Food Network

COOKING
•  Baking
•  Cooking Guides
•  Cooking Demos
•  Cooking For Kids
•  Culinary Q&A
•  Encyclopedia
•  Holiday Baking
•  International Cooking
•  Recipe Collections
•  Recipes of the Day

Click here for a random recipe. Get a new recipe every time you click!

Find a TV Show
Today's TV Schedule

Find an Episode
Episode Topic
Or was shown during

Sponsor
Recommendations

Email Print Full Page | Print 3x5 Card | Print 4x6 Card

Ben's Bahamian Monkfish and Eel Chowder
Recipe courtesy Ben Sargent
Show:  Throwdown with Bobby Flay
Episode:  Chowder
Ben
1 medium size live eel (about 1 to 2 pounds, both sides or loins)
3 pounds monkfish, or 4 loins off the backbone, skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
7 medium Spanish onions, sliced
15 small Idaho potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
5 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 green plantains, peeled and sliced
3 yellow plantains, peeled and sliced
3 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream
12 cups heavy cream
3 pounds canned peeled tomatoes, plus their juices

Pinch dried parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 ounces Jamaican curry powder
Pinch paprika
Hot sauce, melon or coconut, for serving

To prepare the eel, chop off the head leaving it attached on 1 side and skin from head to tail. Cut the fillets from both sides of the backbone and cube into 1-inch pieces.
In a medium pot, combine monkfish, eel, carrots, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and then strain, saving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are coated in butter and beginning to soften. Add the bell peppers and plantains and cook, stirring often, until all the vegetables are softened, but not cooked through. Add the coconut milk, coconut cream, heavy cream, tomatoes and reserved fish stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium so chowder is simmering and add fish. Add dried parsley, cayenne, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and curry powder to taste. Add just enough paprika for a pinkish hue. Simmer until the flavors have melded, the vegetables are cooked through, and the chowder has thickened slightly, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serve with hot sauce if desired in a bowl or, more decoratively, a half a melon or coconut.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Other Recipes from this Episode
Bar Americain Sweet Potato Chowder
Lobster and Green Chile Chowder with Roasted Corn-Green Chile Relish

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 20 servings

User Rating 5 Stars
 Rate Recipe  Read Reviews
 Ratings & Reviews FAQ


 
Shop For This Recipe
 

  Shop by host
  Shop for gourmet foods
  Shop for soup pots
  Shop for cookbooks
  Visit the Food Network Store