I have been quite enamoured with turmeric and black pepper lately—a match made in culinary heaven. When I was contemplating what to do with a couple of hake fillets and the vegetables lurking in my fridge, this dish came together.
If you leave off the mushrooms, it becomes an easy one-pan meal. However, the mushrooms add a wonderful savoury depth, so I highly recommend sautéing them separately and serving them alongside the fish and vegetables.
While I used hake, any firm white fish should work beautifully in this recipe.
Turmeric Butter-Poached Hake with Soft Vegetables
This Turmeric Butter-Poached Hake proves that simple ingredients can create something extraordinary. Frozen hake is gently poached in a golden butter broth with turmeric, onion, carrot, and baby marrow, then served with buttery mushrooms and finished with fresh lime. Easy, keto-friendly, and packed with flavour.
Ingredients
- 2 frozen hake fillets
- ½ onion, finely sliced
- 1 carrot, very thinly sliced
- 1–2 baby marrows, sliced into rounds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2–3 Tbsp butter
- 60 - 80 ml water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 200 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tbsp butter, for frying
Instructions
In a lidded pan, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and carrot. Cook gently for 5–7 minutes until soft and slightly sweet.Do not brown.
Sprinkle in the turmeric, salt, and a little black pepper. Stir and let it warm through for about 30 seconds.
Pour in 60–80 ml water. The liquid should be shallow — not covering everything.
Place the frozen hake fillets into the pan. Spoon some of the liquid over the top.
Put the lid on and reduce heat to low. Cook for 8–12 minutes, depending on thickness. Halfway through, briefly open and spoon liquid over the fish again.
After about 5–6 minutes, add the sliced baby marrows. Cover again and continue cooking.
While the fish is poaching, sauté the mushrooms in a separate pan.
The fish is ready when it is opaque throughout, and it flakes easily with a fork.
Turn off the heat. Add a small knob of butter (optional). Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Slice the carrot very thinly so it softens into the sauce rather than staying firm.
- Keep the heat low — this is a gentle poach, not a boil.
- Parsley adds freshness; stronger herbs like sage can overpower the dish.
- The liquid should remain light and buttery, not reduced into a thick sauce.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving — 2 servings)
Calories: ~440 kcal
Protein: ~45 g
Fat: ~26 g
Net Carbs: ~7 g
Net carbs will vary depending on the size of the carrot, onion, and baby marrows used.
Nutritional information provided with recipes is generated using software tools and AI-assisted calculations, and should be regarded as an estimate only.
