Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Merluza a la Vasca
313 kcal a serving, against 398 for the traditional version. That is 85 kcal off, or 21%, with 39.3g of protein. Serves 4. 35 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Thick hake steaks, bone in, cooked in a wide pan with a good slug (80g) of olive oil, garlic and lots of flat-leaf parsley. Clams go in for flavour and theatre, plus a couple of spears of canned asparagus. The sauce comes together as the oil and fish juices emulsify. Traditionally eaten with crusty bread to mop up every last drop, and usually washed down with txakoli if you've got it.
What changed, and what each change costs
Olive oil halved, sauce thickened with cornflour
Most of the fat in this dish is from the olive oil. Halving it saves a huge chunk, but you can't get the sauce to thicken properly without the fish and oil working together. So I cheat: just a pinch of cornflour, loosened in a splash of cold water.
What it costs you. The sauce loses its silk and the shine. There's a faint starchy feel you can't kid yourself about, and the emulsion just doesn't have the same depth. But the parsley and garlic still punch through, and the fish keeps its starring role.
Hake left as is, clams and asparagus unchanged
The fish here is already lean, and the clams bring lovely brininess and a bit of protein for not much fuss. Cutting either would only make the dish meaner, not leaner.
What it costs you. No loss here except maybe to your wallet if you're buying clams in the UK. But it's worth it for the drama when they open.
Bread left out (sorry)
Traditionally you'd drag a crust through the sauce. If you're cutting, save that move for your next night out.
What it costs you. No one will thank you for skipping the bread, but that's the deal. Leave it off the table, or serve up toasted pitta and expect complaints.
White wine kept but cut to 80g
Some versions use a hearty pour. I've kept just enough to make the sauce lively, but not enough to need a nap after.
What it costs you. Barely noticeable unless you're the one paying for the bottle.
Pinch of cornflour added
A tiny amount thickens what the reduced oil can't manage.
What it costs you. You can't fool anyone into thinking it's the original, but it's better than a green puddle.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 398 | 313 |
| Protein | 39.3g | 39.3g |
| Fat | 22.2g | 12.2g |
| Saturated fat | 3.1g | 1.7g |
| Carbohydrate | 5.3g | 6.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 9.9g | 12.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Spanish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, fish, molluscs, sulphites.
The method is in the book
If you want the best, you'll need the oil and the bread and someone else to clear up after you. This version still sings with parsley and garlic, and you genuinely won't mind after the first forkful unless you're Basque with a grandmother in the business. The sauce isn't as glossy and the mouthfeel is thinner, but the hake is spot on, and no one at the table will ask for seconds of olive oil.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Spanish, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.