Bourride of Monkfish

Wednesday, 15th August 2012

A Bourride is the traditional way of cooking fish here in the Languedoc. This method works particularly well with monkfish.

Ingredients (for 4)

- 1 Kilo Monkfish

- 1 Onion peeled and sliced

- 1/2 Bulb Fennel, sliced

- 4 Cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

- Sprig Thyme,

- Bayleaf

- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

- 12 slices of French Bread

- 250 ml White Wine

- 2 Egg Yolks

Aioli

- 6 Fat Cloves Garlic

- 2 Egg yolks

- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

- 250 ml. Sunflower Oil

- 250 ml Olive oil

Method

First make the Aioli. Grate or mash the garlic with a little salt. Put into a bowl with the egg yolks and mustard. Dribble in both oils in slowly as for mayonnaise.

Heat the oven to 180C. Now skin and fillet the monkfish and cut each fillet into about 3 or 4 even pieces per person, reserve the skin and bones. Sweat the onion fennel and garlic gently in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until soft. Add about 250ml of water and the white wine. Simmer these briskly together for 20 minutes and then strain off the stock. Now put the stock back on the heat and boil rapidly to reduce further (to about 200 mls). Poach the pieces of monkfish very gently in this stock for 10 minutes until just cooked.

Put the slices of bread on a baking sheet and paint lightly with olive oil. Cook in the oven until golden and crisp. Keep warm.

Divide the aioli into two bowls, add the two extra yolks to one and whisk in. Bring the stock back to the boil and add it a spoonful at a time to this aioli. When half the stock has been whisked in pour back into the pan and heat gently, whisking all the time until it thickens a little- do not let it boil.

Put the pieces of Monkfish on the crisped bread and put on to flat soup plates. Ladle over the thickened stock and serve. Serve any remaining soup and the extra aioli on the side.