Equipment
Ingredients
Fish
- 800 g monkfish fillet, cut into 5cm chunks
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 200 g pearl onions, peeled
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 bouquet garni
Sauce Base
- 50 g unsalted butter, divided into 30g and 20g portions
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 g tomato paste
- 400 ml dry red wine
- 200 ml fish stock
- 20 g all-purpose flour
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Thoroughly pat the monkfish chunks dry with paper towels. Season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat 15ml of olive oil and 15g of unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the peeled pearl onions and quartered mushrooms. Sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a plate.
In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the seasoned monkfish chunks in a single layer. Sear briefly just to develop a light crust on the outside, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. The fish will not be cooked through. Transfer to the plate with the vegetables.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the residual fat in the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and let the wine reduce by half.
Pour in the fish stock and add the bouquet garni. Bring the liquid back to a gentle simmer. Let the sauce gently reduce for 15 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
While the sauce simmers, prepare a beurre manié by mashing the remaining 20g of softened butter with 20g of all-purpose flour in a small bowl until it forms a smooth paste. Whisk this paste into the simmering sauce in small pieces, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Return the monkfish, mushrooms, and pearl onions to the thickened sauce. Simmer gently over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 60C/140F and flakes easily. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Monkfish has a tough exterior membrane that must be removed before cooking, as it shrinks violently and causes the meat to curl and toughen. Ensure your fishmonger removes it, or peel it off with a sharp knife.
- To peel pearl onions easily, blanch them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then shock in ice water. Snip the root end and squeeze gently; the onion will pop right out of its skin.
- A beurre manié thickens sauces without clumping because the flour particles are coated in fat. Always ensure your sauce is simmering, not boiling aggressively, when whisking it in.
- Selecting the right wine is critical. Choose a dry but fruity wine with low tannins, such as a Red Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or Gamay. Heavy, oaky wines will overpower the delicate flavor of the monkfish and turn bitter when reduced.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat very gently to avoid overcooking the fish.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing may slightly alter the texture of the monkfish, making it more dense.
Reheating: Warm over low heat in a covered saucepan until just heated through. Do not boil.
