Origin of Basque Hake in Its Traditional Green Sauce

The Basque hake, also known as Koskera hake, was created by Doña Plácida de Larrea around 1723. Doña Plácida wrote a letter to her friend describing how to prepare a delicious hake in a very simple green sauce, made with lots of parsley, adorned with fresh asparagus sent from Tudela, and for the final touch, she added fat crabs. She called this dish "an excellent hake stew."

 

In 1895, chef Félix Ibarguren, under the pseudonym Ibar-Kam, along with Ramón Lios, rescued and published a recipe book, and it was there that they named Doña Plácida's hake "green hake." Depending on the region, the traditional dish has undergone slight modifications; for example, in Gipuzkoa, crabs were replaced with hearty clams, and others added chorizo peppers to the recipe.

 

In some cases, you can find the hake dusted with flour; others incorporate hard-boiled eggs into the traditional recipe, and even mushrooms. However, most Spaniards, especially Basques, prefer the traditional recipe. The traditional recipe is a simple, quick dish to prepare, packed with all the nutritional benefits of hake, which is a white, mild fish with no bones that is high in vitamin B, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium, making it a healthy meal.

 

The Basque hake in green sauce is especially suitable for people on a diet due to its low calorie content. Additionally, the dish has diuretic properties and can be prepared at any time of the year because it is available in all supermarkets.