If you don't fancy turkey this year, or if you're catering for pescatarians, the this recipe is for you! Delicious monkfish is cooked in a champagne sauce to make it extra luxurious for the festive season.
learn monkfish tail (1.25-1.5kg), skinned and filleted to give 2 x 400-500g fillets
2Tbsp.
olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2Tbsp.
finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra to scatter
Finely grated zest 1/2 lemon
6
-8 Parma ham slices
2
medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2
garlic cloves
2
bay leaves
300ml
hot chicken or vegetable stock
25g
butter
1
echalion shallot, finely chopped
400ml
Champagne
200ml
double cream
2Tbsp.
baby (non-pareille) capers, drained
1/2
-1tsp sugar, to taste
You will need
Kitchen string
Directions
Step 1Pat the monkfish fillets dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then scatter over the
dill, lemon zest and some seasoning, and rub to
coat. Put a large piece of clingfilm horizontally on
a work surface. Lay the ham slices vertically and
side-by-side, overlapping the edges slightly, to
make a rectangle just longer than 1 of the fillets.
Step 2Place the fillets across the bottom of the ham
‘top to tail’, so that there is a thick fillet end and
a thin end together on both sides (adjust the
ham if needed). Starting from the fish end, and
using the clingfilm to help you, roll up the fillets
tightly in the ham, keeping the fillets together.
Secure in place along the length with kitchen
string. Wrap tightly in the clingfilm, twisting the
ends like a cracker to seal and give a good shape.
Chill until needed.
Step 3Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or
shallow casserole dish over low-medium heat.
Add onions and a pinch of salt and cook for
10min, stirring occasionally, until softened. Finely
slice 1 garlic clove, add to the onions with the
bay leaves and cook for 2min. Add 200ml stock,
cover and bring to a simmer. Bubble gently
for 10min, then remove from heat and season.
Step 4Melt the butter in a separate large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Carefully remove
the clingfilm from the monkfish. Fry the monkfish
for 1-2min, turning gently, until lightly browned.
Transfer to the onion pan/casserole and roast in
oven for 12-15min, until the fish is cooked through
and opaque. Remove and keep warm, if needed.
Step 5While the monkfish is cooking, make the
sauce. Return frying pan to low heat, crush
the remaining garlic and add to the pan with the
shallot; cook gently for 5min, until softened.
Add the Champagne and remaining 100ml stock,
bring to the boil and bubble vigorously until
reduced by 1/2. Stir in the cream and bubble until
well-reduced and the sauce coats the back of a
spoon. Stir in the capers and season with salt,
freshly ground black pepper and sugar, if needed.
Step 6Scatter some dill over the monkfish and onions
and serve with the sauce on the side.
Per serving:
Calories: 611
Protein: 43g
Total fat: 41g
Saturates: 22g
Carbs: 8g
Total sugars: 7g
Fibre: 2g
Our favourite fish recipes to be enjoyed on any day of the week, not just Friday!
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