Sous vide monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, with red wine jus, lemon sabayon and cockles

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Sous vide Monkfish wrapped in Parma ham is a wonderful way to enjoy this sweet fish, as the saltiness of the ham provides a lovely contrast to the delicate cooking and taste of monkfish fillet. Chris Horridge's recipe shows real flair, incorporating both a bold red wine jus and frothy lemon sabayan for perfect balance. A real showstopper of a fish dish for a dinner party or special occasion.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Monkfish wrapped in Parma ham

Lemon sabayon

Cockles

Red wine jus

  • 750ml of red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 125g of shallots, finely sliced
  • 50g of butter
  • 325g of button mushrooms, finely sliced
  • 250ml of brown chicken stock, boiled
  • 250ml of white chicken stock, boiled
  • 40ml of Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar
  • 20ml of whipping cream
  • 1 pinch of black pepper
  • 1.5g of tarragon
  • 1 pinch of sugar
  • 10ml of red wine essence

Equipment

  • Sous vide or water bath
  • Sugar thermometer

Method

1
Begin this monkfish recipe by starting with the red wine jus. Boil the red wine to 200ml to reduce. Lightly colour the sliced shallots in 25g of butter, then add 175g of sliced mushrooms and continue to colour until golden. Do not over caramelise. Heat both the stocks to boiling in a separate pan. Boil the vinegar for 5 minutes in another pan
2
Add the boiled vinegar to the cooked mushrooms and add another 75g of sliced mushrooms and the reduced red wine. Bring to the boil, skimming off any scum, and cook for 20 minutes. Pass through a chinois back into a pan
3
Pour the hot stocks into the strained red wine mixture and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and leave to reduce to a thin sauce consistency. Then add the remaining mushrooms and cream
4
Add the seasoning, tarragon and sugar and red wine essence. Pass through the fine chinois
5
Tidy up the monkfish tail by using a very sharp filleting knife to slice off the discoloured outer part of the fillets. Pat the fillets dry
6
Lay out the Parma ham overlapping the slices. Place the monkfish tail on the centre and roll the Parma ham around it. Tightly wrap in clingfilm to make a cylinder
7
Put the monkfish tail into a vac-pac bag, and cook sous vide in a water bath, set to 45°C, for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the fish from the bath and cut away the bag. Pat the fish dry with a cloth
8
For the sabayon, combine the egg yolks and water in bowl. Whisk with a balloon whisk over a bain-marie set to 90°C or a pan of simmering water
9
Take off the heat, then continue whisking until it reaches 70°C, it should be light and fluffy. Whisk in the butter gradually to stop it splitting. Season first with salt then lemon juice
10
Place a knob of butter into a frying pan and quickly colour the outside of the Parma ham. Remove from the pan and place on a plate with all the pan juices
11
Place sliced garlic, chopped shallot, oil, and salt in a pan and sweat gently until softened but not coloured. Add the cockles, crème fraiche and wine. Cook for exactly 1 minute on a high heat with a lid on
12
To plate, cut the monkfish wrapped in Parma ham into portions and place a piece in the centre of each plate. Spoon around some of the red wine sauce. Place some of the cockles around and then spoon over the lemon sabayon

Chris Horridge is a master of balancing unusual flavours to great effect, working at various Michelin-starred restaurants around the country and earning his own star for his kitchen garden-driven food. He is a passionate advocate of nutritious, ‘free from’ food, choosing and pairing ingredients based on their effect on the body as much as flavour.

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