Fall Meals Done Right

By: Marketing Manager, Kendall for UMass Dartmouth, Michaella Lesieur

Fall has officially arrived on our calendar and as the days start to get nippier and we reach for those snug sweaters we are also substituting our summer burgers for crockpot meals, stews and comfort food.

The season is a great way to explore what ingredients your town has locally. One of our favorite dishes is from our very own Executive Chef, from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Kevin Gibbons. Monkfish Portuguese is a perfect fall meal that sends that warm fuzzy feeling a blaze in your stomach.

Coming from a big Portuguese culture in this area Monkfish Portuguese is a great way to switch up your codfish dishes for a different take. For those of you who have not cooked with monkfish before, it is a great substitution to lobster as it has a flavorful texture.

The fish does not fall apart and can be bought locally. When working with monkfish tails it is actually quite simple. For best cooking make sure to devein the fish by turning the tail and pulling back the vein leaving you will the perfect fillet.

Monkfish Portuguese combines Madeira red wine, potatoes, paprika and other ingredients to give this one pot dish a flavorful bite.

When heading to the market make sure to have the following on your shopping list:

Monkfish Portuguese Shopping List

SEAFOOD:

Monkfish Tails

WET INGREDIENTS:

Madeira Red Wine

Caldo De Marisco (fish broth)

Your preferred brand of olive oil

Your favorite brand of tomato paste

DRY INGREDIENTS:

Paprika

Red Pepper Seed

Salt & Pepper

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

Red Potatoes

Red Onion

Portuguese Bread

When purchasing your ingredients try to make sure all your ingredients are as local as possible, which will make this dish a simmering fan favorite for even your pickiest of eaters. I suggest purchasing Portuguese rolls from a local bakery the day of, which will leave the inside fresh and airy and the outside crusty--perfect for dipping.

Once home place all your ingredients out in front of you, better yet pretend you are on your own cooking show. You can follow the recipe below but can easily substitute ingredients should you want to change it up.

-Cut 2 lbs. of monkfish fillet into1.5-inch chunks

-1 cup of red wine, (Madeira)

-2 bouillons of Caldo De Marisco (fish broth)

-2 tbls of tomato paste

-1 red onion, small dice

-2 lbs. of red potato cut into half inch dice

-2 tbls paprika

-1 tsp red pepper seed

-Salt and pepper to taste

-Water

-2 tbls olive oil

Step 1: Heat up a heavy bottom pan that can go into your oven. Oven should be set to 350 degrees

Step 2: Add olive oil, onion, potatoes, paprika, red pepper seeds and sauté for a few minutes until the onions begin to color

Step 3: Add tomato paste and bouillon and stir in

Step 4: Add wine and reduce by half, season with salt and pepper

Step 5: Add monkfish and enough water to just cover everything, stir and cover with foil and put it into the oven for 30 minutes

Once complete serve in individual soup crock bowls with a basket of bread. You can even set your table with a fall escape, here is a picture for those who need a little bit of inspiration. If looking to purchase your own soup crock bowls they can be found on Crate and Barrel and Amazon.

This is a great dish for quick weeknight meals or for fall dinner parties served with a glass of red wine. It’s sure to have your guests begging you for the recipe before they go. If looking to pair with a dessert you could make a pumpkin cheesecake for your sweet tooth friends with a hot espresso to wash it down.

Happy fall!