Mary Berry Monkfish Recipes

GRILLED OR ROASTED MONKFISH WITH BLACK OLIVE SAUCE AND LEMON MASH

Steps:

• In a pestle and mortar or Flavour Shaker, smash up 2 teaspoons of salt with the lemon zest and rosemary and rub this all over the fish fillets. Put the fillets in a dish in the fridge and let them sit there for an hour.
• Now make your black olive sauce by mixing all the ingredients except the vinegar together. You want the sauce to have the consistency of a coarse salsa. Then carefully balance the flavours with the vinegar to taste.
• If you're roasting your monkfish, preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7 just before the fish comes out of the fridge. Pat the fish dry with some kitchen paper and then pat it with a little olive oil.
• Peel and halve your potatoes. Put them into a pot of salted, boiling water and cook until tender. Then drain and mash up with 6 tablespoons of olive oil and a good swig of milk. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. If you want to get your mash really smooth and creamy you can use a spatula to push the potato through a sieve once or twice. It doesn't make it taste any better but it will make it silky smooth, shiny and lovely. Just depends if you can be bothered, really. If it needs thinning with a little extra milk, feel free.
• To roast the monkfish, heat a large ovenproof frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the fillets in the pan for 2 minutes. Then turn them over and put the pan in your preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
• To grill, place the the butterflied fillets on a hot griddle pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness. Whichever way you cook it serve the fish and the juices with a good dollop of the mashed potato, the black olive sauce and a little rocket dressed with the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Really, really good.

SRI LANKAN-STYLE MONKFISH CURRY

Steps:

• Slice the monkfish into large chunks and pop in a non-reactive bowl, along with the turmeric, lime zest and juice and a large pinch of sea salt.
• Mix together to coat the fish, then leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Add the rice to a pan with 100ml of the coconut milk and 300ml of salted water, then cook according to the packet instructions.
• To make your sauce, peel and finely slice the onions and garlic, peel and finely chop the ginger, then slice the chillies. Roughly chop the tomatoes, keeping them separate.
• Heat a large casserole pan over a medium-high heat and add a splash of oil, the onion, ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and coloured.
• Smash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar, then stir them into the pan along with the mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek and turmeric. Fry for 1 minute.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tamarind paste or syrup, the remaining 300ml of coconut milk and 100ml of water, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break down and the sauce reduces.
• Add the monkfish to the sauce and simmer until the fish is cooked through and opaque. Remove and discard the cardamom pods, then serve with the rice on the side.

FABIENNE'S "TOMCARON" MONKFISH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, ginger, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, basil, salt and black pepper. Stir in cooking wine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.
• Stir tomatoes and apple into the pot. Increase heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until tomatoes soften and break down, about 30 minutes. Lower monkfish gently into the pot; spoon sauce over fish. Cook and stir over low heat until monkfish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes.

BACON-WRAPPED MONKFISH

Steps:

• Lay 1 monkfish tail fillet on a board, sprinkle with thyme leaves and season. Lay the other fillet on top with tapering tip in the opposite direction, so each end has one thick and one thin end butted together.
• Lay the bacon on a board, slightly overlapping and put the monkfish in the centre. Wrap the fish in the rashers so that it holds together quite firmly.
• Heat the grill for 3-5 mins. Line the grill pan, lay the monkfish on it, with the bacon joins underneath.
• Grill for about 7-10 mins until the bacon starts to crisp, then carefully turn over and cook for another 7-10 mins. At the same time, grill the tomato halves. As soon as the monkfish feels firm when pressed on top, remove and leave to stand for 5 mins. Save any pan juices from the paper and drizzle into the vinaigrette. Cut the monkfish into medallions, slightly on the diagonal. Dress the watercress salad with the vinaigrette and juices and divide between four plates. Place monkfish on top, season with pepper and serve tomatoes alongside. Nice with baby new potatoes.