Hake
Merluccius merluccius · Fish
Top 10 pairings
Southern Europe reaches for this slender, mild sea fish first. A lean cousin of cod with sweet, snow-white flakes softer than cod's, it is baked, fried or simmered with clams in Basque merluza en salsa verde.
Picking a good onedrag
Just landed: eyes bulging, smells of seaweedOff: lining loose, smelling sour
Counter freshBuy itCook to 63 C / 145 F at the thickest point to kill any worms, even unseen ones.
Eyes and gills, whole fishEyes a bit sunken, gills paler
Belly lining, gutted fish or steakDull, can be peeled away
Press the fleshLess elastic, still springs back
Smell at gills, belly or fleshNeutral and mild, no seaweed left