Monkfish/Stargazer baked with tomato and beans / Grdobina s Fažolom

This is one of the best fish recipes I’ve ever made. I love octopus so that stays in number one position, but this Monkfish/Stargazer recipe is an easy second. It is delicious!

Ingredients:

~ 800 grams monkfish/stargazer fillets

~ 100 mls extra-virgin olive oil

~ Two tablespoons crushed garlic

~ 50mls white wine

~ 250mls Dalmatian tomato sauce (recipe below)

~ 100mls fish sock (I used vegetable stock and it was great)

~ 300 grams cooked white beans, I used canned cannelloni beans

~ sea salt

~ Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE DALMATIAN TOMATO SAUCE

~ 400 grams large, ripe tomatoes

~ Three garlic gloves, crushed

~ 50mls extra-virgin olive oil

~ One tablespoons sugar, if needed (I didn’t use it)

Method:

1. Make the sauce. Bring some salted water to boil in a saucepan that will comfortably fit the tomatoes. Score the tomatoes at the base with a knife and blanch them in the boiling water for a couple of minutes. Peel the skin off and discard. Cut the tomatoes into 1cm cubes. In another saucepan over high heat, cook the garlic in olive oil for a few seconds, making sure it doesn’t start to colour. Add the tomato and chilli, season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about an hour. Make sure it is on low, it must not go above a gentle simmer. Adjust the seasoning and add sugar if the tomatoes taste too acidic.
2. Back to the fish. Wash and dry the fillets. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the fish fillets.
3. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and sear on both sides for a minute, turning them over gently with spatula, until golden brown.
4. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a few seconds. Immediately add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (428°F)
6. Transfer the fish into a clay pot or ovenproof baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, fish stock (I used vegetable stock) and cooked beans. Mix gently, taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and serve.

Let me know if you tried this absolutely delicious fish recipe and what you thought

Dobar Tek! Zivjeli! (Bon Appetit! Cheers and let’s live!)