Asparagus & hake with cream sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of wild garlic
• 100ml olive oil
• 1 shallot or small onion, diced
• 1 stalk of fresh thyme
• 100ml white wine
• 50ml double cream
• 50g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 hake fillets (approx 150g each)
• 1 bunch of green asparagus

Method

Start by making the garlic oil. Place the wild garlic and oil into a blender and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve or muslin. Reserve until later.

Place the shallot in a saucepan over a medium heat and soften without colouring in a little vegetable oil. Add the thyme and white wine and reduce by a half. Add the double cream and reduce by a half again. Strain into a clean pan and bring back to temperature. Add the butter and lemon juice to taste. Keep warm until needed.

To cook the hake, place a frying pan over a medium to high heat and add a little vegetable oil.  Season the hake and place skin side down in the pan. Allow to cook for 5 mins without moving. Flip and cook for 1 min. Place in an oven at 180C for 5-8 mins or until cooked.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil and blanch the asparagus for 4 mins. Place in a large bowl and add a ladle of the sauce. Place the hake on top, skin side up, and garnish with the wild garlic oil.

Image: John Holdship