Sunday Flavors

MONKFISH TAIL RICE

I regret not having this very ugly fish more times at my table. Ugly but enormously tasty. Its meat, tender and juicy, gives an unforgettable sea flavor and a marvelous texture to any recipe you prepare with it. Maybe the worst about monkfish (or a sea monster, as many people call it) is how to find it available in markets or supermarkets. Here in Macau, I hardly can find it in frozen cubes, imported form Portugal (green plastic bags with 500 gr). If you can buy it anywhere else, please let me know.
This fish and rice stew is very simple to do. Since you have some monkfish, you just need to add the usual Mediterranean flavors and let it cook together with some rice grains. Some people like to add prawns to this recipe but in my opinion, it hides the monkfish flavor, changing the tone of the dish.
This is a damp rice dish so please serve it like that and not like a risotto. Actually, I use long grain rice instead of Arborio or any other kind of short grain rice. My favorite traditional herbs for the final touch of this recipe are pennyroyal and coriander. However, you can use many other herbs of your preference.

YOU WILL NEED (serves 3):
500 gr / 1 lb and 1 ½ oz of monkfish tail;
150 ml / 5 ¼ fl oz extra virgin olive oil;
1 big yellow onion, diced;
3 garlic cloves, sliced;
1 bay leaf;
1 fresh chili;
500 gr / 1 lb and 1 ½ oz of fresh ripe skinless tomatoes, diced (you can use good quality caned tomato);
1 tablespoon of tomato paste;
1 teaspoon of paprika;
1 teaspoon of oregano;
150 ml / 5 ¼ fl oz of white wine;
Sea salt
Red and green bell pepper stripes;
300 gr / 10 ½ oz of long grain rice;
1 handful of fresh coriander coarsely chopped;
Fresh or dried pennyroyal (mentha pulegium);
Water.

METHOD:

In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add, by this order, onion, garlic, bay leaves, chili, paprika, tomato, tomato paste, a few bell pepper stripes, white wine and oregano. Let it cook for around 15 minutes in medium to low heat;
Add monkfish tails, washed, drained and cut in pieces, and it to cook for 5 minutes more;
Add boiling water, and bring it to a boil;
Season with sea salt;
Add rice and bring back to the boil. Then turn the heat very low and put the lid on the saucepan;
Stir to ensure the rice is not catching on the bottom of the saucepan;
By tasting a grain or two, cut the fire just right before the rice is soft (should still quite damp);
Add some fresh herbs like coriander and pennyroyal and stir gently;
Garnish it with bell pepper stripes;
Put the lid on and let it simmer for 1 or 2 minutes before serving. The rice should still damp.