Last Friday, I had guests over for dinner and prepared a warm fish platter. I made rice and two types of fish, baked and pan-fried, in my son's electric oven – everything browns very nicely there, I'm actually thinking of getting one for myself. The platter is simple, but it's always appreciated, especially during fish fasting days.
Quick Info
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Difficulty: easy to medium
Ingredients
For the rice:
- Long-grain rice: 700 g
- Yellow onion: 2 medium
- Red bell pepper: 1 large
- Frozen peas: 200 g
- Sunflower oil: 100 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
For the fish:
Trout fillet:
- Trout fillets: 2 kg
- Olive oil: 2-3 tablespoons
- Pepper paste: 1 tablespoon
- Ketchup: 1 tablespoon
- Salt and pepper: to taste
Hake trunk:
- Hake trunk (without head and tail): 2 kg (approx. 3-4 large pieces)
- Olive oil: 2-3 tablespoons
- Pepper paste: 1 tablespoon
- Herbs de Provence: 1 teaspoon
- Salt and pepper: to taste
For decoration and serving:
- Lemon: 2 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes: 250 g
- Red bell pepper: 1 piece
- Fresh parsley: 1 bunch
Preparation Method
1. Preparing the rice
Peel and finely chop the onion. Dice the bell pepper. In a large pot, heat the oil, add the onion and pepper, and sauté for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until the onion turns slightly golden. Add the well-washed rice and stir for 2-3 minutes until it becomes slightly translucent.
2. Boiling the rice
Pour in hot water to cover the rice by about two fingers. Add peas, salt, and turmeric. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes if there's still liquid (you can add a little hot water if needed). In the end, the rice should be cooked, but each grain separate, not mushy.
3. Preparing the trout fillet
Quickly rinse the fillets under cold running water and pat them dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, mix olive oil, pepper paste, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Brush the fillets on both sides with this mixture.
4. Baking the trout
Place the fillets in a baking tray lined with parchment paper, without overlapping them. Bake at 200°C in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. They are done when the flesh becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
5. Preparing the hake trunk
Carefully clean the hake of the side fins – a good pair of scissors is essential here, as the fins are sharp. Wash each piece and dry well with a towel.
6. Seasoning and frying the hake
Rub each piece with salt, pepper, pepper paste, herbs de Provence, and a little olive oil. In a large frying pan (or on a grill, if you have one), heat oil. Add the hake pieces and fry over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until they develop a light crust and are cooked inside.
7. Arranging the platter
Turn the rice onto a large platter. On top, arrange the trout fillets and hake pieces as preferred. Decorate with slices of lemon, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red bell pepper, and plenty of chopped fresh parsley.
8. Serving
Bring the platters to the table and place small bowls with lemon slices alongside, so everyone can add to taste. It also pairs well with a simple raw vegetable salad.
Why I make this recipe often
This is the recipe I return to when I need something hearty but easy to make, for guests or fasting days with fish. The ingredients are easy to find, and you can prepare everything in advance. It also travels well if you need to take the platter somewhere else.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- If using frozen fish fillets, let them thaw well and pat dry with paper to avoid excess water in the tray.
- For the rice, use a pot with a thicker bottom, it won't stick easily.
- Hake is much easier to clean with scissors than with a knife, but be careful with the fins.
Substitutions
- Trout fillet can be replaced with sea bream, perch, or salmon.
- Hake can be substituted with mackerel or zander.
- Pepper paste can be replaced with a thick tomato sauce or sweet paprika.
- Frozen peas can be omitted or replaced with cut green beans.
Variations
- Instead of rice, you can make bulgur pilaf or boiled potatoes.
- The fish can also be baked in foil if you want it to remain juicier.
- For more flavor, you can add black olives to the platter.
Serving Ideas
- It goes well with raw cabbage salad, green salad with radishes, or a yogurt garlic sauce (if not fasting).
- The platter can be served at holiday meals but also as a Sunday family lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use another type of fish for this recipe?
Yes. Trout fillets can be replaced with salmon, sea bream, or perch, and hake can be substituted with mackerel, zander, or any white fish that is easily available.
2. Can the rice be made in advance?
Yes, the rice can be prepared 1-2 hours in advance and kept covered. It reheats quickly in steam or the microwave, but do not add too much liquid to avoid it becoming mushy.
3. What if I don’t have an electric oven?
You can use any oven, including a gas one. Just be mindful of the baking time, as each oven behaves a bit differently. Thin fillets can dry out quickly, check after 10 minutes.
4. Can I do everything just in the oven?
You can also cook the hake in the oven tray, brushed with spices and a little oil, at 200°C for about 20 minutes. It will be less browned but still tasty.
5. What can I serve if I don’t want rice?
It goes well with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a hearty salad of boiled potatoes with green onions and dill.
Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated)
Calories: 340
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fats: 10 g
The value may vary depending on the type of fish and the amount of oil used. It is a protein-rich meal and quite filling, but not very fatty if you don’t overdo it with the oil.
Storage and Reheating
The platter can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days, well covered with foil or a lid. The rice and fish should be stored separately if you don’t want the rice to soak too much. They can be reheated in steam or in the oven at low temperature, covered. It’s good to add a little water over the rice when reheating to prevent it from drying out. The fish should not be reheated at high temperature, it can toughen up.
Quick Info
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Difficulty: easy to medium
Ingredients
For the rice:
- Long-grain rice: 700 g
- Yellow onion: 2 medium
- Red bell pepper: 1 large
- Frozen peas: 200 g
- Sunflower oil: 100 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
For the fish:
Trout fillet:
- Trout fillets: 2 kg
- Olive oil: 2-3 tablespoons
- Pepper paste: 1 tablespoon
- Ketchup: 1 tablespoon
- Salt and pepper: to taste
Hake trunk:
- Hake trunk (without head and tail): 2 kg (approx. 3-4 large pieces)
- Olive oil: 2-3 tablespoons
- Pepper paste: 1 tablespoon
- Herbs de Provence: 1 teaspoon
- Salt and pepper: to taste
For decoration and serving:
- Lemon: 2 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes: 250 g
- Red bell pepper: 1 piece
- Fresh parsley: 1 bunch
Preparation Method
1. Preparing the rice
Peel and finely chop the onion. Dice the bell pepper. In a large pot, heat the oil, add the onion and pepper, and sauté for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until the onion turns slightly golden. Add the well-washed rice and stir for 2-3 minutes until it becomes slightly translucent.
2. Boiling the rice
Pour in hot water to cover the rice by about two fingers. Add peas, salt, and turmeric. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes if there's still liquid (you can add a little hot water if needed). In the end, the rice should be cooked, but each grain separate, not mushy.
3. Preparing the trout fillet
Quickly rinse the fillets under cold running water and pat them dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, mix olive oil, pepper paste, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Brush the fillets on both sides with this mixture.
4. Baking the trout
Place the fillets in a baking tray lined with parchment paper, without overlapping them. Bake at 200°C in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. They are done when the flesh becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
5. Preparing the hake trunk
Carefully clean the hake of the side fins – a good pair of scissors is essential here, as the fins are sharp. Wash each piece and dry well with a towel.
6. Seasoning and frying the hake
Rub each piece with salt, pepper, pepper paste, herbs de Provence, and a little olive oil. In a large frying pan (or on a grill, if you have one), heat oil. Add the hake pieces and fry over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until they develop a light crust and are cooked inside.
7. Arranging the platter
Turn the rice onto a large platter. On top, arrange the trout fillets and hake pieces as preferred. Decorate with slices of lemon, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red bell pepper, and plenty of chopped fresh parsley.
8. Serving
Bring the platters to the table and place small bowls with lemon slices alongside, so everyone can add to taste. It also pairs well with a simple raw vegetable salad.
Why I make this recipe often
This is the recipe I return to when I need something hearty but easy to make, for guests or fasting days with fish. The ingredients are easy to find, and you can prepare everything in advance. It also travels well if you need to take the platter somewhere else.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- If using frozen fish fillets, let them thaw well and pat dry with paper to avoid excess water in the tray.
- For the rice, use a pot with a thicker bottom, it won't stick easily.
- Hake is much easier to clean with scissors than with a knife, but be careful with the fins.
Substitutions
- Trout fillet can be replaced with sea bream, perch, or salmon.
- Hake can be substituted with mackerel or zander.
- Pepper paste can be replaced with a thick tomato sauce or sweet paprika.
- Frozen peas can be omitted or replaced with cut green beans.
Variations
- Instead of rice, you can make bulgur pilaf or boiled potatoes.
- The fish can also be baked in foil if you want it to remain juicier.
- For more flavor, you can add black olives to the platter.
Serving Ideas
- It goes well with raw cabbage salad, green salad with radishes, or a yogurt garlic sauce (if not fasting).
- The platter can be served at holiday meals but also as a Sunday family lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use another type of fish for this recipe?
Yes. Trout fillets can be replaced with salmon, sea bream, or perch, and hake can be substituted with mackerel, zander, or any white fish that is easily available.
2. Can the rice be made in advance?
Yes, the rice can be prepared 1-2 hours in advance and kept covered. It reheats quickly in steam or the microwave, but do not add too much liquid to avoid it becoming mushy.
3. What if I don’t have an electric oven?
You can use any oven, including a gas one. Just be mindful of the baking time, as each oven behaves a bit differently. Thin fillets can dry out quickly, check after 10 minutes.
4. Can I do everything just in the oven?
You can also cook the hake in the oven tray, brushed with spices and a little oil, at 200°C for about 20 minutes. It will be less browned but still tasty.
5. What can I serve if I don’t want rice?
It goes well with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a hearty salad of boiled potatoes with green onions and dill.
Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated)
Calories: 340
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fats: 10 g
The value may vary depending on the type of fish and the amount of oil used. It is a protein-rich meal and quite filling, but not very fatty if you don’t overdo it with the oil.
Storage and Reheating
The platter can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days, well covered with foil or a lid. The rice and fish should be stored separately if you don’t want the rice to soak too much. They can be reheated in steam or in the oven at low temperature, covered. It’s good to add a little water over the rice when reheating to prevent it from drying out. The fish should not be reheated at high temperature, it can toughen up.