salt and pepper; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

The hake's delicate texture and light flavor made it perfect for a moist cooking method, so we created a flavorful saffron broth with aromatics, white wine, and clam juice, which pulled double duty as both a braising liquid and a broth to serve with the fish. Spanish-style chorizo and onions, browned to bring out savory notes, lent subtle heat and depth to the broth. Tasters thought the dish was delicious, but they wanted a starchy element in the mix to round out the meal. Waxy red potatoes, sliced into coins to mirror the slices of chorizo, brought in just the right creaminess and soaked up some of the flavorful broth. A hit of lemon added brightness to the broth at the end of cooking, and a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of olive oil on the flaky fish, immersed in the fragrant saffron liquid, brought it all together.

Before You Begin

Haddock and cod are good substitutes for the hake. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Serve with crusty bread to dip into the broth.

Instructions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and chorizo and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and saffron and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in clam juice, water, wine, potatoes, and bay leaf and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Pat hake dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Nestle hake, skinned side down, into pot and spoon some broth over top. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are fully tender and hake flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.

Carefully transfer hake to individual shallow bowls. Using slotted spoon, divide potatoes and chorizo evenly among bowls. Discard bay leaf. Stir lemon juice into broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon broth over hake, sprinkle with parsley, and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.