Monkfish Osso Buco Recipe

1. Prepare fish

Cut monkfish tails into 4–6 thick crosswise 'osso buco' style pieces (about 3–4 cm / 1–1.5 in thick). Pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off excess.

2. Brown monkfish

Heat 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add monkfish pieces, searing 2–3 minutes per side until golden but not fully cooked. Work in batches if needed. Transfer seared fish to a plate.

3. Build braising base

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter to the pan. Add chopped onion and carrot and sauté 6–8 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add the diced celeriac (from the osso buco celeriac amount), minced garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.

4. Deglaze and braise

Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Let wine reduce by half (about 2–3 minutes). Add diced tomatoes, fish or vegetable stock, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then return monkfish to the pan, nestling pieces into the liquid. Cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until monkfish is opaque and just cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper and a squeeze of half the lemon juice.

5. Finish

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer monkfish pieces to a warm plate and tent with foil. Reduce sauce over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes if needed to concentrate flavors. Stir in lemon zest, chopped parsley and chopped capers (if using). Spoon sauce over monkfish before serving.

6. While monkfish braises, combine drained chickpeas, 1 tbs olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a medium sauté pan. Cook over medium heat 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are heated through and begin to take on color and the spices smell fragrant. Lightly mash about one-third of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon to thicken the ragout. Keep warm.

7. Cook celeriac

Place peeled, chopped celeriac (500 g) in a pot and cover with cold water. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain well, reserving a little cooking liquid.

8. Purée and season

Return celeriac to the pot or a blender. Add butter and warm milk. Purée with an immersion blender or in a food processor until very smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid a tablespoon at a time if needed to reach a silky consistency. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Keep warm until plating.

9. Assemble

Spread a generous spoonful of celeriac purée onto each warm plate. Spoon a portion of the chickpea ragout beside or on top of the purée. Place 1–2 monkfish 'osso buco' pieces over the ragout/purée. Spoon braising sauce around and over the fish. Drizzle with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.