Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 4
By Matt TebbuttIngredients
For the salt-baked monkfish
- 9 free-range egg whites
- 600g/1lb 5oz coarse salt
- 500g/1lb 2oz plain flour
- 1 large monkfish tail on the bone, about 1kg/2lb 4oz in weight
- handful of spinach leaves
For the peas and broad beans
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 200g/7oz fresh peas
- 200g/7oz fresh broad beans
- 50ml/2fl oz fish or chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the lemongrass butter sauce
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 lemongrass stick, finely diced
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, diced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the watercress and spinach purée
- 300g/10½oz watercress
- 100g/3½oz spinach leaves
- 4–5 tbsp double cream
Method
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To make the monkfish, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Mix the egg whites, salt, flour and 300ml/10fl oz water in a large bowl to make a paste. Place the fish on a baking tray and cover with the spinach leaves. Pour the salt mixture over the fish and press it down all over to totally encase the fish. Bake for 15–20 minutes and leave to rest in the salt case for 5–10 minutes.
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To make the peas and broad beans, heat the butter in a frying pan and add the peas and broad beans. Cook for 2–3 minutes, add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Keep warm.
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To make the lemongrass butter sauce, place the shallots, lemongrass and wine in a small saucepan and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the vinegar and reduce the liquid down to almost nothing. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer and stir in the butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper and strain the sauce through a sieve. Keep warm.
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To make the watercress and spinach purée, blanch the watercress and spinach in boiling water until just wilted. Drain and squeeze to remove excess water. Blitz to a purée with the cream until very smooth.
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Divide the purée between four warmed plates. Remove the monkfish from the salt case and take off the spinach leaves. Slice into pieces through the bone and place these on top of the purée. Spoon the peas and broad beans mixture over the top. Finally pour over the lemongrass butter sauce and serve.
