Monkfish soup

Ingredients

• 3 monkfish tails, about 350g each (approximately 1.05kg total),
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 325g fresh fish stock
• 150g chicken stock1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 125ml dry white wine1 lemon
• 100g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 25g butter
• generous pinch saffron
• 2 bay leaves
• black pepper

Method

Heat half the olive oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Brown the monkfish over a medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes on each side, working in batches if necessary, then remove and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil and onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saffron and cook for another minute.

Pour in the white wine and cook for 1–2 minutes, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the chopped tomatoes, fish stock, chicken stock, cannellini beans and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Return the monkfish to the pan and simmer gently for about 5–7 minutes, until just cooked through.

Remove the bay leaves and stir through the butter and most of the parsley. Add plenty of black pepper.

Scatter over the remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.