If you’re cooking up a Mother’s Day feast, this elegant yet surprisingly simple dish from the talented team at Social Pantry is guaranteed to impress
Londoner Alex Head had a passion for gathering people together to share memorable experiences around good food, so, in 2011 she launched Social Pantry. Now the Capital’s leading independent and sustainable caterer, the team deliver high impact events with a positive social and environmental impact. Alex’s dynamic, entrepreneurial approach has seen Social Pantry become a leading employer of prison leavers, and last September the company was awarded the highest B Corp score in UK hospitality. Here, she shares a meat-free alternative for Sunday lunch – the perfect choice for a Mother’s Day gathering. Alex says: “Did you know that 80 per cent of the seafood we eat in the UK is made up of just five different species? Such high demand for the ‘big five’ – cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns – puts immense pressure on wild stocks, leading to unsustainable fishing practices. So, rather than going with what you know, why not make a simple sustainable swap? According to the Marine Conservation Society, MSC-certified European hake is a ‘great sustainable choice’, and as it’s also near-identical to cod in its meaty, flaky texture, it can be used as a like-for-like substitute. It is perfect in this spring fresh dish.” socialpantry.co.uk
A ‘great sustainable choice’, hake is near identical to cod in its meaty, flaky texture, so it can be used as a like-for-like substitute. It is perfect in this spring fresh dish
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4:
4 hake fillets | 4 tsp herb oil* | 100g sea herbs such as samphire, sea pursulane or Monk’s Beard | 1 large bunch of seasonal greens such as spring greens, Hispi cabbage, Cavolo Nero or rainbow chard | 2 tbsp finely chopped chives | rapeseed oil | sea salt, to taste
*You can make your own herb oil by blending soft herbs and oil. Or buy pre-made such as Kentish Oils Cold-Pressed Herb Infused Rapeseed Oil
For the mashed potato
800g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks | 100ml whole milk | 50g salted butter
For the crispy crumb
100g leftover crust or stale bread, blitzed into chunky breadcrumbs | 50g mixed seeds (we use linseeds and camelina) | 2 tsp soy sauce | 1 tbsp maple syrup | 2 tbsp rapeseed oil NB: You can make this crumb in larger batches to use as a garnish for salads and vegetable sides. It can also be made gluten-free by using gluten-free bread and replacing the soy sauce with tamari
For the buttermilk sauce
2 shallots, finely diced | 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced or grated on a Microplane | 50ml white wine | 50ml fish stock | 100ml buttermilk
METHOD
1. To make the crumb, combine all the ingredients and mix until everything is coated. Spread out on a baking tray and toast in a pre-heated oven at 170°C fan for 8-10 minutes until golden, mix halfway through cooking. Once golden and crispy, remove and allow to cool.
2. To make the mashed potatoes, place the chopped potatoes in a pan of salted cold water over a high heat, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft but not collapsing. Drain and allow to steam, then, while warm, pass through a potato ricer or mash until smooth. In a separate pan, heat the milk and butter together. Gradually add to the potatoes over a low heat until you have your required consistency, and season to taste. Keep warm by covering with the lid and a tea towel.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, sweat off the finely diced shallots in a small pan over a low heat with a little oil and sea salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent, then add the sliced garlic and cook for a further minute. Turn up the heat and add the white wine, reduce the liquid by half, then add the fish stock and buttermilk. Turn down the heat and cook very gently for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour the warm buttermilk sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste and set aside, keeping warm.
4. Place a plan of salted water on to boil to blanch the seasonal greens and sea herbs. Meanwhile, in a non-stick frying pan, heat a small amount of oil over a medium heat. Season the hake fillets with fine salt and place skin side down in the pan. Turn up the heat slightly to crisp the skin, leaving undisturbed until golden.
Turn over and add 25g butter to the pan, basting the fish until cooked. Thick fillets may require finishing in the oven.
5. Gently warm the mash and buttermilk sauce if needed and blanch the seasonal greens in the salted water for 2-3 minutes. Add the sea herbs for a final 30 seconds. Drain and dress whilst hot with rapeseed oil and sea salt. Finish the buttermilk sauce by adding the herb oil and chives, giving it a light stir without fully combining.
6. Plate up by nestling a fillet of hake on top of the mashed potato, greens and sea herbs. Pour the buttermilk sauce and finish with the crispy crumb. Enjoy!
