hake throat
July 23rd, 2011
I bought a large hake yesterday, from the fishmonger in Chapel Market. I saw hake throats being cooked in a San Sebastián food club (Txoko), on Rick Stein’s Spain (BBC 2 television) two weeks ago. Having a hake with head and knowing that the throat is a delicacy, I thought I should cook it. There was no recipe in the TV programme and almost nothing on the web, so I went by what I’d seen. Chopped garlic, red chilli pepper and olive oil.
cooked with chilli and garlic
I used half a chilli and 3 pieces of garlic (chopped finely) – I fried the throat for a couple of minute per side. It tasted quite delicate and fluffy, a bit like the texture of calf’s brains. Apparently hake throat, something which was once discarded, now goes for as much as €70 per kilo in Spain!
Incidentally, the throat is the underside to the mouth (it would be just under the jaw on a human). It’s all flesh, no bones and you trim it off with a sharp fish knife.
Mad Dog TV Dinners 
70 bloody euros a kilo!!!???!!! No wonder the buggers at the market don’t put the heads in unless you ask.
When I lived in Spain, people always wanted the head for stock – it’s also very good for flavouring beans and potatoes.
Interesting …mmmm! Whenever I cook fish with garlic I am always sorry as it overpowers the delicate fish flavours … but I see you add chilli as well as garlic… does the hake take it on the chin, or are you drowning out the flavour of fish deliberately ?
Genuine of Camden
Well, you taught me something new today, MD. Hake throat. Who knew?
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