Monkfish Medallions With Lentils And Chaource Cream Food

MONKFISH WITH LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the monkfish in a bowl with the lemongrass, lime leaves, lemon thyme and olive oil. Cover and chill for 6 hrs to marinate.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon dressing. Chop the strips of lemon zest into small dice and tip into a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then drain. In a small saucepan, cook the blanched lemon zest with the sugar in 140ml water for about 5 mins. Drain the lemon zest and mix together with the remaining ingredients and 2 tbsp water. Taste and season, if you like.
• About 20 mins before you're ready to eat, remove the monkfish from the marinade and lightly season. Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the monkfish medallions for 4 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 4 mins. To serve, gently warm the dressing, adding more water if needed. Spoon it over the monkfish and around the plate, then scatter with rocket leaves.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH CLASSIC FRENCH LENTILS

Steps:

• For the classic French lentils, heat a sauté pan or a large frying pan and then add the butter and oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic, diced pancetta, carrot, celery, leek and bay leaf and cook for a further two minutes.
• Add the lentils and red wine and bring to the boil. Cook until the volume of wine has reduced by half, then add the stock and cook the lentils for 25-30 minutes. Mix in the sherry vinegar and parsley.
• For the monkfish, season the monkfish fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a frying pan until smoking, add the olive oil and monkfish and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, or until the crust is golden-brown and the fish is cooked through. Remove from the pan and rest on a warm plate for 2-3 minutes, then thickly slice into four pieces.
• To serve, place a spoonful of the lentils in each of four shallow serving bowls and place the sliced monkfish on top. Garnish with the sliced cooked pancetta and the parsley cress.

MEDALLIONS OF MONKFISH WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a bowl, cover with water to a depth of one inch above the lentils and allow to soak for one hour. Drain, rinse twice and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Heat the bacon in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until tender. Stir in the garlic. Add the lentils and chicken stock. Tie the clove, thyme and bay leaf together with a piece of string and add the bunch. Bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are just tender. All the liquid will not have been absorbed. Remove the bundle of herbs and set the lentils aside. The recipe can be prepared in advance up until this point.
• Cut the monkfish into medallions about one-inch-thick. You should have 12 to 15 medallions. Season with salt and pepper.
• Shortly before serving, reheat the lentils and beat in the butter a bit at a time. Season with lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet. Cook the medallions over medium-low heat for about three minutes on each side, until they are just cooked through.
• Spoon some of the lentils in the center of each of four or five warmed plates. Arrange the medallions of fish on them and spoon more of the sauce from the lentils around them. Garnish with parsley and serve.

MEDALLIONS OF MONKFISH

Steps:

• Place raisins in a bowl, add water and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Lightly toast nuts and set aside.
• Trim monkfish of any membrane and discolored spots and slice into medallions about 1/2 inch thick. Dust medallions lightly with flour.
• Heat corn oil in a large skillet. Fry fish over medium-high heat until just golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Drain on absorbent paper and season lightly with salt.
• In a clean skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onions over medium heat until golden. Add rosemary, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in vinegar, wine and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes, until liquid remaining in pan just moistens onions. Drain raisins and add them along with nuts, lemon peel and sugar. Simmer briefly, then remove bay leaves.
• Arrange a layer of half the monkfish in a serving dish and spread half the onion mixture over fish. Repeat with another layer of fish and then the remaining onions. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

MONKFISH WITH CAPER BUTTER

Steps:

• Remove any gray membrane from the fish. Mix flour and mustard together and season with salt and pepper. Dip the fish slices in seasoned flour on one side only and arrange on a plate, floured side up.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the shallots and cook on medium until both the butter and shallots have browned and acquired a nutty aroma. Do not allow them to blacken. Remove from heat, stir in capers, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Warm 6 dinner plates or a platter. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. When very hot, add the fish medallions, floured side down, and sauté until they turn golden, no more than a minute or so. Transfer them, cooked side up, to the plates or platter.
• Briefly warm the caper sauce. Add the lemon juice and tarragon and spoon a little of the sauce over each medallion. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH CURRIED LENTILS AND BROWNED BUTTER CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 17 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer mixture to blender; add 3 tablespoons water and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring, and adding more water to thin sauce, if desired.)
• For lentils and browned butter cauliflower:
• Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add lentils, curry, and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups water; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Uncover; stir until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Add cauliflower; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cover and cook until cauliflower is crisp-tender and water evaporates, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in lentil mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before serving.)
• For gremolata:
• Mix parsley and lemon peel in bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• For fish:
• Sprinkle monkfish with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish; sauté until just opaque in center, about 6 minutes per side.
• Divide sauce among 4 plates. Spoon lentil mixture alongside. Place fish atop lentils; sprinkle with gremolata.
• *Available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.