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Let me guess. By the time you get in, dinner has a habit of becoming toast, soup from a carton, or something beige from the freezer. I understand. Cooking a proper meal on a weeknight can feel like a lot of faff for not much reward.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
The trouble is, that’s how good intentions slip. And what you eat is what fuels you up the stairs, through the working day and round Knole Park at the weekend.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
So here’s a dinner that does the hard work for you. One tray, about 40 minutes, very little washing up, and roughly 30g of protein on each plate.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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One-tray roast hake with butter beans and salsa verde<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
A Chef’s Take on Simple Food<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
I started my chef training at Westminster at 16, and went on to work at the Dorchester and Marco Pierre White’s Belvedere. Welcome to the real life of a chef. Or lack of.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
What those kitchens taught me is that the best food is usually the simplest. Good fish, a few fresh ingredients, cooked with care. No sugar, no fad, no nonsense.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
This is that kind of dish. It looks like something from a smart restaurant, but you can make it on a Tuesday night.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Why Hake?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
Hake is a lovely, flaky white fish with a mild, slightly sweet flavour. It’s usually a bit kinder on the purse than cod, and you’ll find it chilled or frozen in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and M&S.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
It’s soft, quick to cook and hard to get wrong. If you can’t find hake, cod loin or haddock work brilliantly.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Recipe<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
Oven:<\/span><\/strong> 200\u00b0C (180\u00b0C fan)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ingredients<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n\n2 skinless hake fillets, about 140g each<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n250g cherry tomatoes, halved<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n1 small red onion, thinly sliced<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\u00bd tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp for the fish<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n100g baby spinach<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\u00bd lemon, zest and juice<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nSea salt and freshly ground black pepper<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n\n15g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and fine stalks<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n10g fresh basil or mint leaves<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n1 tbsp capers, drained<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\u00bd small garlic clove<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n1 tsp Dijon mustard<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n1 tbsp red wine vinegar<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Method<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n\nHeat the oven to 200\u00b0C (180\u00b0C fan). Put the onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and fennel seeds in a medium roasting tin, add 2 tbsp olive oil, season, and toss together. Roast for 12 minutes, until the tomatoes start to soften and collapse.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nWhile that’s in, make the salsa verde. Finely chop the herbs, capers and garlic together on a board, then stir them into a bowl with the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and lemon zest. Season with pepper and only a pinch of salt, as the capers are already salty.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nTake the tin out and stir in the butter beans with 3 tbsp water. Lightly crush a few of the beans with a fork, as this thickens the juices into a silky sauce.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nPat the hake dry with kitchen paper, season both sides, and rub with 1 tsp olive oil. Sit the fillets on top of the beans and return to the oven for 10\u201312 minutes, until the fish is white all the way through and flakes when gently pressed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nLift the fish onto a warm plate for a moment. Stir the spinach into the hot beans until it wilts, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and check the seasoning.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\nSpoon the beans, tomatoes and spinach into two warm, shallow bowls. Sit the hake on top and spoon over the salsa verde.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n
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<\/p>\nChef’s tip.<\/span><\/strong> Make your salsa verde by hand, not in a blender. A blender bruises the herbs and turns it into a murky pur\u00e9e, while chopping keeps it bright, fresh and full of texture. And once the fish is in the tray, leave it alone. Every poke and prod breaks up those lovely big flakes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Why This Works for Strength and Energy<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
Protein.<\/span><\/strong> Your muscles need a steady supply of protein to repair and get stronger, whether you’re 25 or 85. Hake and butter beans together give you roughly 30g a plate, which is a proper helping.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Hydration.<\/span><\/strong> Tomatoes, spinach, lemon and those bean juices all add water to your meal. Even mild dehydration can leave you tired and foggy, so food that helps counts.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Fibre.<\/span><\/strong> Butter beans bring fibre to keep things moving and keep you full, so you’re not raiding the biscuit tin at 9pm.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
No sugar.<\/span><\/strong> Not a grain of it. Just real food that tastes of something.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
It’s that simple. It really is.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Food Is Only Half the Story<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
The truth is, protein on its own won’t build you stronger legs. Your muscles need a reason to use it, and that reason is regular, sensible strength work.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
That’s where I come in. I’m a 100% mobile personal trainer, and I train people in their own homes across Sevenoaks, Riverhead, Otford, Kemsing, Dunton Green, Seal, Borough Green, Platt and Weald.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A Relaxed First Chat<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
If you’d like to feel stronger and fitter this winter, the first step is an informal home visit. We’ll have a cup of tea, talk about what you want to achieve, and see where you are.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
No pressure. No commitment. Just a chat.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
Absolutely. Defrost it overnight in the fridge, then pat it very dry before cooking, as frozen fish holds more water.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
What can I use instead of butter beans?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n