Baked Monkfish

Baked Monkfish with leeks in a lemon sauce, herby mushrooms (whatever herbs you have available)  all served with a little long grain rice, a fairly quick and tasty supper.  Also great served with pasta, or potato gratin.
 

Serves 4
 
Ingredients
 
1kg monkfish tail
1 clove garlic
Olive oil
700g leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
Fresh herbs
1 X 400g tin chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
 
Pre-heat the oven to 220C
 
Peel the garlic and cut into thin slices.  Cut small slits in the monkfish and push in the slivers of garlic.  Brush with olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.  Wrap the monkfish in tin foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to rest.
 
For the Lemon Sauce
 
250ml  Milk
90ml  Fish or Vegetable Stock
40g  Butter
25g  Plain Flour
1-2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Zest of 1 lemon
 
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat.
Stir in the flour and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.
Add the milk lemon zest and stock, bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until thickened.
Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice. 

Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the leeks and stir fry over a medium heat until tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add to the lemon sauce.
 
For the mushrooms

Saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil.  Add the fresh herbs (I used Tarragon and Parsley) stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with long grain rice.