RECIPE: MONKFISH ROASTED WITH 50 CLOVES OF GARLIC, OLIVES AND BASIL

The Rockfish Poole know how to create the perfect Monkfish dish, which is why we've shared their divine recipe below...

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 fennel bulb, very finely sliced
• Small glass dry white wine
• 50 cloves of garlic, skin on
• 250 ml / 8 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 monkfish tail weighing about 1kg / 2.2 lb prepared as above,  visit https://greensladefish.co.uk/ for delicious fresh seafood.
• 1 tsp fennel seeds finely ground
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly roasted and crushed
• 1 birds eye chilli
• Handful of black olives
• 6 tomatoes, cut in half
• a handful of basil, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper

Method

Pre heat the oven to 220c.

Take a roasting dish and spread out the fennel on the bottom, add the wine, olive oil and garlic cloves then sprinkle in the ground fennel and coriander, then crumble in the chilli and add the olives. Squeeze some juice from the tomatoes into the dish then add them. 

Season the fish with salt and pepper and rub in a little ground fennel seed all over it then sit it in the oil on top of the vegetables. Roast for 30/35 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 4 or 5 minutes, there should be a white milky juice flowing from the fish as it rests, this is the protein in the fish naturally leaking out during cooking. 

Stir in the basil, and after the oil has cooled slightly season to taste before serving whole at the table surrounded by the vegetables and with plenty of oil, olives, tomatoes and basil spooned over the top, a little lemon juice added to the oil sauce can be a good idea. You will find the fish comes easily away from the bone as everyone gets stuck in, it can be quite and occasion. I like to serve it with mashed potatoes and spinach or braised fennel.

Find out more about The Rockfish HERE!