I love monkfish it is so meaty and sweet. I wish is was still as cheap as use to be when used for scampi in the olden days. We do a lovely recipe which is lemon and pepper monkfish medallions (recipe here) but we thought we would try something more wintery this time. This dish is satisfying and warming you get sweetness from the monkfish, creaminess from the beans and texture and flavour from the crumbs. I love how it is lightly spiced it does add a depth and warmth of flavour.

Ingredients

For the chorizo crust

• 6 baby cooking chorizo, skin removed and sliced thinly
• 1tsp unsalted butter
• 100g wholegrain bread, crusts removed
• ½tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

For the monkfish

• 2 fillets  monkfish tail
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

For the spiced beans

• 1 tin butter beans
• 1 shallot, peeled and sliced
• ¼ bunch thyme
• 200ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1tsp smoked paprika
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 10 ripe cherry tomatoes

Method

1. Place all the ingredients for the chorizo crust into a food processor and whiz until a paste has formed..
2. Heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a moderate to high heat. Add the sliced shallot and the garlic and cook until soft. Add in the turmeric, paprika and cumin and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes, butter beans, thyme and stock. Allow to simmer gently while you cook the monkfish.
4. To cook the monkfish, heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat. Brown lightly all over, then add the butter and continue cooking for around 5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Once cooked remove and cover with foil to rest.
5. To make the crumb, add the paste to the pan you cooked the monkfish in and fry for a few minutes until golden and crispy. To serve, spoon the bean mixture between two warm bowls, add the rested monkfish and top with the crumb.