My favourite monkfish recipe plus a Not-quite-a Niçoise Tuna salad

A bumper bonus edition because this week we have 2 recipes!

May 04, 2025

∙ Paid

I’ve got not one but two recipes for you this week! I know, I know! I’d already planned to share my Not-quite-a Tuna Niçoise with you but then the Monkfish recipe was too good not to share. So here we are.

This is the best green bean salad! It’s reminiscent of the classic Niçoise but with a few changes. I love a dense bean salad so have added in cannellini beans which work so well. The salad dressing is a simple classic and one you will find yourself coming back to. Absolutely perfect on a simple green salad and such a good thing to have in the fridge so you’re only moments away from something delicious. I’ve added tuna to the bean salad here but you can leave it out and have this as a side salad. Serve at a BBQ or with some grilled chicken. It’s also very good with jammy eggs added into the mix.

Then I wanted to share this monkfish recipe as it’s one of my favourite ways of cooking monkfish. Fried simply and then basted in a garlicky lemon butter…oh my. Serve with creamy mash and drizzle with a very simple but incredibly good tomato butter sauce and honestly I really cant find the words to tell you how delicious this is. I love monkfish and really it’s not cooked or eaten enough so if you haven’t tried it before, it’s very easy to cook so do give it a go! You could also use this method for a nice chunky piece of cod, hake or lobster if you’re feeling fancy.

Monkfish with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Tomato Butter Sauce

Serves 2

2 medium potatoes

20g Butter

2-3 tbsp double cream

2 monkfish fillets

15g Butter

1 lemon, sliced

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes - on the vine is best (set aside 8-10 tomatoes for the sauce)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and whole

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

For the sauce

8-10 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

40g butter

1 tsp baby capers

50ml water

Small bunch of chives, chopped

to serve: a little dill (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 180c fan / 200c. Lay the cherry tomatoes on the vine (if possible as they look so pretty but if not on the vine, it’s still okay!) on a baking tray (remember to keep back the tomatoes for the sauce). Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes, until bursting and soft but still holding their shape.

For the mashed potatoes, peel and chop 2 medium potatoes. Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and salt generously. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). They should be completely tender when you poke them with a fork. Remove from heat and drain. Use a potato masher or ricer to mash the potatoes back into the pan. Then add a generous knob of butter, 2-3tbsp cream and add salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust. You may like your mash a bit looser or more buttery or peppery! Keep warm-ish.

Always get the fishmonger to prep the monkfish for you as it’s so much easier. You may have been given the whole thing which comprises of the fillets and the tails. If so, lay your monkfish fillets on a board. Separate the tails from the fillet, so you have a chunky fillet at the top and a longer thinner tail. We just want the fillets here. You can freeze the tails to use in a very delicious curry at a later date. Season the fillets with salt and pepper.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat until searingly hot. Then add a drizzle of oil and lay down the monkfish fillets. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side then flip. Once flipped, add a knob of butter, about 15g to the pan along with the garlic and a few slices of lemon. Continue to cook, basting the fish, for a further 2-3 minutes until it’s just cooked through. Remove everything from the pan and let the fish rest for a few minutes. Once ready, slice.

Whilst the fish is resting, make the sauce. Add the chopped cherry tomatoes to the pan and stir. Add 40g butter and 1 tsp capers and stir, getting up all the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Add about 50ml water and switch to a whisk to help it come together. It should thicken up slightly. Sprinkle over the chopped chives and stir again.

Plate up the mash, top with the monkfish, roasted cherry tomatoes and drizzle over the sauce. Sprinkle more chives, some dill and add the caramelised lemon slices.