Monkfish with Aubergine Caponata
One-pot dishes like these really do rely on good quality store cupboard essentials.
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
20
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
40
MINUTES
Ingredients
For the monkfish:
Monkfish tail skinned, 680g whole tail or 170 per portion cut into 2 inch chunks
2tb rapeseed oil
Fine sea salt
For the caponata:
2 aubergines cut into 2cm chunks
4tb olive oil
1 onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic finely sliced
1sprig of thyme chopped
6 anchovies chopped
1 sprig of rosemary chopped
2tsp smoked paprika
2tb tomato puree
1x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tb capers drained
1 handful of black olives
Sea salt and black pepper to season
Extra virgin olive oil to finish
Method
Place a heavy based pot on medium high heat. Working in batches cook the chunks of aubergine in the 2tb of olive oil until golden brown.
Add the remaining two tablespoon of olive oil to the same saucepan and cook the diced onion, sliced garlic on medium low heat for 4 minutes until softened.
Add the chopped thyme, rosemary and anchovies and cook for 2 minutes.
Next, add the tomato puree and smoked paprika to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes on medium low heat until reduced.
Reintroduce the already cooked aubergines to the stew, along with the capers and black olives. Mix well and taste before seasoning with sea salt and cracked back pepper.
Set aside and keep warm and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil when serving.
To cook the monkfish:
Pat the monkfish dry with kitchen paper and season with fine sea salt.
Preheat your frying pan of choice on a medium high heat for 2 minutes.
Add the 2tablespoons of rapeseed oil to the preheated pan.
Place the fish in the pan laying the pieces of fish away from you. Allow to cook for 3 minutes on one side undisturbed. Once Golden on one side carefully turn the pieces over and cook on the other side for a further two minutes. If cooking the monkfish on the bone place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for a further 3 minutes.
Serve immediately with the caponata.
