Coconut Crusted Monk Fish

Recipe from Christopher's, host of February's Big Night Out .

Ingredients:

2 lb monk fish filet, cut into 8 oz portions

2 cup Panko Bread crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

1 tbl fresh thyme

1 cup all purpose flour

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

3 eggs

¼ cup water

1 cup milk or buttermilk

4 tbl vegetable oil

Sauce:

½ cup dark rum

1 tbl vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean halved

1 lb butter, cut into 1in squares

½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Marinate the monk fish in a bowl with the milk or buttermilk. About 20-30 min.

In small sauce pan mix together rum, vanilla and vanilla bean and bring to a boil. Reduce the liquid by half. Remove the bean trying to keep seeds in the pot. Lower heat to medium-high and whisk in butter one cube at a time. Constantly whisking the mixture. After half the butter is in, add half the cream. Then repeat the process until all the butter and cream have been added. Sauce should just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon without running. Keep finished sauce on very low heat until ready to serve. Not recommended to put in microwave to heat.

Place skillet on range top on med high heat with the vegetable oil.

In 3 separate bowls create a breading station. 1 with flour, salt & pepper, 1 with the 3 eggs beaten with the water, and 1 with the coconut, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt & pepper mixed together. Lift Monkfish out of the milk and place one side into the flour. Then that floured side into the egg then into the breadcrumb mixture. Once the coconut and crumbs adhere to the fish, about 5 seconds place immediately into skillet breading side down. Cook just until golden brown and remove from pan. Place fish, breaded side up onto cookie sheet and finish cooking in 400 degree oven. Approximately 8-10 min.

Plate fish and pour sauce over the top of the fish. Serve with rice.

** For the Ginger Basmati Rice, follow the cooking instructions on the package (this recipe calls for 1 ½ cups dry rice) add 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, ¼ cup finely chopped onion, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp fresh thyme. Make sure to add all ingredients into pan with rice prior to cooking so all flavors are infused.