Chili hake fillets are marinated in olive oil, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, and dill, then pressure-steamed in fish stock until they flake at a glance. A last pass on Sauté with soy sauce glazes everything into a savoury, gently fiery sauce. Six servings, forty-five minutes, and no fish course has ever been easier.
Chili Hake Fillets
(Total Time: 45 MIN| Serves: 6)
Ingredients:
2 lbs (907 g) hake fillets, skinless
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup soy sauce
3 cups (720 ml) fish stock
Spices:
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp (10 ml) chili powder
Directions:
- Rinse fillets under cold running water and place them in a deep bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, dill, and chili powder. Cover with the lid and set aside.
- Plug in the instant pot and grease the inner pot with some oil. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and add onions and garlic. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes and season with some salt and optionally some pepper.
- Remove the fillets from the bowl and place in the pot. Drizzle with about two tablespoons of the marinade and pour in the stock. Seal the lid and set the steam release handle.
- Press the ‘’Manual’’ button and set the timer for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure.
- When done, perform a quick release and carefully open the lid. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and pour in the soy sauce.
- Gently stir again and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Turn off the pot and serve immediately.
Per Serving(Calories 468| Total Fats 30.6g | Net Carbs: 2.6g | Protein: 43.9g |Fiber: 0.5g)
Pro Tips
- Give the fillets their marinade time — even fifteen minutes with the vinegar and rosemary firms the flesh and seasons it all the way through.
- Ladle a couple of tablespoons of the marinade into the pot, as the recipe says; that's what links the seared onions to the fish.
- Hake is delicate, so nest the fillets in one layer and skip stirring until the very end or they'll break into shards.
- The soy sauce finish is the glaze — let it bubble on Sauté for the full three to four minutes so it reduces into a sauce, not a broth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen hake fillets?
Yes — thaw completely and pat dry before marinating, otherwise the fish steams in its own meltwater and the marinade slides off.
What can I substitute for hake?
Cod, pollock, or haddock all behave the same way here — pick fillets of even thickness so they finish cooking together.
Is the chili powder very hot?
It's a warm background heat rather than a burn. Halve it for a mild version or add fresh sliced chili at serving for extra fire.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate the fish in its sauce for two days and serve it cold over greens — reheating gently works too, but the fillets are at their best barely warmed.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse fillets under cold running water and place them in a deep bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
- Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, dill, and chili powder.
- Cover with the lid and set aside.
- Plug in the instant pot and grease the inner pot with some oil. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and add onions and garlic.
- Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes and season with some salt and optionally some pepper.
- Remove the fillets from the bowl and place in the pot.
- Drizzle with about two tablespoons of the marinade and pour in the stock. Seal the lid and set the steam release handle.
- Press the ‘’Manual’’ button and set the timer for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure.
- When done, perform a quick release and carefully open the lid. Press the ‘’Sauté’’ button and pour in the soy sauce.
- Gently stir again and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Turn off the pot and serve immediately. Per Serving(Calories 468| Total Fats 30.6g | Net Carbs: 2.6g | Protein: 43.9g |Fiber: 0.5g)
