Equipment
Ingredients
Sheet Pan Base
- 600 g hake fillets, skinless, divided into 4 portions
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
- 1 red onion, sliced into half-moons
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 100 g kalamata olives, pitted
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garlicky Parsley Dressing
- 30 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced or grated
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g dijon mustard
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 404 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 826 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 909 mg
- Calcium
- 102 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 54 mg
- Phosphorus
- 303 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 106 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 141 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 139 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 47 mcg
- Water
- 118 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup if desired.
Place the sliced red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and red onion onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with 30ml olive oil and season with half of the salt and black pepper. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated, then spread them out in a single layer.
Roast the vegetable mixture in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to soften and lightly blister the peppers and onions.
While the vegetables are roasting, combine the finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and Dijon mustard in a mixing bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Set the dressing aside.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Push the partially roasted vegetables slightly to the sides to make room for the fish. Pat the hake fillets dry with a paper towel and place them on the pan. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and pitted kalamata olives around the fish. Season the fish with the remaining salt and pepper. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the raw fish to prevent cross-contamination.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 10 to 12 minutes. The fish should be opaque, flake easily with a fork, and reach an internal temperature of 63 C (145 F). Tomatoes should be softened and beginning to burst.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Immediately drizzle the prepared garlicky parsley dressing evenly over the hot fish and roasted vegetables. Serve warm directly from the pan.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the fish dry before placing it on the pan is crucial. Any excess surface moisture will cause the fish to steam rather than roast, preventing proper flavor development.
- For the dressing, hand-chopping the parsley rather than using a food processor prevents the herbs from oxidizing and turning a muddy green color.
- The Dijon mustard in the dressing acts as a binding agent (emulsifier) that keeps the lemon juice and olive oil blended smoothly without separating.
- If your hake fillets have thin tail ends, fold them under themselves to create a uniform thickness. This ensures the entire piece cooks at the same rate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store dressing separately if possible. Fish may become slightly dense upon chilling.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 150 C oven until just warmed through to avoid overcooking the fish.
Troubleshooting
Vegetables are steaming instead of roasting
Cause: The baking sheet is overcrowded
Fix: Drain excess liquid carefully from the pan and increase oven temperature slightly for the remaining cooking time
Prevention: Use a larger sheet pan or divide the vegetables between two pans
Hake is dry and rubbery
Cause: Fish was left in the oven too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the parsley dressing will help add needed moisture back to the bite
Prevention: Check the internal temperature at the 8-minute mark, as fillet thicknesses vary
Dressing is too sharp or acidic
Cause: Lemon was highly acidic or garlic was very pungent
Fix: Whisk in a pinch of sugar or a few extra drops of olive oil to mellow the flavor
Prevention: Taste the dressing before adding it to the dish and adjust balance
Cultural Context
Sheet-pan cooking pays homage to rustic Mediterranean traditions where local catches are baked together with abundant regional produce like peppers, tomatoes, and olives. The vibrant parsley dressing is reminiscent of an Italian gremolata or Spanish salsa verde, providing a sharp, acidic contrast to the rich, roasted flavors.
