Roasted Monkfish Fennel And Chestnut Tagine Recipes

ROASTED MONKFISH, FENNEL, AND CHESTNUT TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut 1 fennel bulb half lengthwise into paper-thin slices with a mandoline or other manual slicer and toss with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cut remaining fennel lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick sticks.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook fennel sticks in 2 batches with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and edges are golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving skillet, and keep warm, covered.
• Halve chestnuts and add to skillet with 1 tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with fennel using slotted spoon, reserving skillet, and keep warm, covered.
• Blanch fig leaves in boiling salted water 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking and drain well. Trim stems from leaves.
• Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Sear fish in 2 batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, transferring to a plate.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter in skillet, then remove skillet from heat. If not using fig leaves, drizzle pieces of fish with butter. If using fig leaves, arrange 1 leaf, smooth side down, on a work surface, then put a piece of fish in middle and drizzle with some of melted butter. Wrap fig leaf around fish to enclose it and secure with wooden toothpicks. Wrap remaining fish in same manner.
• Boil 1/2 cup sauce in skillet until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes. Stir in chestnuts and cooked fennel and transfer to a wide shallow heavy pot (with a tight-fitting lid) just large enough to hold fish in 1 layer. Top chestnut mixture with fish. Cover pot with lid and roast in middle of oven until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• While fish is roasting, heat remaining 1/2 cup sauce in a small saucepan over moderate heat until hot.
• Remove toothpicks and open fig leaves. Serve fish (with fig leaves) over chestnut mixture and scatter with raw fennel. Serve warm sauce on the side.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH FENNEL-SAFFRON COMPOTE

Steps:

• Using small sharp knife, trim all membrane and gray portions from monkfish fillets. Combine oil, garlic and saffron in large bowl. Add fish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange fish, with marinade still clinging, on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fish feels firm to touch and is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Spoon Fennel-Saffron Compote onto plates. Slice fish on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Arrange atop compote.

MONKFISH ROASTED LIKE LAMB WITH GARLIC AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut away the thin dark membrane that runs along the bottom of the monkfish tail. (If you can't get it all, carefully sever the membrane in two or three places to keep the tail from contracting as it cooks.)
• Cut three cloves of garlic into thin slivers. Using the point of a knife, cut tiny incisions all over the tail and push the garlic in.
• Trim the base of the fennel and pull off the outer layer of the bulb if it's stringy or discolored. Cut off the top, chopping the feathery greens for a garnish. Cut the bulb into quarters, then thinly slice those.
• Place half the butter in the bottom of a large roasting dish and place in the oven. When the butter is melted, arrange the fennel in the pan, then lay the monkfish on top. Season with salt and pepper and dot with the remaining butter. Cover with foil and roast for 35 minutes, basting twice.
• Remove the foil so the monkfish colors lightly. Baste once more and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the flesh is tender.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a serving platter, arrange the fennel around it and keep it warm. Pour the roasting juices into a small saucepan and add the fish stock. Boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Blend the mayonnaise with the minced garlic in a deep bowl. Remove the stock mixture from the heat and carefully whisk a ladleful into the mayonnaise. Pour the mayonnaise mixture back into the stock and reheat very gently, if necessary; do not boil.
• Slice the monkfish and spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with the fennel leaves and serve at once.