Today’s recipe epitomises the vibrant spirit and rustic charm of so much Spanish cooking. I’ve always cherished the incredible power that food has to unite people, and to infuse gatherings with warmth and joy. This dish, a big favourite of my mother’s, uses succulent hake fillets and hearty clams, all bathed in a flavourful chorizo and sherry sauce. It’s essentially a tribute to Spain’s rich coastal traditions, but it also blends the earthiness of the land with the freshness of the sea, creating a glorious chorus of flavours. Perfect for sharing, it captures Spanish conviviality and the simple pleasures of a meal cooked with love.

Hake with clams, chorizo and manzanilla

Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot, peeled and finely sliced
100g cooking chorizo, chopped into small cubes
Sea salt and black pepper
4 x 200g hake fillets
1kg live clams, cleaned
125ml manzanilla
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Crusty bread, to serve

Put a tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium-low heat. Once it’s warm, gently fry the shallot for five minutes, then add the chorizo and fry, stirring, for another five minutes, until it’s golden and releasing its fat.

Meanwhile, put the remaining tablespoon of oil in a nonstick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Season the hake fillets on both sides, then fry them skin side down for three to four minutes, until golden. Flip over, fry for another two to three minutes, until the flesh is just cooked through, then lift out of the pan and put on a warm plate to rest.

Put the clams in the shallot and chorizo pan, turn up the heat to high and pour in the sherry. Cover the pan and leave cook on a high heat for a minute or two, until all the clams have opened (discard any that remain closed). Take off the lid, leave to bubble another minute or two, then arrange the cooked hake on top. Scatter over the parsley, take the pan to the table and serve with crusty bread.