Monkfish, leek, crab and peppercorn sauce

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Cover the monkfish loin with the salt, and set aside to cure for 12 minutes. Once cured, wash off the salt and pat the fillet dry, then transfer to the fridge until needed

2. Step 2

   Reduce the chicken stock by two thirds to three quarters – you should have about 250ml, and it should taste very intense. Remove from the heat

3. Step 3

   Heat up 70g of the butter until it's foaming and then add the leek and a pinch of salt. Cook until the leek has released its water, and the water has emulsified into a sauce. The leek should not be completely soft

4. Step 4

   Dice half the chervil, and then add the crab to the sauce. Stir through and then add the diced chervil

5. Step 5

   Cut the remaining butter into cubes. Heat up a pan over a high heat and add a dash of olive oil. Add the monkfish and cook until golden, then add the remaining butter, the thyme and the garlic to a pan. Baste the monkfish in the butter, and cook for a couple more minutes until cooked through

6. Step 6

   Let the monkfish rest in the pan for 6 minutes, but keep turning it in the butter sauce

7. Step 7

   Add a drizzle of cream to the reduced chicken stock, then put back on the heat. Add the peppercorns and capers. Dice the remaining chervil – chopping through just once – and add to the sauce

8. Step 8

   Put a small amount of the crab and leek mixture in a mould, about 4cm across. Cut the monkfish into three pieces and then season lightly with salt. Remove the mould and put one piece of fish on top of the crab and leek mixture 

9. Step 9

   Pour all the drippings from the monkfish into the pepper sauce

10. Step 10

    Spoon the pepper sauce over each portion of monkfish