Monkfish under a crayfish crust with roasted fennel

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 monkfish fillets, 170 – 200 g each
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 80 g butter, soft
• ½ slice(s) toast bread
• 100 g crab meat (river)
• 2 tbsp white port wine
• 1 pinch of chili flakes
• 6 leaves of tarragon
• Sea salt, coarse
• Pepper, white
• 2 bulbs of fennel, approx. 850 – 900 g
• 300 g cherry tomatoes
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch(s) anise, seeds, alternatively ground anise

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Low temperature – super juicy

Preheat oven to 80°C. Use top and bottom heat only; fan-assisted heating will dry out the fish. Beat the softened butter with a mixer for 5 minutes until fluffy and white. Remove the crust from the toast and finely grind it with a hand blender. Finely chop the crayfish meat. Finely chop the tarragon leaves and mix everything together. Season with port wine, chili flakes, coarse sea salt, and pepper, and set aside. Season the fish all over with sea salt and pepper. Heat the fat in a pan and sear the fish for 1 minute on the first side, then turn and sear for another 30 seconds on the second side. Immediately remove from the pan and place in a lightly greased, ovenproof dish, cover with cling film, and place in the oven on the middle rack for 18 minutes. Wash and trim the fennel, and cut half of it into fine strips. Cut the other half into slices about 1 cm thick. Place the fennel greens in cold water. Peel the tomatoes (briefly in hot water, then in ice water; the skin will come off naturally). Quarter and deseed. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Sear the fennel slices vigorously for about 2 minutes on each side, remove from the pan and place on a plate. Now sear the sliced ​​fennel vigorously in the pan, lightly season with salt and add the anise. Place the seared fennel slices on top and cover the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 12 minutes. After the fish has been in the oven for 18 minutes, remove the foil, spread the crayfish mixture evenly over the fillets, turn on the grill function, and grill everything for about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange the preheated plates. First, arrange the fennel slices on the plates. Now return the heat to full. Finely chop the fennel greens and add them to the pan along with the tomato fillets. Briefly toss, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange the fish on the plates as a bed for the fish. Place the baked fish fillets on top and serve immediately. Serve with small boiled potatoes, briefly fried in olive oil, or with polenta, for example.