Monkish Balls with Tomatoes and Olives in Parchment
1/2 cup 1-inch cubes peeled new potato
Fine sea salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
3/4 pound monkfish, cut into 1-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
14 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata
olives, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons basmati rice
1 cup vegetable broth
-Heat oven to 350ยบ.
-Place potato in a small saucepan; cover with several inches
of cold water and add generous pinch salt. Bring water to a boil, then cook
until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash with a fork.
-In a shallow bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons
parsley, marjoram and thyme; set aside. -In the bowl of a food processor, pulse
fish until finely chopped but not pasty; transfer to a large bowl. Add mashed
potato, 1/2 teaspoon salt and generous pinch pepper to fish; stir to combine.
Shape mixture into 24 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Roll fish balls in breadcrumb mixture
to coat.
-Place 6 fish balls in the center of 1 parchment square; 1/4 of the tomatoes, 1/4 of the olives and generous pinch
salt; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Brush edges of parchment with egg white,
then fold paper over filling to form a triangle; crimp edges of paper tightly
to seal and enclose filling completely. Place packet on a rimmed baking sheet;
prepare 3 more packets in same manner.
-Bake packets until fish balls are cooked through,
about 20 minutes.