Chargrilled monkfish skewers Appetising, failsafe option

FILLETING and preparing fish can be daunting, with nasty scales, spiky fins and lethal bones to negotiate. It’s an expensive ingredient so a failsafe recipe is a good option.

Monkfish is fished off our shores at this time of year. In the past it used to be thrown overboard or exported. When we were young it was cheap and often sold as “false scampi” because its flesh tastes sweet and can be deep-fried in breadcrumbs like scampi.

It’s an ugly fish with two sets of teeth in an oversized wide mouth. It feeds on the seabed on small crustaceans using its teeth to chew through the shells. The fishermen used to refer to this as a clean eater … ugly but good!

Ask your fishmonger for small monkfish tails. They are perfect for cutting into cubes and charring on a griddle.

There is a grey skin on the outside of the tail which can be easily be pulled off.

Always wash fish in cold water and dry it before preparing it. Season it and marinate the fish for a few hours before grilling to enhance the flavour . This recipe works well with salmon cubes.

CHARGRILLED MONKFISH SKEWERS

This recipe is for two skewers to serve one person.

Ingredients 6-8 cubes monkfish, cod or salmon

Sea salt Black pepper

Zest of an unwaxed lemon Extra virgin olive oil 6-8 strips red pepper 8 ripe cherry tomatoes 8 bay leaves

Sprigs fresh lemon thyme Juice of half a lemon. Dry white wine

Method

First, marinate the fish. Wash in cold water, pat dry and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Lay in a dish and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil.

Cover and leave refrigerated for an hour or two. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking

If using wooden skewers, soak them first in cold water to stop them burning.

Preheat a griddle

Cut and deseed the peppers, slicing into inch-inch wide ribbons.

Slide the monkfish carefully onto each skewer, alternating with a bay leaf and a slice of red pepper.

Grate the lemon zest over the fish and add some sprigs of fresh thyme. Squeeze on some lemon juice.

Lay on the hot griddle and cook for 5 minutes or so, turning when the fish and peppers look charred and appetising. Add the cherry tomatoes to let them roast on the griddle.

Once the other side looks well charred, add a good splash of white wine and step back to allow the fumes to evaporate.

Be careful not to overcook. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil and a final sprinkling of crunchy sea salt.