Hake Kiev with Garlic Butter & Creamy Mash

Thu, 15 October 2026

Hake Kiev with Garlic Butter & Creamy Mash

Serves 2 • Prep 25 minutes, plus chilling • Cooking approximately 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

Hake Kiev and garlic butter

• 2 thick skinless hake loins, 180–200g each
• 100g softened salted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, finely crushed
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of ½ lemon and a small squeeze of juice
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Neutral oil for frying

Double pané

• 100g plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g panko breadcrumbs

Creamy mashed potatoes

• 500g floury potatoes, such as Rooster
• 75g butter
• 100ml warm whole milk or cream
• Sea salt and white pepper

Method

1. Garlic butter

Mix softened butter with garlic, parsley, lemon zest, a little lemon juice and black pepper. Roll into a sausage in cling film and chill until firm. Divide into two portions; very cold or lightly frozen butter is easiest to insert.

2. Stuff, season and shape the hake

With a sharp, narrow knife, make a small incision into the thick end of each loin. Carefully create a pocket inside without piercing the sides or bottom. Lightly season the outside and inside of the pocket with fine sea salt. Push the chilled butter deep into the centre and gently close the opening.

Optional chef’s finish: tightly roll each stuffed loin in cling film to make a neat, uniform cylinder, without crushing the flesh. Chill for 30–45 minutes, unwrap and gently pat dry. This step is not essential at home, but gives a more consistent, restaurant-style presentation.

3. Double pané

Arrange seasoned flour, beaten egg and panko in separate bowls. Coat each stuffed loin in flour, then egg, then crumbs. Dip back into egg and finally breadcrumbs again. Make sure the opening is fully coated. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to set the crust.

4. Fry and finish

Heat neutral oil to 170–175°C in a deep fryer or suitable heavy-based pan. Fry carefully until evenly golden and crisp, approximately 4–6 minutes depending on thickness and oil depth. For particularly thick portions, transfer to a 180°C oven to finish cooking. Check that the centre of the fish is cooked through; 63°C in the thickest fish flesh, away from the butter pocket, is a conservative safety target. Rest briefly on a wire rack.

5. Creamy mash

Peel and evenly cut the potatoes. Start in cold salted water and simmer until completely tender. Drain and steam-dry, then pass through a ricer or fine sieve. While hot, fold in butter and enough warm milk or cream for a silky consistency. Season with salt and white pepper; avoid overworking.

6. Plate and serve

Spoon a generous helping of creamy mash onto warm plates and place a crisp hake Kiev on top. Finish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately and cut through the middle so the garlic and parsley butter flows into the mash.

Chef’s notes

• Choose thick centre-cut loins: thin tail portions are part of the original story, but are harder to pocket and stuff for this version.
• Cold butter is crucial; do not overfill or allow the knife to pierce the fish.
• Cling-film shaping is optional and improves uniformity, but does not itself seal the pocket. Remove every trace of cling film before breading or cooking.
• Double pané gives a crisp crust and helps retain the butter. Chill the coating before frying.
• Frying times vary with portion thickness. Colour alone is not proof the fish is cooked.