Stuffed Monkfish Recipe - Great British Chefs

Monkfish with sage, cranberry and pine nut stuffing

Main
medium
4
2 hours 30 minutes, plus chilling

PT2H30M

Nathan Outlaw creates a sophisticated option in the run-up to Christmas, this dish sees meaty monkfish filled with a herby sausage meat stuffing and tightly wrapped in a neat jacket of bacon.

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Ingredients

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Monkfish

4 monkfish fillets, each weighing 250g
12 smoked streaky bacon slices
1 knob of unsalted butter
2 tbsp of olive oil
8 sage leaves
Cornish sea salt

Stuffing

2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
20g of unsalted butter
300g of sausage meat
1 egg
1 lemon, zested
3 tsp sage, chopped
50g of dried cranberries
30g of pine nuts, toasted
3 tbsp of breadcrumbs
Cornish sea salt
pepper

Orange and thyme dressing

250g of unsalted butter
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 orange, zested
100ml of red wine
50ml of port
50ml of red wine vinegar
2 shallots, chopped
1 pinch of sugar
100g of cranberries
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
20g of pine nuts
Cornish sea salt
pepper
1 garlic clove

Garnish

2 Maris Piper potatoes
36 Brussels sprouts
10 chestnuts, roasted and peeled
3 tbsp of rapeseed oil
2 tbsp of sage, chopped
2 knobs of unsalted butter
Cornish sea salt
pepper

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To make the stuffing, cook the onions and garlic in the butter until softened. Allow to cool. Mix into the sausage meat. Add the egg, lemon zest, sage, cranberries, pine nuts and breadcrumbs

2 onions
1 garlic clove
20g of unsalted butter
300g of sausage meat
1 egg
1 lemon
3 tsp sage
50g of dried cranberries
30g of pine nuts
3 tbsp of breadcrumbs

Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Chill until needed

To prepare the monkfish, trim the skin and membrane from the fish, then lay each fillet down on a chopping board

4 monkfish fillets

To make a tunnel for the stuffing, insert the tip of a sharp knife through the centre of the fish down its length, making sure not to cut through the outside

Use the knife blade to make a pocket in the fish then push the stuffing into the monkfish. Remove the rind from the bacon and then wrap the bacon around the fish

12 smoked streaky bacon slices

Lay each piece of monkfish onto a piece of cling film long enough to tie at each end. Wrap the fish tightly – they will be immersed in water - and knot the ends. Chill

To make the dressing, heat the butter, garlic and the thyme together until the butter starts to turn brown. Remove from the heat, add the orange zest and leave the butter to cool and separate

250g of unsalted butter
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 garlic clove
1 orange, zested

Pour off the clear butter and discard the remaining buttermilk and flavourings

In a separate pan, reduce the wine, port, vinegar, shallots and sugar until the mixture is syrupy. Mix the syrup and the butter together and add the cranberries, chopped garlic, thyme and pine nuts

100ml of red wine
50ml of port
50ml of red wine vinegar
2 shallots
1 pinch of sugar
100g of cranberries
1 garlic clove
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
20g of pine nuts

Bring back to a simmer for a minute to soften the cranberries. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm

To make the garnish, dice the potato into 1cm cubes and cook in simmering water for 5 minutes or until just tender, then drain thoroughly

2 Maris Piper potatoes

Trim and blanch the Brussels sprouts and chop the chestnuts. Heat a sauté pan and add some oil. When the oil is hot add the potatoes and start to colour all over

36 Brussels sprouts
10 chestnuts
2 tbsp of rapeseed oil

After 1 minute, add the sprouts and continue to cook. When the potatoes and sprouts are golden add the chestnuts, sage and a knob of butter. Season and drain off any excess butter. Keep warm

1 tbsp of sage
1 knob of unsalted butter

To cook the fish, bring a large pan of water to the simmer. Place the fish, still in the cling film casing, into the water and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the water and rest for 5 minutes

Put a non-stick pan onto the heat and add a little oil. Cut the fish out of the cling film, reserving the juices for the dressing. Add the fish to the pan, season with salt and colour until golden

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil
Cornish sea salt

Finish with a knob of butter and a few sage leaves. Remove from the pan and drain off any excess butter. Add the juices from the fish to the dressing

1 knob of unsalted butter
8 sage leaves

To plate, spoon the vegetable garnish onto four warm plates in equal portions. Slice each piece of monkfish into 3 pieces and lay these on top, and spoon over the warm dressing

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