Roast monkfish fillet with red wine sauce

Method

1. Make the red wine reduction for the sauce. Melt 50g of the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the carrot, celery, onion and spices, and fry over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are well browned. Add the red wine, chicken stock, sugar and a good pinch of salt, bring to the boil and boil rapidly until reduced by about three-quarters, to about 225ml. Strain into a clean pan, pressing out as much liquid as you can from the vegetables, cover and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Rub the monkfish with a little of the olive oil, then season all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan, add the fish and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until nicely browned. Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper, transfer to a lightly-oiled roasting tin and roast for 10-12 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove, cover with foil and leave to rest for 3-4 minutes while you finish the sauce.

3. Bring the red wine reduction back to the boil. Blend the remaining teaspoon of butter with the flour to make a paste (beurre manié). Whisk into the sauce, a little at a time, until the sauce has taken on a good consistency – you might not need to add it all. Simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and keep hot.

4. Carve each fish slightly on the diagonal into 8 slices and overlap 4 of the slices onto each plate. Spoon some sauce around the plate and serve with the Rosemary and garlic roast potatoes and steamed spinach.