Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [219]
Meanwhile, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Once the cabbage mixture is done, cover the pan and set aside off the heat to keep warm. Score the bass skin in three or four places on each fillet, then blot dry with paper towels.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet. Season the fillets with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place them skin side down in the skillet and cook for 1 minute, shaking the skillet repeatedly so they don’t stick.
Place the skillet in the oven and roast until the thin part of a fillet flakes when gently scraped with a fork, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, mound the warm cabbage mixture on four serving plates.
Remove the skillet from the oven and place the fillets on top of the vegetables skin side up. Tent very loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the red onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining minced garlic clove and the cumin seeds. Cook, stirring all the while, until aromatic, about 20 seconds. Pour in the vinegar and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and immediately spoon this dressing over the fish on the plates.
Variations: Add 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger with the cabbage.
Substitute 2 cups jarred roasted chestnuts, quartered, for the chickpeas.
Monkfish Braised in White Wine with Leeks and Pancetta
More properly called “angler fish,” this hideously ugly creature traps lobster, crab, and smaller fish in its cavernous mouth by twitching a wormlike lure from its head. The only part of the fish that we can eat is the tail, which makes for a silken, gelatinous fillet that tastes like spiny or Pacific lobster. Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces pancetta, diced
1 large leek, dark green part removed, the rest halved, washed of any internal grit, and thinly sliced
2 cups dry white wine 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves
1 bay leaf
1½ to 2 pounds monkfish fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large ovenproof skillet set over medium heat. Add the pancetta; cook, stirring often, until crisp, about 4 minutes.
Add the leek and cook until soft, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Add the rosemary and bay leaf, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
Place the fish in the skillet, then place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the pieces over and continue baking until firm and opaque, until a flatware knife inserted into the thickest part of the fillet and held there for 5 seconds feels warm to your lips (a gelatinous center) or hot (a firm center), about 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the monkfish pieces to four serving plates. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in two additions, then add the parsley and spoon the sauce over the fish.
Variation: For a more classic French dish, substitute red wine for the white wine.
Italian-Inspired Monkfish Ragù
This is a streamlined version of a traditional Trieste stew. It’s great over pasta, polenta, or Perfect Mashed Potatoes or Root Vegetable Mash. Makes 6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed of its fronds, thinly sliced, and chopped
1 Italian frying pepper or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups canned diced tomatoes with their juice
1½ cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons