Monkfish with Clams, Sherry and White Beans
Photography by Aaron McLean.
One of the best things in Spain is the shellfish – the tiny pipis called ‘tellines’, the small clams and the mussels. Every tapas bar serves these, either fresh and grilled with lemon and parsley or preserved from a tin.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
4 x 200 gram pieces monkfish
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Clams
⅔ cup dry sherry
1½ kilograms small clams
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 x 400 gram tin large white beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons butter
METHOD
Combine the flour, paprika and cumin in a shallow dish and season.
Dust the fish in the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and fry the fish on both sides until just cooked. Don’t let the flour catch and burn. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.
Clams: Increase the heat and tip in the sherry, clams, garlic, most of the flat-leaf parsley and the white beans. Cover tightly and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan, until the clams have opened. Discard any that don’t open. Add the butter and swirl together.
To serve: Tip any resting juices from the fish into the clams. Place the fish in shallow soup bowls and spoon the clams, white beans and the pan juices over the top. Season with freshly ground pepper.

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