Sautéed monkfish in brown butter with courgettes

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

Ingredients for Monkfish

• Green courgette: 1, cut into irregular sizes around 2cm/1in
• Yellow courgette: 1, cut into irregular sizes around 2cm/1in
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Medium-sized monkfish tail: 1, skin removed
• Unsalted butter: 30g/1oz
• Garlic cloves: 3, smashed
• Lime: 1, juice only
• Chopped fresh chives: 2 tbsp
• Chopped fresh tarragon: 1 tsp

Ingredients for Salad

• White beans: 1 jar, drained
• Red onion: ½, finely chopped
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Moscatel vinegar: 1 tbsp
• Grated Parmesan: 1 tbsp
• Watercress: 40g/1½oz
• Black pepper: to taste

Method

Monkfish Preparation

1. Cook the Courgettes: Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the courgettes and dry fry them for a few minutes on both sides until lightly browned. Once cooked, set them aside.
2. Cook the Monkfish: Return the pan to the heat and add the olive oil. Fry the monkfish, turning it to ensure it is evenly colored on all sides.
3. Add Flavor: Once the monkfish is browned, add the butter and smashed garlic to the pan. Baste the monkfish constantly with the melted butter and garlic as it cooks. This should take about 8 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
4. Finish with Lime and Herbs: Just before serving, squeeze in the lime juice and add the chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Salad Preparation

1. Mix Salad Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the drained white beans with finely chopped red onion, olive oil, moscatel vinegar, and grated Parmesan cheese. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.

Serving

1. Plate the Watercress: Scatter some watercress onto two plates.
2. Add Beans and Courgettes: Spoon the bean mixture with its dressing over the watercress, followed by the cooked courgettes.
3. Slice and Serve Monkfish: Slice the cooked monkfish and divide it between the plates. Drizzle with any remaining brown butter from the pan before serving.