1092. RISOTTO of SUMMER TOMATOES with BACON-WRAPPED MONKFISH and GARDEN BASIL

yields 6 servings


2 cups arborio rice
1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup white wine
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon basil puree
1 cup grape tomatoes, peeled and seeded
salt and pepper, to taste

2 filets of monkfish loin
8 slices of applewood bacon, 4 slices for each filet
2 sprigs of rosemary, 1 sprig for each filet
2 sage leaves, 1 sage leaf for each filet
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a 4-quart sauce casserole on medium heat, add olive oil. Bring to temperature and add onions. Sauté very well, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice and allow to toast until rice appears to have a white spot in the center. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce liquid until pan appears dry. Slowly add stock and tomato puree. Add one-third of stock, then one-third of tomato puree.

In the meantime, season monkfish with salt and pepper. Wrap each filet in bacon. Sauté filets in olive oil until bacon starts to get crisp. Place rosemary and sage under each browned filet. Finish cooking filets in a 375 degree oven. When cooked, keep warm with aluminum foil and allow filets to rest.

Finish cooking the rice by repeating addition of stock and tomato puree until all the liquid has been used. When rice is cooked and all of the liquid has been absorbed, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in grape tomatoes, cheese, butter, olive oil and basil puree. Stir well to create creamy consistency, adjust seasoning as needed.

To serve: Heat 6 bowls. Slice each monkfish filet into nine slices. Spoon a generous amount of risotto into the center of each bowl. Top each serving with three slices of monkfist and garnish with basil leaves.


courtesy of: Chef Todd Gray, Equinox, Washington, D.C.