Grilled monkfish wrapped in pancetta with parsnip mash
Impress your guests with Nathan Outlaw’s fish fillets wrapped in sage and pancetta, with a homemade lemon herb butter.
Ingredients
For the lemon and sage butter
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened
For the parsnip mash
- 4 large parsnips, unpeeled
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 4 tbsp rock salt
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the fish
- 4 monkfish or gurnard fillets (150g/5½oz each), descaled, gutted, filleted, bones removed and trimmed
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 12 slices pancetta
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the lemon and sage butter, place the chopped sage, shallot, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Add the softened butter and mix with a spatula until evenly blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lay a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and spoon the butter onto it. Wrap the butter in the paper, rolling it into a long sausage shape. This can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.
To make the parsnip mash, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Place each whole parsnip on top of a tablespoon pile of rock salt on a baking tray. Cook for 1 hour, then set aside to cool a little.
When you can handle the parsnips without burning yourself, carefully cut them lengthways and scoop the cooked flesh out into a bowl, keeping the outside skin intact.
Add the butter, Parmesan and chives to the bowl and mash with the cooked parsnip. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide the parsnip mash between the parsnip shells, then slice each in half and lay them onto a baking tray, ready to be reheated.
To make the monkfish, preheat the grill to a medium setting. Take the fish out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking as this will help you get a good even cook.
Season the fillets with salt, pepper and the lemon zest. Place three sage leaves on the skin of each fillet and then wrap three slices of pancetta around each one, encasing the sage beneath the pancetta.
Arrange the fish, skin-side up, on an oiled baking tray and place under the grill for 6 minutes. If the fish fillets are very thick, they may need another couple of minutes.
Rest for 2 minutes on the hot tray and place three thick slices of the lemon and sage butter on top of each fish fillet. Place back under the grill for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, to reheat the parsnip mash, place back into the oven at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 for 15 minutes.
To serve, warm four plates and lay two parsnip halves on each plate. Carefully lift the gurnard from the baking tray and place next to the parsnips. Share any butter left on the tray between the four plates and serve immediately.