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monkfish and king prawn thermidor with barber's 1883 vintage reserve.

Monkfish and King Prawn Thermidor Recipe

As a huge seafood lover, for me there's nothing better than an indulgent fish dish. Certainly seafood can be healthy, but if I see a luxuriously creamy thermidor on the menu then I'll bound to choose it. Tasked to create a recipe featuring Barber's 1883 Vintage Reserve Cheddar as the star, I immediately thought of an oozing, cheesy thermidor with a hint of parsley and kick of mustard. In this case, I've mixed it up and created a more accessible king prawn and monkfish thermidor recipe which is served with hand cut chips and roasted tomatoes. See, you'll even be getting your five a day...

Barber's Vintage Cheddar Recipes


For the Thermidor
(Serves two)
♥ 2 medium monkfish fillets, cut into large chunks
♥ 100g cooked king prawns
♥ 30g butter
♥ 1 shallot, finely chopped
♥ 1 garlic clove, crushed
♥ 200ml vegetable stock
♥ 50ml double cream
♥ 30ml white wine
♥ 50g Barbers vintage cheddar, plus 20g for topping
♥ 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
♥ 1 tsp lemon juice
♥ Salt and pepper to season
♥ A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

To accompany
♥ 150g Maris Piper potatoes, sliced and seasoned
♥ Tomatoes on the vine

Step one. In a high heat, pan fry the monkfish with a little oil, salt and pepper until golden. Set aside.

Step two. Next make the sauce, starting with caramelising the garlic and shallot on a low heat with the butter.

Step three. When softened, add the stock, cream and white wine. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes until thickened and reduced.

Tip: If you want to have chips here, start baking them now on 180 degrees as they take around 30-45 minutes.

Step four. Add in the cheese to the sauce and allow to melt, stirring continuously.

Step five. Stir in the mustard and lemon juice. Season to taste then add in the parsley. Keep some aside for garnish.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c, if needed.

Step six. Mix together the prawns and monkfish with the sauce. Pour into ramekins and scatter the remaining cheddar on top. Add a little cracked black pepper.

Step seven. Bake for 10 minutes alongside the chips. If you want tomatoes here, wrap them in foil with olive oil and bake here too.

Step seven. Turn on the grill and finish off the topping for 5 minutes, until golden. You can keep the tomatoes and chips warm here on a lower shelf in the oven.

Serve up with a sprinkle of parsley, stack of chips and tomatoes on the vine!


Have you ever made a thermidor? What seafood would you try in the mix? Find this and other food blogger recipes over on the Barber's recipe page.

Post in collaboration with Barber's.

19 comments:

  1. Have never made or eaten Thermidor but it looks right up my street : )
    Fantastic meeting you last night - hope you enjoyed the evening after I left in search of decent cocktails

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  2. wow this sounds very nice. I think I'd need lots of lovely crusty baguette to mop up the sauce there. yum!

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  3. I've enjoyed lobster thermidor and crab thermidor at restaurants but never made any type of thermidor at home. Good idea to make one, I'm tempted now!

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  4. I've never made one but I have a huge monkfish in my freezer and this sounds awesome!

    Christy x

    Dinner Stories

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  5. WOW. This looks fantastic. I have been meaning to eat more fish lately and this looks like a recipe fit for a king (or queen). I definitely deserve this :)

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  6. Oooh this sounds utterly delicious! Bookmarked to try later!

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  7. That looks like a really good pub meal with those chips. Just lovely I want this for supper!

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  8. This looks amazing, I need to try it at home! I've never had a thermidor before, thanks for helping me find out about this gorgeous dish.

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  9. This looks and sounds hugely comforting and the perfect warming supper for winter. I've never made thermidor before but you've totally twisted my arm...

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  10. This looks fantastic! I don't eat monkfish or prawns (not kosher) but I'm betting it would work really well with salmon, or maybe something smoked? Yum! It just looks so cheesy and delicious!

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  11. Ooh this looks gorgeous Emily and I absolutely LOVE the way you've presented and photographed it!

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  12. Oh wow this looks totally amazing, I want it now!

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  13. This looks like an ultimate comfort food dish! I would welcome it on this cold night with open arms if only I was allowed cheese!!!!

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  14. Emily, this recipe brings back wonderful memories of our honeymoon - the first time I had monkfish and a new addiction was born! Brilliant idea of a dish.

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  15. This looks like something really good that you would get in a country pub somewhere. Yum!

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  16. this looks delicious--really sumptious

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  17. that looks amazing- a classy winter warmer!!

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  18. I am a seafood lover so this Monk Prawn Thermidor recipe definitely caught my attention! Creamy sauce with perfectly cooked fish and shrimp sounds like a match made in heaven. On the other hand, if you're ever in Manhattan, I highly recommend checking out this barbershop. They offer top-notch haircuts and body treatments, and the staff is always friendly. This is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day in the city.

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