This dish is terribly simple to make, and oh so delicious! This is a dish from my adoptive land: Spain. It’s called “Rape con Salsa Costa Brava” which means Monkfish with Costa Brava Sauce. Costa Brava is the northern Mediterranean coast line between Barcelona and France. Where the Famous #1 “El Bulli”restaurant is… or was should I say… In other words, a quite special place!
Last weekend, I was actually on the Costa Brava for the birthday of my step brother, living it up by a calm and clear water creek of Joncols, at the end of the Cap Creus, right next where Salvador Dali is from. We went on a kayak tour and ended up on a big rock by the sea to check out the view… when I saw… the famous “Fonoll de Mar” or Sea Fennel in the cracks of the rocks. I took a few leaves with me, brought them back home, wash them up and then pickled them in cider vinegar and salt, for 2 days. The sea fennel grow particularly well around the mediterranean coast, may month is the prime time for it. This is the green sided herb you see in the picture, I thought it would complement my Costa Brava Sauce perfectly.
So let’s make that delicious Monkfish in Brandy sauce!
Monkfish in Brandy Sauce
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients
- 800g of Monkfish (200g each)
- 250ml fish stock
- 80ml brandy
- 350g tomato paste
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 green onion finely diced cuts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp of estragon
- 1 tsp of sugar free dark chocolate or 1 tbsp of cornstarch (mixed into cold liquid first)
- salt and pepper
- Extra, a few big prawns or shrimps
Directions
Bring the oven to 180°C (350F)
- Wash you fish, take of the skin, dry up and salt, pepper it.
- In a large pan, medium high heat, cook the monkfish in the olive oil until lightly colored on each side
- Reserve the monkfish in a oven resistant pot, which is deep enough
- Add the finely diced onion, garlic and brandy (be careful) to the pan, let flame the brandy a minute or two
- Add the fish stock, tomato fried paste (tomate frito), or simply tomato paste, estragon and let reduce the sauce for 10 minutes
- Pass the sauce through a sieve to make it smooth and uniform *optional
- Add the sauce to the fish and cook for 15 minutes in the oven at 180°C (350F)
- Fry in a pan prawns or a few shrimps to accompany the dish, 1-2 minutes on each side, season with salt and paprika (pimenton picante)
Serve on an olive oil mashed potato bed. Enjoy!