26 May, 2021
Serves 4
Prep time 20 minutes plus minimum of 30 minutes chilling time
Cooking time 1 hours
INGREDIENTS
• 100g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten with a little milk
• 300g white or panko breadcrumbs
• 4 large pieces of monkfish, trimmed into neat pieces
• oil for deep-frying
GARLIC BUTTER
• 1 bulb of wet new season garlic
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely grated on a microplane
• 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 10 wild garlic leaves, finely sliced
• 2–3 tbsp flat leaf parsley
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 200°C. Wrap the bulb of wet garlic in foil. Roast for 40 mins, until soft.
Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves into a food processor with the grated garlic, butter, wild garlic leaves, parsley, salt & pepper. Blitz until smooth.
Scoop out the garlic butter into 4 portions, onto clingfilm. Shape into thumbsize nuggets. Wrap individually in cling film. Freeze for 20-30 mins.
Take 3 bowls and fill one with the seasoned flour, one with the beaten eggs and one with the breadcrumbs, ready to cover in breadcrumbs.
Using a sharp knife, make a deep cut lengthways along the longer side of each monkfish piece, to make a pocket inside.
Enlarge the hole with your finger. Fill the cavity with the frozen butter.
Plug up the hole with the fish trimmings so that the butter can’t escape.
Set the oven to 190°C. Fill 1/3rd of a wok or pan with oil. Heat to 190°C.
Coat the monkfish in the seasoned flour, then the egg, then breadcrumbs.
Coat a second time with egg and breadcrumbs. Place each Kiev, one by one into the oil cook for 4–5 minutes each, until light & golden.
Carefully transfer to a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 12–15 mins, until cooked through, crisp & brown.
Pour any excess butter over the monkfish. Serve with mash and peas. The perfect accompaniment to Dark Horse Chardonnay.
