Virtual Big Nibble: Make bacon-wrapped monkfish with cheese souffle

As part of the Virtual Big Nibble festival, Horsham Markets share this recipe for a monkfish dish with cheese souffle and courgette salad sides. The ingredients list includes recommendations for local producers who sell the items.

Read the recipe below and watch the video. Plus, download and print the recipe card for your bookshelf.

Bacon-Wrapped Monkfish

• Cut the monkfish tail lengthwise into two long strips.
• Lay the bacon side by side across a clear surface to form a rolling mat. Place one half of the tail along the longer edge, then the sage leaves, salt, pepper and half of the tail (turn around so that the size of the roll will be even on both ends.).
• Roll and tie up the fish and bacon. Bake at 200 C for 20 minutes until there is a crispy cage of bacon.

Courgette Salad

• Thinly slice the courgettes lengthways and cut in half.
• Fry in olive oil in a lage pan until soft and dark brown then leave to cool and drain on kitchen paper. Chill in fridge.
• Make salad dressing to taste with olive oil, lemon juice and mustard. Season to taste.
• Just prior to serving fry sage leaves until crispy and drain on kitchen paper.
• Dress the courgettes with the dressing, crisp sage leaves and slivers of Mayfield.

Cheese Soufflé

• Preparing the soufflé dish: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Butter a 15cm soufflé dish generously, then sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and rotate the dish to ensure the butter is evenly coated. Tip out any excess breadcrumbs.
• Making a thick white sauce: In a pan, melt the butter over a medium heat; stir in the flour and mustard. Cook, stirring, for 1 min. Take off the heat and gradually stir in the milk, mixing it in thoroughly before adding more. Return to the heat and stir continuously until very thick (around 10 mins). Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Crack the eggs, placing the whites into a clean bowl and stirring the yolks into the sauce. Stir in cheddar and season well.
• Adding the egg whites: Use a clean whisk to beat the egg whites until peaks form that just hold their shape (electric is best as it will make the job much quicker). Then take a metal spoon and gently stir the whipped whites into the white sauce in a figure of eight.
• Top-hatting: Spoon the mixture into the dish. Run a cutlery knife around the edge to create a ‘top hat’ effect; this ensures the soufflé rises above the rim and doesn’t stick. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until the top is golden and risen and has a slight
  wobble. Serve immediately.