pan fried monkfish with mussels
Recipes

Pan fried monkfish with mussels
This is fish and seafood lovers' paradise - a meaty monkfish supper with mussels, saffron and lemongrass.
Ingredients
- 500g/1lb monkfish tail
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 50g/2oz butter
- 200g/7oz mussels, cleaned and de-bearded (discard any mussels that do not close tightly when tapped)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, cut in half, bruised
- 50g/2oz root ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- pinch saffron strands
- 150ml/5fl oz whipping cream
- 1 small bunch fresh chervil, finely chopped
- 1 lime, zest only
- 2 courgettes, sliced lengthways into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Directions
- Season the monkfish tail with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil and all of the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the monkfish for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through.
- Remove the monkfish from the pan to a plate, cover with cling film and set aside to rest.
- Meanwhile, heat a large, lidded saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add the mussels, then cover the pan with the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels start to open.
- Add the lemongrass, ginger, chilli, saffron and half of the whipping cream and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring well. Simmer for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the mussels have all opened (discard any mussels that have not opened during cooking).
- Whip the remaining cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
- Strain the cooked mussels through a sieve, collecting the cooking liquid in a clean pan. Place the pan over a medium heat and add any juices from the rested monkfish.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the volume of the liquid is 110ml/4fl oz.
- Stir the whipped cream, chervil and lime zest into the hot cream sauce, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Pick the meat from half of the mussels and add to the sauce. Add the remaining mussels, shells on, to the same pan. Keep warm.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the courgette ribbons and garlic and stir-fry for two minutes, or until the courgette has just wilted.
- To serve, carve the monkfish into thick slices and place into the centre of each of four serving bowls. Spoon the courgettes alongside then spoon the mussels and sauce on top.