Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Merluza a la Gallega

Singapore-style Merluza a la Gallega: poached hake with waxy potatoes and smoky pimentón, finished with garlicky olive oil for a simple, family-style main.

Merluza a la Gallega

About this dish

Merluza a la Gallega is a humble Galician dish of hake and potatoes dressed in smoky paprika olive oil; in Singapore it makes for a light, elegant family-style main that sits comfortably alongside steamed rice or crusty bread. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners in a Tiong Bahru flat or a relaxed East Coast dinner at home when you want something fuss-free but full of flavour.

The dish highlights soft, flaky hake (merluza) gently poached so it stays moist, paired with waxy potatoes that soak up the paprika-garlic oil. The flavour profile is savory, slightly smoky from Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika), garlicky and brightened with lemon and parsley — think comforting, clean seafood notes rather than heavy sauces. Locals can add a chilli padi or a spoonful of sambal for a Singaporean heat twist, or use the sauce as a dressing for a kopitiam-style salad.

I like serving this family-style, plated in the centre for everyone to help themselves — a bit like sharing a zi char dish. It’s also great for potlucks and casual dinner parties: the recipe scales easily and many ingredients are available at NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or the wet market. Leftovers reheat gently in a splash of the reserved potato water to keep the hake tender.

Ingredients

  • 600 g merluza (hake) fillets or steaks, skin on or off, cut into portions
  • 500 g waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or local potatoes), peeled and cut into 2–3 cm thick slices
  • 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón dulce or a mix sweet and hot if you like heat)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 400 ml fish stock or water (reserve some potato cooking liquid if preferred)
  • 1 tbsp dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to finish
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
  • 1 small red chilli or 1–2 bird's eye chillies, sliced (optional Singapore chilli twist)
  • Optional: 50 g thinly sliced chorizo or cured ham for a smoky meaty note (find at Cold Storage or specialty delis)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prep potatoes: place potato slices in a pot, cover with cold salted water and bring to a gentle boil; simmer for 10–12 minutes until just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and reserve about 100 ml of the cooking liquid.
  2. Make poaching liquid: in a wide shallow pan combine 400 ml fish stock (or water) with 1 tbsp white wine (if using), 1 bay leaf and a pinch of salt; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  3. Poach the hake: slide hake pieces into the simmering liquid, making sure they are covered; poach over low to medium-low heat for 4–6 minutes depending on thickness, until opaque and flaky. Remove fish gently onto a warmed plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
  4. Prepare paprika-garlic oil: while the fish cooks, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan or ladle over low heat; add sliced garlic and cook gently until soft and pale golden (do not burn), then remove from heat and stir in the smoked paprika and sliced chilli if using — the residual heat releases the paprika aroma. If using chorizo, fry briefly first in the oil for extra smoky flavour.
  5. Assemble with potatoes: reheat the drained potatoes briefly in the poaching liquid or steam them for a minute so they are warm; arrange the potatoes on a serving platter and place the poached hake on top or alongside.
  6. Finish and dress: spoon the warm paprika-garlic oil evenly over the fish and potatoes so the sauce glazes them. Scatter chopped parsley, grind a little black pepper and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and lemon wedges.
  7. Taste and adjust: try a small piece and adjust with extra salt, lemon or a dash of fish sauce for umami if you prefer a Southeast Asian twist — like a zi char stall balancing savoury and tangy notes.
  8. Serve: offer crusty bread, steamed jasmine rice or a simple cucumber achar on the side; best served warm and family-style so everyone can share.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • If merluza is hard to find at your neighbourhood wet market, substitute with hoki, coley or frozen dory sold at NTUC FairPrice or Cold Storage — adjust poaching time for thickness.
  • Do not overheat the paprika in the oil: add the paprika off the direct heat to avoid bitterness and keep its smoky aroma intact.
  • Reserve some potato cooking liquid to loosen the sauce when reheating leftovers so the fish stays moist.
  • For a local chilli kick, add finely sliced bird's eye chilli or a teaspoon of sambal to the paprika oil before pouring over the fish.
  • Make-ahead: poach the fish and boil the potatoes an hour ahead, keep warm separately and finish with hot paprika oil just before serving.
  • Buy good-quality extra virgin olive oil and smoked pimentón (pimenton) at specialty stores or Cold Storage for an authentic flavour.
  • If serving to kids or guests sensitive to heat, leave chilli out of the oil and offer a small bowl of sliced chillies on the side.

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