Fricassee of Monkfish and Veal Sweetbreads

— Main by Head Chef Marilena Ungureanu, Sopwell House Hotel & Spa

INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 portions

Sauce

600ml Madeira 250ml port

50g shallots, thinly sliced

2 sprigs of thyme 2 bay leaves 1L brown chicken stock

150ml double cream 50g butter

Crab Jelly

350g monkfish, sliced 2cm thick

240g veal sweetbreads, sliced 1.5cm thick and blanched in vegetable stock

100g butter (or amount to your taste) 10g dried morels (soaked in brandy) 12 new potatoes, peeled, sautéed in butter and seasoned 12 baby carrots, peeled and blanched, sautéed in butter

100g mix of peas and broad beans

12 baby leeks, blanched and sautéed in butter tarragon leaves, picked salt and pepper, to taste lemon juice, to taste 200g spinach, blanched

METHOD

1. To make the sauce, place the Madeira, port, shallots, bay leaves and thyme into a pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce by two-thirds and then add the chicken stock. 2. Bring back to a simmer and then reduce by a third. Take off the heat and pass through a fine sieve or muslin cloth.

3. Add double cream to the sauce, bring to a boil and take off the heat and whisk in the 50g butter. Set aside, to serve.

4. Season the monkfish and veal sweetbreads in butter until golden brown. Drain off the excess fat on to a paper towel.

5. Take a pot, heat the Madeira sauce and then add the monkfish, veal sweetbreads, morels, new potatoes, baby carrots, peas, broad beans, leeks and tarragon, gently warm without stirring. Season and finish off with lemon juice.

TO SERVE

1. Serve in a copper pan or pasta bowl.

2. Place the spinach on the bottom of the pan/bowl.

3. Ladle the monkfish and Madeira sauce gently on top of the spinach.

4. Garnish with more picked tarragon.

Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes