Monkfish with lemon dressing

Raymond Blanc's monkfish is superbly lemony and finished with almonds and coriander. Swap the dressing for rocket wilted in a little olive oil and water if you prefer

Cook:1 hrs 15 mins
Ready in 1½ hrs, plus 6 hours marinating

Serves 4
More effort

Nutrition per serving

kcal 467
fat 37g
saturates 5g
carbs 11g
sugars 4g
fibre 1g
protein 25g
salt 0.07g

Ingredients

4 boneless monkfish medallions, about 140g/5oz each
1 stalk lemongrass, bashed and finely chopped
4 lime leaves, chopped
1 tsp lemon thyme leaves
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying
handful wild rocket leaves, to serve
strips of zest from 2 lemons, pith removed
25g caster sugar
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted, then ground
½ tsp black onion seeds
2 tbsp currants
4 tbsp whole blanched almonds
2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander

Tip

Substitutes for monkfish

You can use other firm-fleshed fish such as John Dory or turbot in this recipe.

Side dish

Try pairing this with Raymond Blanc's almond & cinnamon rice.

Method

Place the monkfish in a bowl with the lemongrass, lime leaves, lemon thyme and olive oil. Cover and chill for 6 hrs to marinate.
Meanwhile, make the lemon dressing. Chop the strips of lemon zest into small dice and tip into a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then drain. In a small saucepan, cook the blanched lemon zest with the sugar in 140ml water for about 5 mins. Drain the lemon zest and mix together with the remaining ingredients and 2 tbsp water. Taste and season, if you like.
About 20 mins before you’re ready to eat, remove the monkfish from the marinade and lightly season. Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the monkfish medallions for 4 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 4 mins. To serve, reheat the Almond & cinnamon rice (see recipe right), and gently warm the dressing, adding more water if needed. Place the rice in the centre of the plate, sit the monkfish medallions on top and spoon the dressing over the monkfish and around the plate, scatter with rocket leaves and serve.