Breaded monkfish with sweet chilli Recipe | 4Food

Ollie Baxter's menu

Date Published:: 19/12/2007

Trainee magician Ollie, dazzled his Come Dine With Me guests with this spellbinding starter

Serves 4

Ingredients

600g monkfish tail fillet, skinned
100g fresh white baguette, sliced and toasted
2 eggs
4-5 tbsp plain flour
Sunflower oil, for deep fat frying
Rocket leaves and sour cream, to serve
Fresh chives, to garnish

For the sweet chilli sauce

6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 plump red chillies, finely sliced
1 heaped tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
Finely grated zest of 1 lime

Method: How to make breaded monkfish with sweet chilli sauce

1. For the sauce, place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, cover with water and cook over a low heat for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until well reduced. The tomatoes and onion should be very soft and pulpy - add a little extra water if the mixture becomes too dry. Set aside to cool.

2. Cut the monkfish fillet into chunky pieces. Blitz the toasted baguette into fine breadcrumbs in a food processor and transfer to a large bowl. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl and sift the flour onto a large plate.

3. Toss the monkfish pieces in the flour, then dip into the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs. Heat a medium-large pan half filled with sunflower oil to around 180°C/350F, or until a cube of bread browns and crisps in roughly 20-30 seconds. Alternatively, heat the oil in a deep fat fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

CAUTION:

Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave it unattended.

4. Carefully add the monkfish pieces to the hot oil, a few at a time, and fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden, crisp and cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain. Keep warm until all the monkfish is cooked.

Serve the fish on rocket leaves with sweet chilli sauce, soured cream and chives to garnish.

Please note this recipe is the contestant's own and has not been tested professionally. Like the Come Dine With Me contestants, you could be creating a culinary delight or dining disaster, so switch on your ovens and be bold