Monkfish Chowder Recipes

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cut the shrimp, scallops, and monkfish into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the crabmeat.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter; add the carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, and corn and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are barely cooked, stirring occasionally. Add the flour; reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the Seafood Stock and bring to a boil. Add the seafood; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Add the heavy cream, if desired, and the parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
• Warm the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery and saute for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1/2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. You can make up the difference with water or wine if you need to.

BEN'S BAHAMIAN MONKFISH AND EEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• To prepare the eel, chop off the head leaving it attached on 1 side and skin from head to tail. Cut the fillets from both sides of the backbone and cube into 1-inch pieces.
• In a medium pot, combine monkfish, eel, carrots, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and then strain, saving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are coated in butter and beginning to soften. Add the bell peppers and plantains and cook, stirring often, until all the vegetables are softened, but not cooked through. Add the coconut milk, coconut cream, heavy cream, tomatoes and reserved fish stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium so chowder is simmering and add fish. Add dried parsley, cayenne, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and curry powder to taste. Add just enough paprika for a pinkish hue. Simmer until the flavors have melded, the vegetables are cooked through, and the chowder has thickened slightly, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serve with hot sauce if desired in a bowl or, more decoratively, a half a melon or coconut.

FISH CHOWDER SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onion, cook for 5 minutes until translucent but not golden.
• Add carrots and stir through.
• Turn heat up to high and add wine. Stir then let it simmer rapidly until it's mostly evaporated.
• Add flour and stir for 30 seconds - it will become sludgy!
• Slow pour in broth while stirring to dissolve paste, then stir in milk.
• Add potato, corn, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer then turn heat down so it's simmering gently.
• Cook, stirring every now and then, for 8 minutes or until potato is almost cooked.
• Add fish and peas, simmer for 3 minutes or until fish is just cooked (should flake easily).
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add a touch of water or milk.
• Serve, garnished with green onions and crusty bread on the side for dunking!

CHUNKY FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, tip in the leeks and fry gently for 5 mins until softened, but not coloured. Add the potatoes and cook for a further min. Pour in stock and lemon zest, cover and simmer for 12-15 mins or until the potatoes are tender. With a slotted spoon, remove half the potatoes and leeks from the stock and set aside.
• Transfer the remaining potatoes, leeks, stock and milk into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour back into the pan, add the sweetcorn, fish and reserved vegetables. Cover and gently heat for 3-4 mins until the fish is just cooked through - don't boil. Stir in chives and cream, if using, then season to taste.

MONKFISH AND CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER

Steps:

• Remove leaves from cauliflower and cut head in half. Coarsely chop 1 half, then pulse in a food processor until a fine crumble forms. Break remaining cauliflower into small florets.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a medium pot over medium-high. Cook leeks, tossing often, until softened, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Mix in garlic and all of the cauliflower. Add tomatoes and broth and use a wooden spoon to crush some of the tomatoes. Bring mixture to a simmer, then add monkfish, olives, and tarragon; season with salt and pepper. Return to a simmer; cover pot and cook, stirring often, until flavors soften and blend together, about 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
• Ladle chowder into bowls, drizzle with more oil, and grind some pepper over. Serve with bread for dunking.

MONKFISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put celery, pepper and onion into a food processor and pulse until chopped.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add flour and cook, stirring, until moistened, about 1 minute.
• Add stock and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by two-thirds, about 4 minutes.
• Whisk in soymilk.
• Stir in potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper, and bring just to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until fragrant and thickened, and potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in monkfish and corn and cook until fish is just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes more.
• Stir in parsley and serve, garnished with celery leaves.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a stainless-steel saucepan and brown the bacon well until it is crisp and golden.
• Add the onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the fish stock or water gradually. Add the milk, bouquet garni and potatoes. Season well with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne.
• Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked, approximately 5-6 minutes. (The chowder may be prepared ahead to this point.)
• Cut the fish into 2.5cm /1in cubes. Add to the pot as soon as the tip of a knife will go through a potato.
• Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stir in the cream and add the shellfish. Add any liquor obtained from opening the mussels or clams. When boiling, remove from the heat.
• Taste, correct the seasoning and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and chives.
• Serve in a deep dish with plenty of bread and butter.