Chilean New Potato and Hake Bake with Spinach and Merkén Marraqueta Crust

Name: Chilean New Potato and Hake Bake with Spinach and Merkén Marraqueta Crust
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 2 lb new potatoes; 21 oz hake fillet; 7 oz spinach; 1 1/4 cups onion; 2 cloves garlic; 4 oz marraqueta bread; 6 oz queso chanco; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup milk; 1/4 cup white wine; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tsp merkén; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp parsley; 1/4 cup fish stock or water

A Chilean-inspired savory bake made with layers of boiled new potatoes, sautéed hake, spinach, and gently browned onion, finished with a crunchy topping of marraqueta crumbs, queso chanco, and merkén. It is a comforting, original homemade dish that brings together classic Chilean ingredients in a baked format.

25 minPrep

45 minCook

70 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g new potatoes (lavadas and cut en mitades si son large)
600 g hake fillet (skinless and cut en trozos medium)
200 g spinach (fresh)
180 g onion (cut en pluma fina)
10 g garlic (chopped fino)
120 g marraqueta bread (desmenuzada en migas)
180 g queso chanco (grated or chopped fino)
250 ml heavy cream (for dar humedad al pastel)
120 ml milk (whole or semidescremada)
60 ml white wine (optional pero recomendado)
30 g butter (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
4 g merkén (divided)
1 g dried oregano (chileno if possible)
8 g salt (or a taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
10 g parsley (chopped fino)
60 ml fish stock or water (for mantener jugoso the relleno)

Nutrition facts

per serving

498 kcal

Calories

29 g

Protein

31 g

Carbs

28 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

28 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairyFishSulfites

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Grease a medium baking dish with a little of the vegetable oil and set aside.
2
2. Cook the new potatoes in a pot of water with half of the salt for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain, let them cool slightly, and slice them into thick rounds.
3
3. While the potatoes cook, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil with 15 g butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic, half of the merkén, the dried oregano, and the black pepper, and cook 1 minute more.
4
4. Add the spinach to the skillet with the onion and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Add the parsley and set the mixture aside.
5
5. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the hake pieces, white wine, and fish stock or water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring gently, until the fish just turns opaque. Season with the remaining salt.
6
6. In a bowl, mix the cream with the milk. Add 2 tablespoons of this mixture to the marraqueta crumbs along with the remaining merkén and the remaining 15 g melted butter. Add half of the queso chanco to the crumbs and mix to form a moist, crumbly topping.
7
7. Assemble the bake in the dish: place a layer of potato slices, then spread the spinach and onion mixture, then the hake with its juices. Pour the cream and milk mixture over the top. Cover with the remaining potatoes and finish with the remaining queso chanco.
8
8. Evenly scatter the merkén marraqueta crust on top. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 22 to 25 minutes, until the surface is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
9
9. For a deeper crust, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely. Remove from the oven and let rest for 8 minutes before serving so the bake can set.
10
10. Serve hot, making sure each portion includes new potatoes, hake, spinach, queso chanco, and the crunchy merkén marraqueta topping.

Chef tips

For the best result, do not overcook the hake before baking because it will finish cooking in the oven. If the marraqueta is very fresh, toast it for 5 minutes at 160 °C / 325 °F before crumbling it to get a crunchier crust.

Substitutions

You can replace hake with another firm white fish. If queso chanco is unavailable, use a semi-soft melting cheese. The white wine can be omitted and replaced with the same amount of fish stock or water.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
View on Amazon