On the menu at this month’s London Restaurant Festival, this tempting monkfish tempura recipe is sure to be a hit with diners. Nieves Barragán, Chef Director of Sabor – recently named AA Restaurant of the Year for London – walks us through how you can make this light tapa in your own home.

Sabor, meaning flavour, in Spanish, is the name of the game – the delicious meatiness of the monkfish balanced against its crispy beer batter is decidedly Moorish.

The Estrella Galicia beer gives an unmatchable lightness – so dip these tempura monkfish morsels in the addictive chilli jam alioli, pour yourself a drink, and relax. Suddenly, you’re in Spain…

Monkfish:

– 300 g monkfish, cut into 3cm cubes
– Flour to dust
– Coriander cress
– 400 ml rapeseed oil

Chilli Jam Alioli:

– 3 whole garlic bulbs, roasted
– 1 small raw clove
– 250 ml olive pomace oil
– 250 ml Arbequina olive oil
– juice of half small lemon
– 1 egg
– 1 egg yolk
– 4 tbsp. chilli paste

1. Slice the three bulbs of garlic horizontally, just a little from the top, so that you can see the inside of the cloves exposed.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and cook in a 180 C oven for 20-25 minutes until the cloves are nice and soft.

3. When cooled, squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into a blender, add the extra clove of garlic, peeled and raw, then blend to make a paste.

4. Add the egg and yolks and blend again to combine.

5. Mix the Arbequina and pomace olive oils together and then very slowly add to the blender whilst it’s running.

6. Season the alioli with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add the chilli paste and mix all together.

Tempura batter:

– 100 g plain flour
– 100 g corn flour
– 300 ml Estrella Galicia Premium Beer
– Bicarbonate of soda, pinch
– Salt & pepper

1. Mix everything together and whisk until smooth and consistent.

2. Dust the monkfish in flour, dip it in the tempura butter and fry it in saucepan with the rapeseed oil until golden brown.

3. Place them in a kitchen paper towel to absorb the remaining oil.

4. Serve it on a plate with the coriander on top and the alioli in a ramekin on the side.

Want to experience this, or other dishes by Barragán for yourself? Book a table at Sabor, 35-37 Heddon st, Mayfair, London W1B 4BR, +44 20 3319 8130. Make sure to order a bottle (or two) of Estrella Galicia’s Premium Beer.

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