Monkfish Wrapped In Banana Leaves With Ginger Cilantro Lime And Chili Food

RED SNAPPER GRILLED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Combine the cilantro, mint, chiles, ginger, scallion, coconut, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and pulse to make a coarse paste. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, vegetable oil and fish sauce and blend to make a smooth, slightly thick sauce. Season with salt. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Make the fish: Preheat a grill to medium high. Lay the banana leaves on a work surface, overlapping each about halfway, so the leaves are large enough to wrap around the fish, with the tail and head sticking out slightly. Lightly brush the banana leaves with vegetable oil. Cut three 24-inch pieces of kitchen twine and run under water to moisten (this will prevent the twine from burning on the grill).
• Make 2 or 3 slits crosswise on each side of the fish, cutting about 1/2 inch into the flesh. Season the fish inside and out with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt total. Stuff the lime and ginger slices, chiles, and cilantro and mint sprigs into the cavity of the fish. Set the fish at one short end of the banana leaves and roll it up, leaving the head and tail sticking out, then tie together in 3 places with the kitchen twine.
• Once the grill registers 425˚ F to 450˚ F, grill the fish until the banana leaves are charred, about 12 minutes. Flip and grill until the fish is cooked through, 12 to 14 more minutes. (Because the fish is wrapped, it is difficult to test for doneness. The juices will run clear from the head and gills when poked.) Let the fish rest 5 minutes, then untie and remove the banana leaves. Lift the flesh from the bones and serve with the cilantro-mint sauce.

VIET-CAJUN SHRIMP BOIL WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan halfway with cold water then add the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then continue to cook until the potatoes are fork-tender (but the skins are still fully intact), about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
• While the potatoes cook, use sharp kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the shells along the back of the shrimp, stopping at the tails and making sure to cut through the edge of the flesh. Devein the shrimp while keeping the shells as intact as possible. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl and refrigerate while you make the butter sauce.
• Melt 1/2 stick of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 sticks butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper if using, and the remaining 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine and add more Cajun seasoning if desired. The butter sauce should be very strongly seasoned. Cover with a lid and set aside.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners on low or off; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill). The ideal cooking temperature is 375 to 400 degrees F.
• On a large rimmed baking sheet, lay out 2 extra-long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil with 8 inches of overhang on all sides of the baking sheet. Top with 3 of the banana leaves, overlapping them slightly to cover the foil completely. Moisten both sides of the banana leaves with a damp cloth (this will help prevent tearing). Cut the remaining banana leaf in half crosswise and set aside.
• To the bowl of shrimp, add 1/4 cup of the butter sauce and toss to combine. Arrange the shrimp in the center of the banana leaves in a single layer. In the empty bowl (no need to clean it out), combine the cooked potatoes, corn, sausage, and 1/2 cup of the butter sauce (reserve the rest for serving) and toss gently to combine. Arrange the vegetables and sausage on top of the shrimp. Cover the shrimp mixture with the halved banana leaf. Gently fold the sides of the bottom banana leaves up and over the shrimp mixture. Use 2 long pieces of kitchen twine to tie the banana leaf packet together. Do not pull the twine too tight or it will rip the banana leaves. Fold the foil overhanging from the longer sides of the baking sheet over the banana leaves then fold over the foil from the shorter sides.
• Transfer the foil packet to the grill. Cook for 45 minutes.
• Use oven mitts or 2 large metal spatulas to transfer the packet back onto the baking sheet. Carefully open the foil, cut away the twine, and unwrap the banana leaves (discard the ones directly on top of the shrimp mixture). Drizzle the remaining butter sauce over the seafood boil and stir to combine. Serve immediately with warm toasted bread, lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED MONKFISH WITH A SWEET RUNNER BEAN STEW

Steps:

• I absolutely love to cook runner beans this way. They take on fantastic flavor and go so well, when eaten hot, with roasted fish or white meat. They're also really good served cold as an antipasto. Please give them a try. To finish off this dish I'm going to use a great flavor enhancer called gremolata. The classic combination is garlic, lemon zest and at-leaf parsley, all chopped together really finely. It can be sprinkled over stews, broths, soups or pasta dishes at the last minute. It really brings a dish to life. You get the fragrance and sharpness of the lemon and the hum of the garlic.
• Feed the runner beans through a bean cutter. If you don't have one, just run your peeler down each side of the bean to get rid of the stringy bits and then cut them into 1/2-inch pieces at an angle.
• Your runner bean stew can be cooked in advance or started just before you cook the fish. Heat a large saucepan, big enough to hold all the ingredients, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil plus the oil from the jar of anchovies. Chop 4 of the garlic cloves and fry them gently with the anchovies and dried chili until it all goes soft and the anchovies break down into a mush. Pour in the crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce and add the beans and the rosemary sprigs. Season and bring to the boil. Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the beans are nicely cooked. If the sauce gets a little dry, add a splash of water and give the beans a stir.
• Lay the monkfish pieces on a chopping board and slice them horizontally almost in half, so they open out like a book. Try to get them so you have an even thickness on both sides. Score the fish lightly and set aside.
• To make the gremolata, finely chop the remaining clove of garlic with a pinch of salt. Next, finely chop the parsley and the lemon zest. Mix these with the garlic, give it all 1 last chop and put aside to sprinkle over at the end.
• Heat a very large griddle pan or frying pan (or use 2 smaller ones). Season the fish well with salt and pepper and rub lightly with olive oil. Cook the fish for 2 minutes each side or until just cooked through (don't overcook).
• Take the beans off the heat, taste and season them once again, if necessary. Remove the rosemary sprigs and add the lemon juice. Place a pile of beans on each plate and top with a piece of fish. Sprinkle over the basil leaves and gremolata. Or you could serve the whole lot on a big platter in the middle of the table - family service style!
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