Baked Hake and Blue cheese spiced tomatoe sauce

Oooohhh it's been awhile since I've had fish, especially Hake! Got these gorgeous massive pieces in O Connels in the English Market this morning. I didn't have a clue and did not plan what I was going to put with it so I had to rummage through the cupboards to try make something nice.

 To cook the hake.

I first put a pan on  with a good squeeze of oil in it until it's just about smoking hot. I then place the hake in, skin side down and leave sizzle for a few minutes. I seasoned it with cracked black pepper! After a while (until the skin is nice and Crispy). I turned the fish for two minutes. I then placed the fish into tin foil with some butter and a squeeze of lemon and out into the oven u til cooked through. This will depend on the size! 

The sauce..

So basically whatever I found in the cupboard and fridge that I thought would go together.I got a tin of chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, onions, olives, spices ( cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, paprika, cayenne)  I toasted the spices first and fried off the onions. Added the blue cheese in last. ( cashel Blue Is best blue cheese to get here which is sourced locally. Aaahhh so tasty! I had to put it in. The best part is when it starts to melt and you an see all the stringy bits!) let it simmer for ten minutes and serve over the Hake. 

This dish was gluten free and full of protein from the fish and chickpeas. How ever it was not Dairy free.  Goats cheese and feta cheese are perfect alternatives if you wanted to add them.

I didn't do so bad for making the most out of what I had at home. Usually I'd spend forever going out and trying to get every ingredient to make something. Goes to show you don't know what you could come up by using what's there :-)