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Sauce américaine is a recipe from classic French cookery containing chopped onions, tomatoes, white wine, brandy, salt, cayenne pepper, butter and fish stock and is often served with fish or lobster. It is sometimes known as sauce armoricaine, which is the original name, derived from Armorica, the ancient name for a region of France including Brittany, which is known for its fishing.
Monkfish is known for its huge head and mouth, and its tight, meaty white flesh that is often compared to lobster meat. It’s commonly used in French cuisine, but it has only recently become popular in the US. Only the monkfish tail is edible, and it’s sold whole or filleted. Any gray or tan membranes should be removed before cooking. The flesh is bright white, lean and mild-tasting. This versatile fish can be prepared using almost any cooking method, and it can be served in soups and stews. Its lean flesh tends to dry out if overcooked. Monkfish has a unique flavor and texture, but you can substitute snapper, sea bass, halibut, mahi-mahi or sea scallops.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
800g / 2 lbs monkfish
2 tablespoons tomato concentrate
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
250 ml / 1 cup dry white wine
60g / 4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cognac
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Cut the monkfish into cubes
Heat 30g / 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat and brown the fish for about 5 minutes, set aside
Rince out the pan and heat the oil
Cook the onion and garlic until soft
Add the monkfish and the cognac
Flambé
Pour in the white wine
Add the tomato paste, salt and black pepper
Stir, cover and allow to cook on a low simmer for about 30 minutes
Remove the fish and set aside
Add the rest of the butter to the sauce and sprinkle on the flour to thicken the sauce
Whisk and allow to reduce on medium heat
Place the fish on your warm plates and cover with the sauce
Enjoy!
Delicious …. I love monkfish which became popular in the UK quite a while ago and I’m quick to take it if it is on a menu here. I am most interested in the Origen of the name sauce a l’américaine and will educate my husband who has always turned his nose up at it assuming it is an American thing (don’t ask …. he’s a US citizen but eschews all things even remotely American when he is here). Now that I am armed with the origins of the name, I will make him try it …. I did know it was classic French but he was not having any of it. Thank you Nadia – you’ve rather made my day 😉
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Glad I could help sort it out.
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Great that you’re sharing all these French classics. I’ll make this, but of course I’ll cook the monkfish sous-vide to prevent overcooking it.
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I would not have expected any less from you😃
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Ended up not using sous-vide and turned out excellent. Post to follow 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration, I’ll definitely make this again.
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Oh good!!!! That makes me so happy that you enjoyed it. Bisous to you and Kees.
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That sounds great – I’ve got some monkfish in the freezer 🙂
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Perfect. Dinner is all planned then.
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I cooked this last night..what a delicious sauce!
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Hello there, so glad you enjoyed it.
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Love fish but haven’t tried monkfish before, what’s it like?
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Delicious, a firmish white fish. It is often called – the meat lovers fish.
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Then it should be very very tasty 😀
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Oh, It is 😃
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Pingback: Monkfish à l’Américaine (Lotte à l’Armoricaine) | Stefan's Gourmet Blog
Also wonderful with crayfish.
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Oh yes! That is actually how I first got to know this sauce.
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