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Having recently joined the team at Celtic Ross newly appointed Executive Chef, Brett Ladds moved from South Africa to Ireland 6 years ago.  Having spent eight years as Nelson Mandela executive Chef for 8 years, Brett had the honour to cook for numerous dignitaries and I has a huge passion for cooking. He fell in love with Celtic Ross Hotel, saying it is an honour to work at the hotel and live in Rosscarbery. 

One of Brett’s favourite recipes is a favourite on the menu here at Celtic Ross Herb Crust Hake. Fish is always a popular choice given the hotel’s prime location along Corks Wild Atlantic Way. 

Grilled Herb Crust Hake

This is a dish that can be used from dinner parties with friends to savouring with the family.

Ingredients

4 x Fresh Hake fillets  from our local Glenmar Shellfisheries

500g Local sourced mussels from Roaringwater Bay

50 g Bread Crumbs

25 g Parmesan grated cheese

2 Table spoons chopped parsley

2 Leeks

6 Large Potatoes

150 g Butter

100 ml Cream

1 White onion

2 Garlic cloves

150ml white dry wine

Olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

For the Mash

Boil the potatoes in their jackets

Once soft, check with a butter knife that it pierce easily

Peel the potatoes

Melts the cream with 50g butter

Cut the potatoes in small bites and mash 

Place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt & pepper

Add your melted butter and cream

Mix until perfectly smooth

Leek & Mussels

Slice leeks lengthways, leave an inch from the bottom then slice on a board to the ends

Wash the leeks under running water to remove the excess soil

Slice the leeks vertically across roughly 1/4 inch in width

Add roughly 2 table spoons of oil into a pot, the add 50g butter

Add your chopped leeks

On low heat allow the leeks to slowly cook 

Let them cook till they are soft a sweet

While cooking the leeks

Peel the onion & garlic, do a rough chop

Fry in a little olive oil till translucent

Add the mussels, fry till the mussel water has evaporated

Add the wine and steam the mussels for 10 minutes

Remove from the heat 

Pour through a colander

Leave 12 mussels in their shells

Remove the mussel meat from the rest of the mussels

Once the leeks are cooked stir in the mussels

For the Herb Crust & Fish

Take the bread crumbs, parmesan & butter

Using your hands rub the mixture till its all smooth and rubbed in

Add parsley , salt and pepper

Mix well

Place the hake on a tray with a bit of olive oil

Place your herb crust on top of the fish fillets

Put your fish in a heated oven at 180 degrees fan

Cook till the core of the fish reaches 63 degrees Celsius

Now use your creative skills and plate to impress your guests!!