Singing praises of monkfish
MONKFISH AND MUSSEL BROTH
BROUGHT up in a Scots-Italian family near Edinburgh, Carina Contini is extremely passionate about food. Along with her husband Victor, Carina runs the multi-award winning Contini Ristorante, Cannonball Restaurant and The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant in Edinburgh.
Her first book, Carina Contini’s Kitchen Garden Cookbook, was published in April 2014.
Of this recipe, she says: “Despite being Italian, surprisingly we eat very little garlic. If I make this dish with garlic I feel it oozes from my pores for days. So, if I’m speaking to Victor, no garlic. If I’m trying to get my point across, then garlic may be required.
“If you are feeling brave, you can use a little wild garlic for an extra kick. Monkfish is good for this recipe as it holds its shape when cooked.” Serves 2 Ingredients 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Small knob of unsalted butter 2 spring onion, finely sliced A splash of dry white wine 100ml double cream 250g monkfish tail, skin and bones removed and cut into large pieces 100g large Shetland or West Coast mussels, barnacles and beards removed Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 2-3 leaves of wild garlic, finely chopped (optional) Toasted sourdough or country bread, to serve
METHOD
1 Put the olive oil and butter in a large pan. Heat until they bubble, then add half the spring onions. Cook for a few minutes to release the flavours, then add the white wine. Cook until the alcohol has been cooked off, then add the cream. 2 Cook over a low heat for a few minutes until the cream comes to a simmer, then add the monkfish and mussels. Cover with a lid and steam for about five minutes until all the mussels have opened. 3 Add the remaining spring onions, wild garlic, if using, and parsley. Season to taste with salt. Serve with some toasted sourdough or country bread to soak up all the lovely juices.