So here I am lounging on my favourite outdoor chair, whilst sniffing the air from the kitchen that is driving me batty! Mama, inspired by Mya’s mama who is traveling in Brittany, is making lotte a l’armoricaine, which is a fish soup to end all fish soups and I, of course, will be given, in the process, some nice fresh fish to nibble on. The fish around here are not polluted and do not contain any bacteria worth writing about, but mama cooks a little anyway for me, just to be careful. So out comes the Le Creuset casserole and in go the 1 chopped sweet onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 2 shallots, to be sautéed until transparent.
Add a nice pinch of saffron threads and stir them around.
In another pan, mama sautés the 1-1/2-inch pieces of monkfish (skinned) after they have been shaken in flour, salt, pepper and sweet paprika (for color).
Raw pieces
Tossed in the flour mixture and sautéing in olive oil and a bit of butter.
Now the fun begins. Mama is opening up a bottle of Armagnac and about to toss some on the fish!
WHOA–stand back. This thing flared up like our fireplace, but it burns down pretty quickly. No paws were singed, thank heaven.
Now put all the fish into the casserole and add 2 cups of white wine, any fish or shrimp broth you might have lying around (mama makes her out of the shrimp heads that she and papa don’t eat when they are peeling and dipping cooked shrimp), and 2 cups of crushed fresh tomatoes (or a large can if you don’t have fresh), a squeeze of lemon, and let it simmer slowly until the smell drives you nuts. Toward the end, around 30 minutes later, add a nice handful of chopped fresh coriander, or, if you don’t have that, here’s a trick: whole coriander seeds, about a teaspoon, may be used but put them in a bit earlier to flavour the soup.
Serve the soup over toasted bread rubbed with garlic. Num, num and I’m chowing down on my plain lotte avec grand plaisir!
This is one surfeited and happy kitty. Just cleaning off the olive oil on my lips…er…bucal area.
*****
THANKS TO THE NEW YORKER!!!! This is hilarious….Mr Booth is a dream cartoonist.
Mmmmmm…that looks tasty, Loulou. Lucky you.
Well, I got the fish but not the booze!
I don’t quite understand this comment but I am thinking Babtize is a kitty, no?
Loulou – we FINALLY got back and mama is swatting me away from her computer, but I told her the neighbor’s house was on fire, so she went running out, teehee, so it’s all mine now.
OOOOOH that lotte dish sounds incredible!!!! Mama’s going to make it too, but not right away. She says we’re all going on a diet. What’s that??!! Well, it’s good to be home but had to say hello to YOU first – now going to greet Octopoulpe and the gang……big smoochies, Mya
OH, BOY. YOU ARE BACK!!!!! Woof, woof and myow to you three. We shall convene SOON, whatever that mean.
Wow ! I just googled monkfish (because of your remark about skinning them, I wondered if they were related to bullheads and catfish. We caught bullheads when I was a kid and they were good eating, but of course the creek we fished in was not polluted either.) With those teeth, I’m guessing monkfish are NOT bottom feeders ! Just goes to show you can’t judge by appearances !
Hey, this stew would be good with any white fish, even catfish, which mama LOVES. Fried.
I don’t eat fish, but I bet my hubby would like this.
Oh, even you would like this dish. It is NOT fishy at all.
You don’t get meals You get cuisine. Your mama must be some cook.
Well, it’s easy for her because she taught cooking for years, about 12, but she LOVES to cook. You can’t stop her and she loves to feed others. Hey, how about ME, mama?
Goodness- I can smell that delicious soup clear over here in Ohio ! I’ve never come near a fish soup, but I do like New England clam chowder.( I suppose that is like comparing Diet Ginger Ale to Champagne.) Enjoy !
Make that soup and sigh!!!!
Lotte is such a tasty fish ! Claire loves it ! She cooks it simply in court-bouillon. Thank you for the soup recipe, she’ll give it a try. Purrs
I think Claire is going to LOVE this recipe. It’s the cognac, mama says, that bumps it up into star material…