Monkfish poached in saffron nage with langoustines, cockles and mussels

Mon, 2 November 2015

We're starting the week with a healthy dish in the kitchen.

Serves 1

170 g monkfish fillet, fully trimmed and cut into bite
size pieces
5 fresh cockles in the shell
5 fresh mussels in the shell
3 langoustines, medium-sized
75 ml turbot stock (see p. 410)
40 ml white wine
40 ml fresh cream
40 g kale, lightly blanched and refreshed
40 g spinach, lightly blanched and refreshed
10 g samphire
4 sugar snap peas, lightly blanched and refreshed
1 g powdered saffron
25 g butter
sea salt and black pepper,
freshly ground, to season

The French term à la nage translates as 'while swimming' and refers to cooking in a well-flavoured broth, especially suited to seafood cooking. The secret to a great nage is the use of superb stock made from the best flavoured bones, preferably turbot.

Into a stainless steel pan with a tight-fitting lid add the white wine, turbot stock and cream, and bring to a gentle simmer. Place the monkfish, langoustines, cockles and mussels into the pan and cover with the lid; cook gently over a low heat for about 4 minutes. Remove the lid, add the saffron powder and allow it to infuse through the nage. Add all the green vegetables, replace the lid and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked. When cooked, remove the fish and vegetables from the nage and place decoratively on a deep pre-warmed serving plate (ensure that the fish stays hot).

Turn the heat on to full and allow the nage to reduce by about half, and then add the butter using a whisk, do not allow the sauce to re-boil once the butter is added. When the butter is incorporated, pour the sauce around the monkfish and shellfish and serve immediately.