One year, on holiday in France we ate monkfish with a green peppercorn sauce at a restaurant in La Rochelle. I loved it and tried to duplicate it after returning home. I have since discovered pink peppercorns (which aren’t really peppercorns at all) and prefer their more delicate, slightly fruity taste. So, here is the current incarnation of the recipe.
Planning
| serves: | 2 |
| preparation time: | 15 mins |
| cooking time: | 40 mins |
Ingredients
- 1 monkfish tail, skinned
- ½ carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ rib celery, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tsp pink peppercorns (in brine, not dried)
- 1 oz butter
- 5 fl oz single cream
- salt and pepper
Method
First, fillet the monk tail. Make a small amount of stock (about 5 fl oz) by simmering the bone together with the carrot, shallot, celery and 1 tsp peppercorns for 20 mins.
Select a saute pan with a lid and in it melt the butter over medium heat. Put in the monk fillets cut side down and cook them unril lightly tinged. Flip them over and cook them for about 1 minute on the other side. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for about 5 mins or until just done. Remove them from the pan, reserving the liquid which should have accumulated, and keep them warm while you make the sauce.
Add 5 fl oz stock to the liquid in the saute pan, increase the heat and bring it to the boil. Add the remaining 1 tsp peppercorns and boil to reduce the liquid by about half. Stir in the cream and bring to the boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (which you may not need).
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