Filets de Lotte aux Tomates et aux Petits Pois by Elizabeth Bard
Fish & Seafood · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis seafood recipe comes from Elizabeth Bard’s latest book, Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes. The Monkfish (lotte in French) is prepared with fresh tomatoes and peas for a simple and elegant main course. Monkfish is a particularly ugly, but many consider it “poor man’s lobster” for its tender, subtle flavour. The recipe below comes from Elizabeth Bard’s second book and is published with the author’s permission.
Monkfish Fillets With Tomatoes And Fresh Peas
Monkfish is a delicious fish, sometimes compared to lobster in texture. As long as your fishmonger prepares it properly, it is easy to work with, and the results are yummy.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 medium vine-ripened Tomatoes chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 large pinches dried Spanish ñora pepper or good paprika
- ⅓ cup white wine or rosé
- to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 fillets monkfish 6–7 ounces each
- 1 tsp lemon thyme regular fresh thyme with a bit of lemon zest will do, or use lemon basil
- 1 cup fresh peas
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, and ñora pepper; simmer 5 minutes.
- Add wine; simmer for three (3) more minutes.
- Taste the sauce, add a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper, and stir to combine. Add fish fillets and thyme. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the fillets once midway through.
- When the monkfish look nearly done (opaque to the center), turn off the heat and stir in the peas. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
- The peas don’t really need to be cooked, just heated through so they retain their colour and crunch.
- Serve with quinoa or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Notes
According to Elizabeth Bard, Monkfish Fillets With Tomatoes and Fresh Peas is quick to make and lovely to look at.Note: Cooking time will depend on the size of your fillets; start checking early. Be gentle. Monkfish, when properly cooked, has a nice firm texture like lobster. You don’t want to boil it to mush.Tip: You can also make this recipe with thick cod fillets.
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