Steamed Hake with Spanish Spiced Chickpeas

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

In Spain they love the meaty texture and delicate flavour of hake, so we've given ours a Spanish twist. Cumin, smoked paprika and fennel flavour the chickpeas, and there's grassy spinach to balance everything out.

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496 kcal
(per portion)

Ingredients you'll need

75g wholewheat couscous
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 garlic clove
A handful of flat leaf parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
400g chopped tomatoes
400g tin of chickpeas
2 hake fillets
50g baby leaf spinach

From your kitchen

150ml boiling water
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Step by step this way

1.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Halve the pepper. Scoop out the seeds and white bits and finely chop. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Finely chop the parsley stalks (keep the leaves for later).
2.
Warm a pan over a low heat. Add 1 tsp oil and the onion and pepper. Season well. Cook and stir for 5 mins till the onion looks soft and glossy. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick.
3.
Add the garlic and parsley stalks to the pan. Measure out1 tsp each of the paprika, fennel and cumin seeds and stir them in. Cook and stir for 1 min till the pan smells aromatic.
4.
Tip the tomatoes into the pan. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan. Cover. Simmer for 10 mins till the sauce thickens. Stir now and then.
5.
Season the hake with salt and pepper. Lay in a steamer basket. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Nestle the basket in the pan so the water isn’t touching it. Cover and steam for 8-10 mins till the hake is cooked through and flakes easily.
6.
If you don’t have a steamer, line a baking tray with foil. Place the seasoned hake fillets on the foil and grill for 8-10 mins till they're cooked through.
7.
While the chickpeas and hake cook, tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl. Pour in 150ml boiling water. Cover with a plate or cling film and leave to soak.
8.
Fork the spinach into the chickpeas to just wilt it. Taste and adjust the seasoning if it needs it. Spoon the couscous and chickpeas into a shallow bowl. Lay a hake fillet on top and serve, garnished with the roughly chopped parsley leaves.

Tip
Spice idea
The combination of fennel, cumin and smoked paprika is delicious with grilled meats, like steak or chicken, and roast veg. Mix your leftover spices together and try them in stews or in marinades.

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