Baked Hake with Lemon Herb Crust (Printable)

Tender hake fillets with zesty lemon and herb crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 hake fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each), skinless and boneless
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herb Crust

04 - 2/3 cup fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

→ Garnish and Serving

12 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat hake fillets dry and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a medium bowl, blend breadcrumbs, parsley, dill, chives, lemon zest, and minced garlic. Stir in olive oil and Dijon mustard until mixture is moist and crumbly.
04 - Press the herb crumb mixture evenly over the top of each fillet, gently pressing to adhere firmly.
05 - Place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crust is golden and fish flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Present immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust stays crunchy on top while the fish stays tender underneath, no flipping required.
  • You can prep the whole thing in the time it takes the oven to heat up.
  • It tastes like you tried harder than you did, which is exactly what weeknights need.
02 -
  • Wet fish will steam instead of bake, and your crust will slide right off, so really blot those fillets dry.
  • Press the crumbs firmly but gently, if you mash too hard the fish breaks, if you're too light the crust falls apart halfway through.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon before you cut it for wedges, it's nearly impossible to zest a lemon half.
  • If your fillets are uneven thickness, tuck the thin tail ends under so everything cooks at the same rate.

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