1. Preheat the oven to 200°c/400F

2. Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes until tender, drain and then mash well.

3. Season well and add the cream, grated parmesan cheese and diced butter and mix well until the mashed potatoes are smooth and creamy, set to one side

4. For the monkfish, remove any skin or membrane which the fishmonger may have left on the fish and pat dry, season the monkfish and roll the monkfish tails in the zest of one lemon and the finely chopped leaves of four sprigs of thyme until evenly coated

5. Place 5 sage leaves on each piece of monkfish and wrap with 2 slices of Parma ham.

6. Pan fry the monkfish tails in a little olive oil on a medium heat for 1 – 2 minutes on each side until golden and then transfer to a baking tray.

7. Dot each piece of monkfish with butter and place 4 sprigs of thyme and a squeeze of lemon juice onto each fillet, bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the monkfish is just cooked, roll the monkfish in the juices before removing from the tray. Rest for a few minutes.

8. Meanwhile reheat the mashed potatoes on a medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

9. To serve place a large spoon of the mashed potato onto the centre of a large plate and slice the monkfish into two pieces and rest on top of the mashed potato. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve with a lemon wedge and steamed broccoli

Chef Tip
You can also use smoked streaky bacon to wrap the fish if you can’t get hold of any Parma ham
Try substituting the monkfish with chicken breasts for a delicious alternative