I've used my crispy new potato method as the base for this tray bake. In goes the new potatoes, then the sweet fennel and finally two fillets of hake. The whole thing is tied together with a tangy wholegrain mustard and fennel seed dressing.
Ingredients
400g new potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 large or 2 small fennel, around 250g, halved and sliced into wedges, reserve the fronds and finely chop
2 fillets skinless hake
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 lemon, half juiced, the other half sliced into rounds
2 knobs of butter
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C(fan)/220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.
Toss the potatoes into the baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss the fennel wedges with another 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt and scatter over the potatoes. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 180°C(fan)/200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 and roast for a further 25 minutes until the potatoes and the fennel are cooked through.
Meanwhile, mix together the wholegrain mustard, fennel seeds and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
When the potatoes and fennel are done, pull the tray out of the oven. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the potatoes and fennel and pour the mustard marinade all over the entire dish. Add a knob of butter to each hake fillet and top with the slices of lemon. Return to the oven for a further 10-12 minutes until the hake is cooked through - it will be opaque and easily flake.
Garnish the dish with a drizzle of olive oil, the finely chopped fennel fronds and dill. Serve immediately.
Notes
You will need a deep-sized baking dish or tray around 20x26cm for this dish.
Recipe by Ceri Jones Chef at https://cerijoneschef.com/roasted-new-potato-fennel-and-hake-tray-bake/