- 1 small cucumber
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 125ml/4fl oz fish stock or white wine
- 1 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 50g/2oz unsalted butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 4 x 200g/7oz monkfish tails
- 25ml/1fl oz olive oil
- knob of butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- For the cucumber, peel and thinly slice the cucumber and place in a colander.
- Mix it with the salt and press for an hour. Place a small plate or lid on the cucumber and put a heavy jar or can on top of that and set colander over a bowl to drain.
- After a half-hour or so, squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cucumber and place in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, vinegar and black pepper. Toss the cucumber slices in the vinegar mixture, coating well.
- For the sauce, heat the stock, crème fraîche and mustard together then whisk in the butter piece by piece. Finally add the lemon juice.
- For the monkfish, drizzle the monkfish fillets with olive oil. Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the fillets.
- Add a knob of butter and continue to fry until the fish is cooked.
- Squeeze over the lemon juice on the cooked fish.
- Place the fish onto warmed serving plates along with the cucumber and sauce.