Pan Fried Monkfish, Creamy Brandade: Today show

Make your brandade and fennel salad before you fry your monkfish.

Brandade of white fish

Suitable for Cod, Haddock, Whiting, Pollock, Hake, Plaice

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp spoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic- sliced
• 1 small onion
• 2 medium sized potatoes
• 1 fillet of fresh white fish (approx. 250g)
• 125 ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and white pepper
• squeeze lemon juice
• honey
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel saucepan, add the garlic and fry over a low heat until it starts to turn golden.  
2. Add the sliced onions, covered with a lid and cook gently for 10 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the potatoes and sweat for 2-3 mins, barely cover with milk, put a lid on and cook on a low heat until the potatoes are just tender.
4. Add the fish and cook stirring gently until the fish is flaky and translucent.
5. Puree with a stick blender or in a food processor.
6. Slowly incorporate the extra virgin olive oil whilst still blitzing along with salt, pepper, honey and lemon juice. 
7. Do not over process as the consistency should be that of runny, lumpy, mashed potato. 

Fennel salad

Ingredients:

• 3 heads of fennel, trimmed and shredded
• 1 orange, segmented and cut, with the juice reserved in a bowl
• a handful of chopped dill
• a very small pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 1 capful of Pernod
• 100ml of pure olive oil
• a pinch of sugar.
• salt 
• mix everything together and taste for balance

Monkfish

• 4 small monkfish fillets approx 120g each (trimmed and patted dry)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• a sprig of Rosemary 
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil until gently smoking.
2. Gently add your monkfish to the pan and fry on a medium high heat for 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets,turning periodically.
3. When nearly ready add the butter, Rosemary, salt and pepper .
4. Swirl everything around in the pan and remove from the heat.
5. Meanwhile warm the brandade and spoon onto warm plates, place the monkfish on top and the crisp fennel salad along side