Spaghetti with Monkfish, Pinenuts and Orange
Yes I am still around, just had a busy few months and writing took a backseat. If you're interested in finding out what kept me so busy, I just finished writing and end-of -year-recap newsletter which you will receive soon. This year, I had to pare down from last December's 12 Days of Christmas recipes extravaganza. For the 2015 Holiday table I am sharing 2 recipes, a pasta with monkfish for Christmas Eve and a rabbit with olives which can make a lovely dish anytime throughout the season.
I developed and taught both these dishes while leading my food tour of Maremma last September. More details on it and on upcoming tours for 2016 will be in my newsletter, or you can email viola@violabuitoni.com for details.
Just one more reminder: cooking classes make great holiday gifts, check my newsletter for details on where I will be teaching in 2016.
Please enjoy the merriest of holidays!
Spaghetti alla pescatrice e finocchio
Spaghetti con pescatrice, finocchio e pinoli tostati al profumo d’arancio
Spaghetti with orange scented monkfish, wild fennel and pine nuts sauce
for 6 to 8 people
3 sweet yellow onions
2 cups wild fennel
1 whole monkfish of about 3 pounds, skin off
(or fillets will do in a pinch and skate or a small bass can sub for the monkfish)
salt and pepper to taste
grated zest of one orange
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 pound box spaghetti
Slice the onions in very thin half moons.
Clean and wash the fennel very well. Dry it and chop it quite finely.
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of chopped fennel and one pinch of grated zest.
Heat the olive oil in a shallow, wide mouth sauce pot add the onions, all but the reserved fennel and zest and a generous pinch of salt.
Slowly soften everything over gentle heat for about 20 minutes, until the onions appear translucent and quite soft.
Raise the heat and add the monkfish. As soon as the color of the fish changes to whitish, deglaze it with the white wine.
When you no longer smell the acidity of the wine, add 1 cup of water, turn the heat down and cover the fish.
Braise it slowly until the eyes are sunken in the orbits and the flesh is falling off the skeleton, it should take about 30 minutes.
Check it often and add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pot if it looks like it’s sticking or too dry.
In the meantime, toast the pine nuts on low heat until they are gold, appear oily and you can effortlessly smell their distinctive flavor.
Remove the fish from the pot being mindful to let all the liquid, onions and fennel fall back into the sauce.
Pick the flesh off the bones and spine. There will be some gelatinous parts that come from the spine and fins, keep them as they will make for just the right sauce texture.
Also, do not forget to pick the cheeks and all the tasty little bits off the head.
Return the bits of fish to the pot and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, just so that all the ingredients come together well.
Adjust salt and pepper.
Drop the spaghetti in salted boiling water and cook quite al dente, about 4 minutes less than the recommended time.
Strain the pasta from the water using tongs or a handheld strainer and add them to the pot with the sauce in it.
Add a bit of the pasta cooking water and finish cooking the pasta with the sauce, tossing and turning all the while.
You might need to add a little more pasta water, but do so gradually as to not overcook the pasta.
When the spaghetti reaches your preferred toothsomeness, sprinkle with olive oil, turn off the heat and toss with energy.
The oil and starch in the cooking water will bind, giving the dish just the right creaminess and moisture.
Scatter the toasted nuts on the pasta, toss and transfer to a warm platter.
Dust with the reserved fennel and zest and serve right away.