Gigot of monkfish with roast lemon salsa verde

SERVES 6

Diana Henry uses monkfish in this recipe. If you’re keen to stick to species that are sustainable, this would also work well with ling.

FOR THE SALSA VERDE

1 unwaxed lemon (not too small), cut into 6 slices,

each about 3mm thick

150ml extra virgin olive oil

10 anchovies, drained of oil

15 basil leaves

15 mint leaves leaves from a small bunch of flat-leafed parsley ¼ tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and patted dry

FOR THE FISH

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.5kg monkfish tail on the bone, skinned and membrane removed 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced leaves from 4 rosemary sprigs

Preheat the oven to 150°C fan.

Put the lemon slices for the salsa verde onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cook for 25 minutes. Allow to cool a little, then peel the slices off the parchment, put them in a bowl and cover with the olive oil. Leave to soak for a few hours if you can: the oil slightly softens the rind and , in turn, the slices flavour the oil.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Put a heavy roasting tin over a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the fish and brown it all over – it will take about 5 minutes – then put it into the oven. Roast for 25 minutes; the flesh near the bone should be white, not glassy.

Make the salsa verde by putting all the ingredients, except the oil and lemon slices, in a food processor. Pulse-mix, pouring in the lemon-flavoured olive oil as you do so (but not the lemon slices yet). Scrape into a bowl. Chop the roast lemon slices and add them to the mixture, seasoning with a little pepper.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the garlic and rosemary until the garlic is golden. Serve the fish, either in the dish in which it has cooked or on a warmed platter, with the garlic and rosemary oil spooned over the top and the roast lemon salsa verde on the side.