Warm Lettuce, Parsley, Monkfish and Shrimp Cream

The warm lettuce cream with parsley, monkfish, and shrimp is a light and refined dish, perfect as a starter or an elegant first course. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 200 g of monkfish fillet
• 150 g of cleaned shrimps
• 1 Roman lettuce
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 shallot
• 500 ml of vegetable broth
• 100 ml of fresh cream
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Bread croutons (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the lettuce: separate the leaves, wash them under running water and let them drain well.
2. In a large pan, sauté the finely chopped shallot in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the lettuce cut into strips and wilt for a few minutes.
4. Pour the vegetable broth into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, steam the monkfish fillets for about 5-6 minutes or until they are just cooked through.
6. Clean the shrimps by removing the shell and the intestinal thread.
7. Add the parsley to the lettuce and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then blend everything with an immersion blender until you get a smooth cream.
9. Put the cream back on the heat, add the fresh cream and bring back to temperature, adjusting salt and pepper.
10. In another pan, quickly sauté the shrimps with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.
11. Divide the warm lettuce cream onto plates, place the monkfish fillets and the sautéed shrimps on top.
12. Serve immediately, if desired, with crispy bread croutons.

Curiosity

Monkfish is a fish highly appreciated in European cuisines for its firm and tasty flesh, which is very suitable for this kind of preparation. Paired with shrimps and the delicate cream of lettuce and parsley, it creates a very interesting and elegant combination of flavors.