Roast hake with squash, carrot and almond purée

A quick and easy seasonal dinner using the best ingredients November has to offer. 

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 2 carrots, scrubbed and grated
• 5 cloves garlic, lightly squashed
• 400g butternut squash, seeded and chopped into 1.5cm cubes
• 100g blanched almonds, toasted
• 750g hake, cut into 4 fillets
• a handful flaked almonds, toasted

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Spread the grated carrot (in an even layer), the garlic, and the squash on a lined baking tray with foil and drizzle with oil. Season and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft and slightly caramelised.
3. Blitz the almonds to a powder using a spice grinder. 
4. Add the ground almonds, squash and carrot and garlic (out of skin) to a food processor and blitz into a puree. 
5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Season the hake skin with sea salt and pop it down into the oil. After 5 seconds shake the pan so the skin doesn’t stick. Cook for 5 minutes and put in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the flesh separates easily.
6. Serve with the Hake sitting on a bed of puree, top with flaked almonds and enjoy!