Recipe Gallery

Monkfish Ardennaise

This retro monkfish Ardennaise by Tony Tintinger is a true classic from the Kichechef cookbooks of the 90s.

For my Anne’s Retro Kitchen series on RTL, I’m recreating these recipes in my own kitchen exactly as they were — and seeing if they still hold up today.

This lotte à l’Ardennaise style was served at many State dinners by Michelin Starred Chef Tony Tintinger – it’s very much of its time, but it still wows me today!

Watch me (and Tony Tintinger) make this recipe here on RTL Play.

Find more retro recipes here in my recipe archive.

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Ingredients

Serves 4

1 monkfish fillet (800 g)
200g thin smoked bacon rashers
12 mini courgettes
4 cherry tomatoes
200g shallots
1 bunch parsley
375ml white wine
500ml cream
500ml fish stock
parsley leaves, for serving
butter
salt and pepper

Method

For the fish:
Lay the bacon slices on a sheet of cling film so they slightly overlap. Season the monkfish with salt and pepper and place it on top. Roll tightly and tie with kitchen string.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan and sear the monkfish on all sides, moving it regularly so it doesn’t stick.

Transfer to a tray and cook in the oven at 250°C for about 6 minutes.

For the sauce:
Slice 100 g of shallots and fry in a knob of butter. Deglaze with white wine and reduce, then add the fish stock and reduce again. Add the cream and reduce once more.
Before serving, pass through a sieve, add a knob of butter and whisk until slightly foamy.

For the vegetables:
Blanch the courgettes briefly in salted water. Score them with fan-style cuts. Melt a knob of butter with a splash of water in a pan and toss the courgettes in it.

Cut the monkfish into 12 slices. Arrange 3 pieces of monkfish and 3 courgettes on each plate, place a cherry tomato in the centre, and spoon over the sauce.

Garnish with parsley leaves and serve.