Hake with cider sauce and samphire

Directions :

1. Put the cider and fish stock in a pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes until reduced by more than two thirds, to about 250ml. Set aside.

2. Pat the hake dry, slash the skin in a few places, season all over with salt and leave uncovered at room temperature for 15 minutes to air dry.

3. Heat a large non-stick pan over a medium-high heat, then add the oil. Scatter the caraway over the fish. Add the hake, skin-side down, then cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the edges of the fish are turning opaque. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more until cooked through. Add the samphire to the pan around the fish, along with 10g of the butter once you’ve turned the fish over to cook for the final 1-2 minutes.

4. Transfer the cooked fish and samphire to a plate, then return the pan to a low medium heat. Stir in the reduced cidery stock and the Worcestershire sauce. Warm through without bringing it to a simmer. Whisk in the remaining 15g butter a cube at a time, ensuring the sauce turns glossy between each addition. (The sauce needs to be warm enough to combine the butter slowly but not so hot that it immediately melts the butter. If the butter starts to turn the sauce oily at any point, remove the sauce from the heat and continue without the heat.) Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve the hake with mashed potato, the samphire and sauce, with plenty of black pepper.