Spiked Monkfish Over Couscous Recipes

MONKFISH WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare the sauce: Combine heavy cream with garlic and anchovies. Boil this down until it gets thick--approximately 1 hour. (If it seems too thick, thin it out with water, chicken stock or more cream.)
• Cut the fillet into scallops and salt evenly on both sides. Allow them to sit for a half hour so that they will drain. After a half hour, dry off the liquid and brush off salt. Nick all around the edges of the fillets with a sharp knife. This allows the fillets to stay flat and cook more evenly.
• Heat the clarified butter in a saute pan. Coat fillets with instant or granulated flour, and then saute in clarified butter. The fillets should develop a crunch on the outside.
• Lightly steam the spinach and place on a plate. Dry off fillets on a towel and place them on a nest of spinach.
• Combine the minced tomatoes and the sherry vinegar and place the mixture on top of the fish.
• Drizzle cream sauce on top of the tomato concasse and then drape sauce around the plate.
• Wine: A young, fruity Saint Amour Beaujolais from Georges DuBeouf

SPIKED MONKFISH OVER COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Directions Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and peppers and saute for about a minute. Cover and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes and their juices, cumin, saffron and crushed pepper. Cover and cook until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes Add chick peas and monkfish. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes While fish is cooking, bring fish stock to a boil. Add couscous and immediately remove from heat. Let couscous steep about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter; season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle couscous in a bowl and ladle soupy monkfish stew over the top.

MAGNIFICENT ROASTED MONKFISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400*.
• In a food processor put the sun dried tomatoes with half their oil,and the basil leaves and blend until smooth.Add the remaining sun dried oil whil blending.
• You will need 4 A4 size pieces of greaseproof paper.Lay 4 slices of parma ham snuggly next to each other on each piece paper.
• Divide your paste into 4, smearing over the ham. Then place the fish at one end,season and using the greaseproof paper, fold and roll up.
• Remove paper and carefully move to an oiled baking dish.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

SEARED MONKFISH WITH BALSAMIC AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Combine sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato oil, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Toss to coat and set aside.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the purple translucent membrane away from each fillet. Cut each fillet crosswise into 3 to 4 pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear monkfish until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, remove fish to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Pour sun-dried tomato mixture into the skillet and quickly stir around the pan until just warmed, about 20 seconds. Spoon topping over fish and garnish with parsley.

MONKFISH ROASTED WITH HERBS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Tie the monkfish fillets with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
• Line the bottom of an earthenware or other low-sided baking dish with thyme and rosemary sprigs. Tuck bay leaves here and there, if using. Lay the fish on top of the herbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter the lemon slices and whole olives over fish. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the olive paste: Put pitted black olives, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small food processor and pulse to a rough paste. (Alternatively, chop olives finely with a knife and stir together with garlic and oil.)
• Roast fish, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top and firm to the touch. Check with a paring knife to be sure fish is cooked through. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Snip twine with scissors and remove from fish. Cut fish into 4 portions and spoon some of the roasted lemon slices and whole olives over the top. Dab each piece with a teaspoon of olive paste, or pass olive paste separately.