Champagne and monkfish liver

OK, I appreciate this is a bit left-field but I was given some monkfish liver to try by Bristol fishmonger, Bristol Fish and also had a bottle of Aldi’s Easter champagne promotion to taste and they went brilliantly together. Often the best pairings come about by accident.

Sam of Bristol Fish maintains that monkfish liver is a kind alternative to foie gras and he’s right in one respect and wrong in another. Obviously it’s kinder - you can’t force feed a monkfish - but it’s not *quite* as smooth and unctious as the real thing which I still occasionally regret deciding not to eat any more.

It IS very good though. We cooked it in a pan with butter then once we’d removed the liver, added a bit more butter to the pan to sizzle up, added a squeeze of lemon and poured it over. Not a pretty picture but utterly delicious with a delicate and not particularly fishy taste and soft, melting texture - perhaps more like sweetbreads than foie gras

You can read about a rather more sophisticated way of serving it here and here - the Japanese call it Ankimo.

The champagne, which offset its richness perfectly, was a Champagne Philizot blanc de noirs which Aldi is promoting this Easter. I wouldn’t say it’s the finest example of a blanc de noirs I’ve ever tasted but it’s only £17.99, beautifully (and rather cheekily) packaged in Fortnum & Mason blue and would make the most fantastic gift for anyone you were seeing for Easter.

And you don’t necessarily have to eat monkfish liver to enjoy it!