My local fishmongers stall was a fairly depressing place when I was growing up in the outskirts of London. You could smell it long before you approached the corner where it stood. As a young boy I was probably drawn to it because I had no real idea what fresh fish actually looked like. Later, when I became a chef, I realised I was not going to find out at my local fishmongers. The different types of smoked fish and maybe a few plaice or cod fillets had usually seen better days and could hardly be classified as fresh. Bizarrely, the fishmonger invariably had furry rabbits dangling from hooks in one corner, but I guess that’s another story…
Thankfully things have changed so much these days; I go to my local fish market in Palma, and it fires me with enthusiasm and inspires me to cook with all that fresh seafood on offer. The vivid colours, the bright reds of the huge Mediterranean prawns and scorpion fish, the glistening silver of the sea bass and grouper fish and the sheer variety of wired and wonderful sea creatures in the tiny stalls dotted around the market never ceases to amaze me.
I bought some super fresh monkfish tails this week. I know monkfish isn’t known for being the prettiest of fish, with its mottled skin, huge flat head and gaping mouth filled with menacing teeth. However the flavour is sweet and mild and the flesh is firm and almost 'meaty' in texture making it a popular choice on menus. It usually comes skinned and filleted with the pinkish membrane stripped away; if this hasn’t been removed, pull it off before cooking or it will shrink around the fillet making it twist.
These simple recipes are from my cookery book; Modern Mediterranean: Sun-drenched recipes from Mallorca & beyond.
In the book, I’ve tried to take you take you on a tour of the bountiful produce of the Mediterranean and show you how to harness its flavours in new and exciting ways.
MONKFISH TAILS WITH MUSSELS, SAFFRON & TOMATOES
This recipe is so simple, Mediterranean food at its best and I love to cook this dish for friends and family and just serve it at the table. I think it works best with small monkfish tails but you can also cut a large fish into steaks.
Ingredients: Serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
4 x 220g monkfish tails
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp saffron
1⁄2 tsp paprika
250g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
350ml dry white wine
300ml fish stock (bouillon)
400g fresh mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium heat, add the monkfish and sear for 1–2 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.
2. Add the onion, garlic, saffron and paprika to the same pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the tomatoes, white and fish stock (bouillon) and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
3. Add the mussels (ensuring they are all tightly closed) and monkfish, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, until all the mussels are open (discard any that have remained closed).
4. Season to taste, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.
GRILLED SEA BREAM WITH CAULIFLOWER-ANCHOVY PURÉE & SAUCE ANTIBOISE
This recipe is from my new cookbook Modern Mediterranean-Sun drenched recipes from Mallorca & beyond.
Ingredients: serves 2
1 whole sea bream, weighing around 700g-800g (de-scaled and gutted)
100ml olive oil
Cauliflower & anchovy purée
1 small cauliflower
100ml milk
2tbsp olive oil
2 salted anchovy fillets
Sauce Antiboise
4tbsp olive oil
4 basil leaves (torn)
10 fresh coriander leaves
2 shallots (finely chopped)
4 tomatoes (peeled and diced)
½ garlic clove (crushed)
Juice of one lemon
Seasoning
1. For the sauce antiboise, mix all the ingredients together and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. For the Cauliflower & Anchovy purée, trim the cauliflower into small florets. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and add the cauliflower florets, cook gently until they start to soften and add the milk. Cook over a gentle heat until the cauliflower is just cooked.
3. Add the anchovy fillets and blend in a food processor to a smooth purée. Add a little white pepper.
4.Place the sea bream on a baking tray and brush all over with olive oil. Season well, inside and out.
5. Place under a medium grill and cook for 6 minutes, then turn and grill for another 6 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
6. To serve, carefully place the sea bream on a warm serving dish. Spoon over the sauce antiboise and serve with cauliflower-anchovy puree.
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.