Home Chef - Series 5 Episode 2 MONKFISH WITH GNOCCHI, WILD MUSHROOMS, SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND SAFFRON VELOUTÉ Monkfish is a firm-textured fish and is very popular with our customers. The velouté goes well with any fish, as its flavour isn t too overpowering. The gnocchi also works well on its own with a parmesan foam as a starter or light supper. Serves 4 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 4 x 175g (6oz) monkfish tails, trimmed 16 baby carrots 4 baby leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm (1/2in) lengths 1 tbsp softened butter 100g (4oz) wild mushrooms, trimmed and quartered or halved, depending on their size (such as Piedmont, girolles and cepes) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper wilted spinach (page 233), to serve 16 potato gnocchi (page 231) sun-dried tomato and saffron velouté (page 258), to serve fresh micro coriander and basil, to garnish Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F/gas mark 6). Heat 1 tablespoon of the rapeseed oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and sear the monkfish pieces all over for 3 4 minutes, until crisp and golden. Transfer to the oven and roast for another 10 12 minutes, until firm to the touch and just cooked through. Keep warm. Using a vegetable peeler, peel and trim the baby carrots into cones. Blanch in a pan of boiling salted water for 4 minutes, then drain and quickly refresh under cold running water. Blanch the baby leeks in a separate pan of boiling salted water, then drain and quickly refresh under cold running water. Meanwhile, heat 2 frying pans over a medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil to one of them with 1 teaspoon of the butter and then tip in the mushrooms. Sauté for 2 3 minutes, until just cooked through and tender. Season to taste and keep warm. 1 P a g e
Add the rest of the butter to the other frying pan and sauté the carrot cones and baby leeks for a minute or so, until just warmed through. To serve, spoon the spinach onto each warmed plate. Slice each piece of monkfish in half and arrange on top. Scatter around the gnocchi, wild mushrooms, carrot cones and baby leeks. Spoon over the sun-dried tomato and saffron velouté and garnish with the micro coriander and basil. WINE A rich, full-bodied Chardonnay from South Africa or Oregon or try a dry rosé from Spain or France. WILTED SPINACH Serves 6 100g (4oz) butter 550g (1lb 4oz) spinach, tough stalks removed pinch of caster sugar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat a pan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once it has stopped foaming, quickly sauté the spinach with the sugar until soft and wilted. Season to taste and drain well on kitchen paper to remove the excess moisture. Return to the pan and keep warm. Use as required. This can be made up to 24 hours in advance, then cooled and kept on kitchen paper on a plastic tray covered with clingfilm in the fridge until needed. Place in a pan and reheat gently, stirring occasionally. 2 P a g e
POTATO GNOCCHI Serves 12 (makes about 60 pieces) 350g (12oz) potatoes, washed (such as Maris Piper) 100g (4oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives sea salt and freshly ground white pepper 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 75g (3oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 25g (1oz) butter 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp ricotta cheese Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F/gas mark 6). Boil or steam the potatoes in their skins until just cooked through. Drain and quickly peel them while they are still hot, wearing gloves. Cut each potato into quarters and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes to dry them out, then mash until smooth a potato ricer is best for this. Mix the mashed potato with the flour, Parmesan, egg yolk, ricotta and chives and season to taste. Do not overmix or the gnocchi will be tough. Place the potato mixture on a plate and cover loosely with clingfilm and chill for at least 1 hour, until firm. Dust the work surface with flour. Using your hands, roll out the potato mixture into long cigar shapes about 1cm (1/2in) thick, then cut into 2.5cm (1in) lengths you should end up with about 60 pieces in total. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then add the gnocchi in batches and simmer for 2 3 minutes, until they have risen to the top and are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of iced water while you cook the rest. This step is important for the texture of the gnocchi. When all the gnocchi are cooked, drain on kitchen paper. Heat a frying pan with the oil over a medium heat. Add the butter and once it s foaming and lightly browned, add the gnocchi. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until light golden, turning regularly. Season lightly with salt and keep warm. Use as required. 3 P a g e
The potato gnocchi can be made 24 hours in advance and even blanched, then left to cool completely and arranged on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed. Pan-fry as described, remembering that they will take a little longer if they ve come straight from the fridge. They also freeze well. SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND SAFFRON VELOUTÉ Makes about 500ml (18fl oz) 1 tsp softened butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 150ml (1/4 pint) white wine 2 tsp tomato purée large pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water 50g (2oz) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable (page 252) or fish stock (page 254) 150ml (1/4 pint) cream 150ml (1/4 pint) milk sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until softened but not coloured. Stir in the wine, tomato purée and saffron mixture. Simmer on a medium heat for about 5 minutes to reduce by half, then add the sun-dried tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and milk and simmer for another 8 10 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened. Blitz with a hand blender or food processor, then pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan, squeezing the pulp dry with the back of a spoon and discarding. Season to taste, then return to a pan, cover and set aside until needed. Keep warm and use as required. This will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge in a rigid plastic container. It can also be frozen. 4 P a g e
VEGETABLE STOCK Makes about 1.2 litres (2 pints) 2 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) dry white wine 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 1 fresh thyme sprig 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm (1/2in) dice 1 bay leaf 1 star anise 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 1 tsp pink peppercorns 1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm (1/2in) dice 1 tsp coriander seeds pinch of salt 1 garlic bulb, sliced in half crossways Place all the ingredients in a large pan and cover with 1.75 litres (3 pints) cold water. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer, then remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Either set aside to marinate for 2 days in a cool place, or if you re short of time, strain through a sieve. Taste if you find the flavour isn t full enough, return to the pan and reduce until you are happy with it. Leave to cool completely and transfer to a plastic jug with a lid and store in the fridge until needed. Use as required. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in 600ml (1 pint) cartons and defrost when you need it. FISH STOCK Makes about 1.2 litres (2 pints) 250g (9oz) white fish trimmings and/or bones (such as lemon sole, brill or plaice bones) 3 leeks, trimmed and chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 fennel bulb, chopped large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped 175ml (6fl oz) dry white wine Rinse the fish bones and trimmings of any blood, which would make the stock look cloudy and taste bitter. Place into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot with the leeks, carrots, fennel and parsley. Pour in the white wine, then add 2.4 litres (4 pints) cold water to cover the fish and vegetables. Place on a high heat and bring to a simmer. After 5 minutes, remove the scum 5 P a g e
that forms on the surface with a spoon and discard. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes, skimming as necessary. At the end of the cooking time, remove the stock from the heat and strain, discarding the fish trimmings and the vegetables. Cool and store in a plastic covered jug in the fridge and use as required. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, once the stock is made you can reduce it further and then freeze it in ice cube trays (freezing it this way means you can defrost as little or as much as you need at a time). For other recipes from the Home Chef Series please go to Home Chef Series 5 Website 6 P a g e