Ingredients

• 2 x 280g hake fillets, descaled and pinned
• 4 x tbsp Olive Oil
• black pepper and sea salt
• 2 x clove of Garlic, finely sliced
• Juice of half a lemon
• A pinch of Hot Paprika
• Fresh Thyme to garnish
• 2 large artichokes (about 1 pound each)
• 2 tablespoons butter

For the carrot Puree

• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped, boiled until tender and drained
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tomato & courgette concasse

• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 Courgette
• 6 cups water, or enough to cover tomatoes

Preparation:

Artichoke

Rinse artichokes under cold water, and use a sharp knife to cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Trim the stems to about 1 inch, and remove the smaller leaves from around the base. Use scissors to remove any remaining leaf tips. Cut each artichoke in half from the bottom to the top, then use a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke. Rinse again to remove any residual hairs.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for about 1 minute to flavor the butter. Arrange artichoke halves cut-side down in the skillet. Saute for about 5 or 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low, and pour in about 1/4 cup of water, cover, and let steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. A fork should easily pierce the stem.

For the carrot Puree

For the carrot purée, place the cooked carrot into a food processor with the butter and oil. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth.
Reserve and heat gently before serving the hake.

For the tomato & Courgette concasse

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil.

Core out the stem of the tomato by circling the tip of a paring knife around the stem in a cone shape.

Score an «x» in the opposite end and drop the tomato into the boiling water.

Blanch for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the skin begins to peel up around the «x». Remove with a slotted spoon and drop into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Peel the tomato and cut it in half crosswise. Using your thumbs, scoop the seeds and juices out of the crevices. With a paring knife, slice out the interior membranes, leaving a bowl-shaped tomato exterior. The exterior and interior can then be rough chopped or diced to the desired size.
Slice the Courgette in thick sliced and than chop them in little square excatly like the tomatoes. Add to the tomatoes, mix well and reserve untill serving time.

Hake

Add 1 – 2tbsp of olive oil to your frying pan and heat until very hot.

Season the Hake fillets with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and the hot paprika.

Lay the fish in the pan skin side down and fry for a minuet or two, and then add the 1 garlic.

Keep frying until the garlic is golden brown with a sweet flavour, turn down the heat. Turn the fish after 3 minuets and cook it on the other side.
Make sure the garlic does not burn. Remove the fish from the pan, to a serving dish.

With the pan off the heat, add a good splash of your olive oil and a pinch of sea salt to the garlic juices left in the pan.
The residual heat of the pan will be sufficient to warm it all through, there is no need to put it back on the flame.

Add a good squeeze of lemon juice, give it all a good stir, then serve immediately over the carrot puree and artichoke, and top with the tomato and courgette concasse and finally garnish with the fresh thyme.

Culinary regards and Enjoy it!