Basque Recipes Dairy-Free Egg-Free Lactose-Free Main Dishes Mediterranean Recipes Peanut-Free Sesame-Free Soy-Free Spanish Recipes Tree-Nut-Free

Basque-Style Hake in Green Sauce

Name: Basque-Style Hake in Green Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish (Basque)
Ingredients: 4 hake steaks, about 5 to 6 ounces (140 to 170 g) each; 4 1/2 ounces (125 g) yellow onion, finely grated or minced; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) dry white wine; 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) fish stock or seafood fumet; 1 tablespoon (10 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped; 12 small littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed, optional; 4 canned white asparagus spears, drained, optional

Tender hake steaks gently cooked in a classic Basque parsley sauce with garlic, onion, white wine, and fish stock, with optional clams and white asparagus.

Prep15 min

Cook15 min

Total30 min

Serves4 servings

Jump to Recipe

Merluza en salsa verde is one of the best-known fish dishes of Basque cooking, pairing delicate hake with a light sauce flavored generously with fresh parsley, garlic, white wine, and fish stock.

The basic preparation is simple enough for a weeknight dinner, while optional clams and white asparagus turn it into an elegant seafood dish suitable for entertaining.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The hake cooks gently in the sauce, helping the delicate fish remain moist and tender.
Fresh parsley gives the sauce its characteristic green color and bright herbal flavor.
White wine and fish stock create a flavorful sauce from a short list of everyday ingredients.
Optional clams and asparagus make it easy to turn the basic recipe into a more elaborate Basque-style presentation.
The entire dish is ready in about 30 minutes and cooks in a single shallow pan.

Ingredient Notes

Hake

Hake has delicate white flesh and a mild flavor that works especially well with parsley sauce. Ask for thick steaks of similar size so they cook at the same rate.

Fresh parsley

Use a generous amount of flat-leaf parsley rather than dried parsley. Its fresh flavor and color are essential to the character of salsa verde.

Fish stock

A mild homemade fumet produces the cleanest flavor. When using packaged stock, choose a low-sodium variety so the sauce can be seasoned accurately at the end.

White wine

Choose a dry white wine that you would also enjoy drinking. Sweet or heavily oaked wines can overpower the delicate hake.

Clams and white asparagus

Both are optional additions commonly paired with Basque-style hake. Small littleneck or Manila clams are useful US choices, while canned white asparagus is widely available in larger supermarkets and specialty stores.

Expert Tips

Cook the garlic gently and keep it pale because browned garlic can make the delicate green sauce taste bitter.
Grating or very finely chopping the onion helps it melt into the sauce rather than leaving noticeable pieces.
Cook the flour briefly before adding the liquids so the finished sauce does not have a raw flour flavor.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after adding the hake because vigorous boiling can cause the fish steaks to break apart.
Do not overcook the hake; remove the pan from the heat as soon as the thickest part turns opaque and flakes easily.
Add most of the parsley shortly before the fish so its color and fresh aroma remain vibrant.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the hake immediately in shallow bowls or plates with plenty of green sauce spooned over the top and crusty bread for dipping.

For a complete Spanish-style meal, accompany it with boiled or roasted potatoes, peas, white asparagus, or a simple green salad.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover hake and sauce in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat very gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a tablespoon or two of fish stock or water until the fish reaches 165°F (74°C). Avoid vigorous simmering or prolonged microwave reheating because hake dries out easily. If the recipe contains clams, reheat them only once. Freezing is possible for the basic fish and sauce for up to 2 months, although the texture of the hake may become softer after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of hake in the United States?

Cod is the easiest substitute, while haddock or halibut also work well. Choose thick pieces and adjust the cooking time according to their thickness.

Can I make hake in green sauce without clams?

Yes. The classic basic sauce needs only hake, garlic, onion, parsley, wine, stock, flour, and olive oil. The clams and asparagus are optional additions.

Why is my green sauce too thin?

Allow the flour, wine, and stock mixture to simmer gently before adding the fish. If necessary, remove the cooked hake and reduce the sauce for another minute or two rather than overcooking the fish.

Can merluza en salsa verde be prepared ahead?

The sauce can be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it gently, then add the parsley, hake, and optional clams shortly before serving for the best fish texture.

CuisineSpanish (Basque) CourseMain Course Yield4 servings NutritionApprox. 260 calories per serving

Ingredients

4 hake steaks, about 5 to 6 ounces (140 to 170 g) each
4 1/2 ounces (125 g) yellow onion, finely grated or minced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) dry white wine
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) fish stock or seafood fumet
1 tablespoon (10 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
12 small littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed, optional
4 canned white asparagus spears, drained, optional

Instructions

Pat the hake steaks dry with paper towels and season them lightly on both sides with salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow skillet or casserole over medium-low heat.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
Add the grated onion and cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until very soft and translucent.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously, to remove the raw flour taste.
Pour in the white wine gradually while stirring, followed by the fish stock, and whisk or stir until the sauce is smooth.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly.
Stir in most of the chopped parsley, reserving a small amount for finishing.
Nestle the hake steaks into the sauce and add the clams if using.
Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the hake is opaque and flakes easily and the clams have opened.
Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking.
Cut the drained white asparagus into smaller pieces if using and arrange them around the fish.
Spoon the green sauce over the hake, sprinkle with the reserved parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

The calorie estimate assumes approximately 22 ml of the 30 ml olive oil remains in and is consumed with the finished dish, four hake steaks totaling about 620 g, and includes the optional clams and asparagus. The estimated recipe total is approximately 1,040 calories divided among four servings.

Fresh hake can be difficult to find in some parts of the United States. Cod, haddock, or halibut are practical substitutes, although their texture and flavor differ slightly.

Use a dry, unoaked white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a Spanish-style dry white wine.

If using clams, scrub them thoroughly and discard any cracked shells or open clams that do not close when tapped before cooking.

The all-purpose flour thickens the sauce, so this recipe is not gluten-free or wheat-free as written.

Check packaged fish stock and canned asparagus labels when avoiding dairy, eggs, soy, sesame, peanuts, or tree nuts because commercial formulations vary.