The Catalan TableIngredients
Servings:
4
Ingredients
- 8 tallsturnip
- 150 gflour
- 400 gbutter
- 300 ggrated Emmental cheese
- 2 cans sweet pickles in vinaigrette
- 1 lemon
- oil
- salt
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (Approx.)
Calories
1020 kcal
Protein
10 g
Fat
82 g
Carbohydrates
58 g
Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.
Step-by-step Guide
Clarifying the Butter
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a double boiler on low heat until completely melted, ensuring the heat is gentle to prevent it from burning.
- Allow it to simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes without stirring, to eliminate as much water as possible through evaporation. It is important to maintain a constant heat to avoid burning.
- Carefully skim off the foam that forms on the surface with a spoon or ladle without stirring the butter.
- Once all the water has been eliminated, carefully decant the clarified butter into a bowl. Do this slowly to ensure that the white sediments at the bottom of the saucepan do not enter the container.
- Let the clarified butter cool at room temperature until it is warm and, if desired, place it in the refrigerator. If it cools completely, it will solidify again and can be stored for months. Note: A white sediment will remain at the bottom of the saucepan, which should be discarded. Only use the clarified butter that has been decanted.
White Roux
- Return the clarified butter oil to the saucepan and, over low heat, gradually incorporate the flour, stirring continuously with a wooden spatula to prevent lumps from forming.
- Gradually heat this oil and cook it slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly to help the flour release the starch. Since we want a white roux, we must avoid it taking on a golden color.
- Clean the fish, making sure to remove all the bones, and cut it into thick slices approximately 2 cm thick.
- Lightly salt the monkfish slices and coat them evenly with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the slices in a pan with hot oil at about 180°C until golden, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the slices from the pan and let them drain on absorbent paper to remove excess oil before serving.
On a baking tray
- Dice the sweet pickled cucumber into small pieces, reserving a few whole ones for the end.
- Arrange the monkfish slices on a greased baking tray or lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not overlapping.
- Sprinkle the diced cucumber evenly over the monkfish slices.
- Drizzle with the juice of a lemon, making sure it is well distributed.
- Generously sprinkle grated Emmental cheese over the chopped cucumber.
- Pour the white roux over it, making sure to cover the entire surface well.
- Place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius and bake for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is lightly gratinated.
- Slice the reserved cucumber into thin rounds.
- Plate the monkfish slices and place the cucumber rounds in vinaigrette on top to decorate and add a fresh touch.
Recommendations & Tricks
- Note: When straining the oil, ensure that the bottom of the pot retains the white solids, and discard them, using only the clarified oil.
- Return the clarified oil to the pot over low heat and gradually add the flour, stirring continuously with a wooden spatula to prevent any lumps from forming.
- Gradually heat the oil while it cooks slowly, allowing the flour to release its starch. Since we are making a white roux, maintain cooking for about 15 minutes, avoiding any browning.
- Carefully clean the monkfish, removing any impurities, and cut it into thick slices about 2-3 cm thick.
- Ensure to lightly salt each monkfish slice and dust them evenly with flour, removing the excess with a light tap.
- Heat abundant oil in a pan until it slightly smokes, then fry the monkfish slices until they are golden and crispy on the outside.
- Remove the slices from the pan and place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil before serving.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C and prepare a baking tray lightly greased or lined with baking paper if you need to finish cooking the monkfish in the oven.