ideas, recipes please for monkfish tails

[menthe]

Queues de lotte.....never having cooked this fish (maybe not even having ever eaten it), I'd welcome some tips on cooking and presentation.

I am asking for a specific reason.  It is to "fatten up" my husband.  No, NOT for Christmas!

He'd lost so much weight after a bout of recent illness that he is now on those hyper proteiné, hyper calorique drinks, desserts, biscuits, etc.  I'd like to get his weight up by cooking him appealing foods to tempt his appetite.

As he doesn't eat meat but does eat SOME types of fish, I am casting around (oops, unintended pun) for different types of fish to try.  I think these monkfish tails look meaty and nourishing.

So give me your best recipes, svp!🙂

[Lori]

Just be sure to buy the Queues de Lotte that has been cleaned and prepared to cook/eat.  Sometimes it is sold with the skin still tightly attached to the flesh.  It can be a real pain to remove that skin.  So, I always look for the cleaned version.  That, I love.

I like to sautée it in butter with a bit of capers, olives and artichokes added.  You can also do a version with sun dried tomatoes and butter, lemon and a touch of white wine.  We like it served on a bed of rice (whatever type you like) with fresh sautéed spinach on top of the rice, then the fish dish layered on top.

You can do something similar with Cod or Julienne.  Cod is a bit more delicate, so you can't handle it too much once it is in the pan or it will crumble.

 

[anotherbanana]

There are dozens of recipes for monkfish/ lotte on line, minterooni; depending on your/ his tastes I am sure you will find one to suit. My own favourites are those with agrumes, particularly both lemon and lime which I use in abundance both as juice on the fish and slices placed under and around it, cooked slowly in the oven.

It is,I think, in season at the moment as there are a lot of tails on offer quite cheaply.

Enjoy.

[DaveLister]

My favourite

Lotte à l'armoricaine

https://lemarchedupecheur.fr/lotte-a-larmoricaine/

[NormanH]

A local recipe that I have sometimes (the chef trained in Sète)

https://www.cuisineactuelle.fr/recettes/bourride-a-la-setoise-284586

[Lori]

Recipe is behind a paywall.

[menthe]

Thanks for all the recipes.  Yes, I know the internet provides recipes for just about all dishes imaginable.

What I wanted was for you to tell me what you like and how you do it.

I do think some of your suggestions will work for us.  I am surprised that you can "mijoter" the fish and, of course, fry it.  I have tended to do most fish en papillote in the micro but then I have to think of some sauce or something to vary the taste.

Me, I am OK with bland food but I think for someone whose appetite needs a bit of encouragement, some quite big changes could be effective.

Thanks again, bon appetit to us all!

[DaveLister]

If your OH likes Chinese, you can always steam it with a little ginger and spring onion & serve with soy sauce. It is a very adaptable fish.

[menthe]

Great suggestion, DL.  Ginger and spring onion with soy sauce sound very good.

BTW is this fish "oily"?  Would your recipe, for example benefit with some good oil (olive or peanut) to dress it?

[Lori]

1 hour ago, DaveLister said:

If your OH likes Chinese, you can always steam it with a little ginger and spring onion & serve with soy sauce. It is a very adaptable fish.

I love that idea.  You could add a couple of small potatoes and snow peas and serve on some rice with soy sauce or a homemade teriyaki sauce.  Sounds delish.

[DaveLister]

1 hour ago, menthe said:

BTW is this fish "oily"?

Not at all, in fact if I was to criticize it at all, I would say that it can have a tendency to become dry. Depending on how you cook it a good oil can really lift the flavour.

Perhaps it would help if I said it's described as the poor mans lobster. Think of that texture and you'll have some idea.

[Loiseau]

I shall be interested to hear how you get on, menthe. My favourite dish in our local restaurant used to be lotte aux agrumes, but my only attempt to cook it myself resulted in something of rubbery texture which has put me off trying it again. Obviously my fault, but I should love to cook it more successfully.

[Lehaut]

An old trick used in the UK many years ago was to well chill the fish, then cut it up into bite size pieces and coat it in seasoned flour and deep fat fry it until crisp.  Sold as Scampi in some unscrupulous eating places

[menthe]

13 hours ago, Loiseau said:

I shall be interested to hear how you get on, menthe. My favourite dish in our local restaurant used to be lotte aux agrumes, but my only attempt to cook it myself resulted in something of rubbery texture which has put me off trying it again. Obviously my fault, but I should love to cook it more successfully.

Bonjour Loiseau.  I promise to tell you after I have done the deed!

From your post, I think you might have cooked the fish for too long.  I have read that it can get very rubbery if overcooked.  I think perhaps treat it like you would squid, just cooked and then leave well alone.  Or, just slightly undercooked and then leave to rest like you would meat?

[anotherbanana]

Baste it, minterooni, baste it to help stop drying out.

[menthe]

 Thank you, Wools, will remember to do that.  I have also thought that I could perhaps wrap it with slices of smoked salmon to stop it drying out.

[NormanH]

• Epluchez les carottes et les pommes de terre puis coupez-les en lamelles. Lavez et émincez les poireaux puis épluchez et émincez l’ail et les oignons.
• Faites revenir le tout dans une cocotte avec un filet d’huile pendant 25 min environ en remuant régulièrement. Ajoutez la lotte coupée en morceaux, le thym et le laurier puis versez le vin blanc. Salez et poivrez.
• Laissez mijoter à couvert pendant 15 min puis réservez la lotte. Ajoutez l’aïoli dans la cocotte, mélangez et laissez la sauce réduire pendant 2 min. Servez la lotte avec les légumes et nappez de sauce

[NormanH]

That is  the 'how to ' part of the recipe I gave which is not behind a paywall for me and in fact includes a fun video:)

[menthe]

Well, Norman, that seems simple enough.  Thanks. 

[Lori]

Ah, thank you Norman.  That does sound good and easy too.