Monkfish, Cornish Chorizo and Sun Blush Tomatoes on Rosemary Skewers

by Emily Scott from Sea & Shore: Recipes and stories from a kitchen in Cornwall (Hardie Grant)

Photography: Kim Lightbody

Monkfish, or lotte in French, is known as the poor man’s lobster. It is a delicious, robust and wonderful ingredient that I love to cook and eat. It works so well with bolder flavours, such as curries, or can be cooked over fire or even refined by serving as a ceviche. Here, the combination of monkfish, chorizo and sun blush tomatoes is delicious. Threading them on to rosemary skewers is pretty and adds a depth of flavour to the fish.

Ingredients

1 x 200g (7oz) jar sun blush tomatoes, drained, reserving the oil

1 medium chorizo, about 225 g (8oz), cut into 1 cm (½ in) rounds

650 g (1lb 7oz) monkfish fillet, cut into chunks

12 long rosemary sprigs, plus extra leaves for sprinkling

100 ml (3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup) olive oil

Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (or use any sea salt)

To serve

handful of rocket (arugula) leaves

hot buttered Cornish new potatoes (Nigel used Jersey Royals)

mixed leaf salad with edible flowers (ideally!)

Method

Preheat a barbecue or grill (broiler) to high. Or use a skillet on the oven hob.

Place the sun blush tomatoes in a large bowl and add the sliced chorizo. Using a skewer, pierce a hole through each piece of monkish, then toss in the bowl with the tomatoes and chorizo.

Thread alternately onto rosemary skewers, allowing 3 pieces of each ingredient on each skewer.

Barbecue or grill (broil) the monkfish skewers on all sides, keeping them moving, for a total of 6 minutes, or until browned at the edges. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary leaves.

Lay the grilled monkfish skewers on rocket leaves and serve with hot buttered Cornish new potatoes and a kitchen leaf salad with summer flowers.