The Culinary Works

This recipe was graciously provided to us by Chef Jeremy MacVeigh, author of the cooking text International Cuisine and Chef Instructor at the Professional Culinary Institute. It is one of the most amazing entree's I have ever eaten and I hope you will be inspired to invite a few friends over and give it a try for yourself. The original recipe he sent me was for 20 servings and I cut it down for you. BUT, if you want the larger yield recipe, drop me an email and I will happily forward it on. You can read more about the Chef vs Chef event where I tasted it. Otherwise, here is the recipe. Cheers!

• ¼ oz Chipotle Chilies, Dried (weigh after grinding)
• ¼ oz Ancho Chili, Dried (weigh after grinding)
• ¼ oz Rouge Cocoa Powder (can substitute Dutched cocoa powder if unavailable)
• ¾ tbsp Salt
• ¾ tbsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Clean each of the chilies by pulling the stem out of each and dumping the seeds out
2. Toast the chilies in a dry sauté pan over a low flame until the chilies become very fragrant but be careful not to char them
3. Let the chilies cool completely and then transfer them to a spice mill and grind to a fine powder
4. Combine the ground chile powder with the other ingredients and set aside for use with the monkfish when ready

• 4 oz Applewood Smoked Bacon, diced small
• 1.5 oz Yellow Onion, minced or grated
• ¼ lbs Parsnips, peeled and small dice
• ½ lbs Potatoes, peeled and small diced
• ¼ tbsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ¼ tbsp Salt
• ½ tbsp Fresh Thyme leaves, minced

1. Render the bacon over medium heat until the bacon begins to crisp and most of the fat has been rendered out
2. Add the potatoes and parsnips to the griddle and continue to cook all of the ingredients until the potatoes and parsnips are tender and browned
3. Season the hash with black pepper , salt and fresh thyme to taste and serve or cool if reheating for later use

• ¼ tbsp Clarified Butter
• 1 ½ oz Chorizo, diced very small (1/4 inch cube at largest) (not Mexican style chorizo this is like salami but spiced with chilies and can be found at Whole Foods and other gourmet markets – often in the cheese section)
• ¾ tsp Garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
• ¼ tsp taste Salt
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 ¼ oz Blanched Almonds, roasted in 325 degree oven until coloring and then cooled and crushed to a crumb
• To Taste Salt and Black Pepper

1. In a pot large enough to hold all of the ingredients add the clarified butter and place over a medium high flame to heat the pot
2. Once the pot is hot add in the chorizo and sauté until the chorizo begins to brown and then add in the garlic and black pepper and sauté for another 20 seconds or so
3. Add the salt, heavy cream and almonds and bring entire mixture to a gentle simmer
4. Simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken and is thick enough to coat a spoon
5. Once the sauce is thick enough taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and black pepper

• 2 ½ lbs Monkfish Fillet, cleaned of the exterior membrane that covers the fillet and removing the bloodline in the fillet (unless this has already been done by a fishmonger – they don’t usually do this) and then cut into 6 ounce portions Cacoa/Chile Rub From Above
• 1 oz Clarified Butter

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F
2. Coat the monkfish fillets with the rub liberally so that the fillets are covered all over (you may have extra rub after doing this you could save it for next time if it is hasn’t contacted the fish)
3. Once all of the monkfish is coated you will be pan-searing them and then finishing them in the oven so get a sheet-pan or other suitable pan prepared for you to put them on as you finishing searing them
4. Heat a sauté pan over a medium high flame until it is hot and add a small amount of the clarified butter to the pan and once the butter is very hot (just begins to smoke) add just enough of the cacoa/chile covered monkfish fillet pieces to cover half of the sauté pan and sear the fillets, turning them as they are colored all over and removing them to the sheet-pan once they have been seared all over.
5. Continue to add clarified butter as needed to sear all of the fillets, again transferring them to a sheet-pan as you do
6. Once all of the fillets have been seared, transfer them to the preheated 350 degree oven to finish cooking the fillets
7. Finishing the fillets in the oven will take between 10 and 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the monkfish (monkfish will get tough if overcooked, but is also though if undercooked – getting it just right takes a little patience and attention – look for the fillet to be just flaking – at will crack slightly with the dark rub on the exterior – you can also sample a piece of fish to make sure it is right)
8. Once the monkfish is finished remove it from the oven and your ready to plate

1. Plate the monkfish by first putting some of the parsnip hash down on the plate (it can be formed in a mold or simply free formed on the plate
2. On top of the hash place a fillet of the monkfish and then top the fish with about 3 tbsp of the sauce and serve (can be garnished with fresh thyme)