Monkfish with chicory shoots en papillote, a delicious, easy, and quick-to-make second course that will surely impress. Chicory shoots, part of traditional Roman cuisine, are usually eaten in salad, seasoned with a pesto of garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and white wine vinegar. However, I find them delicious even when cooked, which is why I’m trying to include them in some recipes. If you can’t find them or don’t like them, you can substitute them with other vegetables, such as zucchini or simple red cherry tomatoes. As for the monkfish, you can find it either fresh with the head or frozen (body only). Both are excellent, but only if the frozen one is of good quality. If it’s fresh, don’t throw away the head, as it’s perfect for making fish stock, also ideal for freezing.
If you like both monkfish and chicory shoots, then you shouldn’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 21 oz 2 monkfish tails
- 7 oz cleaned chicory shoots (catalogna chicory)
- 4 oz Taggiasca olives
- 1 tbsp desalted capers
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
Tools
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Kitchen twine
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
First, clean the chicory shoots, wash them, dry them, cut them in half if large, and place them in a bowl.
Season them with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt, Taggiasca olives, capers, and mix.
Take the two monkfish tails out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before cooking, to bring them to room temperature. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove any moisture. Finally, season them with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and massage well.
Place each tail on a sheet of parchment paper and add the previously seasoned chicory shoots. Close the parchment like a candy and tie the ends with kitchen twine.
Place the two packets in a baking dish or on a tray, bake in a preheated oven at 356°F, fan setting, and cook for about 30 minutes.
Serve our Monkfish with Chicory Shoots en Papillote, immediately and slightly opened directly on the plates.
Tips
We can store the monkfish en papillote in the fridge or directly in the freezer, either raw or cooked.
For reheating, the ideal would be a microwave, while to defrost, move it from the freezer to the fridge, never defrost at room temperature.
