Rick Moonen

An advocate for sustainable fishing and seafood, Chef Rick Moonen’s passion for conservation has led him to national acclaim. Moonen graduated first in his class from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 1978. After working in some of Manhattan’s most renowned restaurants, including La Cote Basque and Le Cirque, Moonen joined Buzzy O’Keefe at The Water Club.

Rick Moonen

After six years, Moonen left to become executive chef and partner at Oceana, where he helped garner the restaurant national recognition and three stars from The New York Times. Next, he partnered to create Molyvos, a Greek fish house, where he created Greek cuisine on another level. Molyvos was the first Greek restaurant to earn three stars from The New York Times.

After five years Moonen decided to develop his own restaurant. As executive chef and owner of New York City’s rm, Moonen once again received three stars from The New York Times. In 2005, he closed his doors in New York City to bring his unique flavor and specialties of the seafood world to Las Vegas. That February, Chef Moonen opened his Rick Moonen’s rm seafood at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

When not cooking, Moonen can be found throughout the country educating about the dangers of overfishing and ocean conservation. He is a founding member of the Seafood Choices Alliances, which named him “Seafood Champion” in 2006, as well as an active member of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Seaweb, and a chef’s advisory board member of Ecofish.

Moonen’s current passion has been the writing of his first cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt, a practical, hands-on guide to buying, preparing and cooking a wide array of fish. Fish Without a Doubt was released April 2008 by Houghton-Mifflin.

RICK'S FEATURED RECIPE

"Chicken Fried" Trout with Green Tartar Sauce

Accept substitutes: Cod fillets take happily to this marinade. So do tilapia and catfish; cut the fillets down the center before marinating, and keep in mind that the thinner halves will cook more quickly. Mahi mahi rocks when you chicken-fry it. Its dense fillets take longer to cook, though; count on 2 minutes per side.

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon chile paste (sambal oelek)
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For the fish:
4 (7-ounce) trout fillets
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
Corn or peanut oil for frying
Green Tartar Sauce
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For the green tartar sauce:
This sauce is best made ahead. Letting it sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours gives the flavors time to develop.
¼ chopped cornichons
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
2 cusp mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ heaping tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
¼ cup olive oil


Directions:
For the marinade and fish:
Combine the buttermilk, onion, scallions, dill, garlic, zest, and chile paste in a baking dish. Whisk or stir well.

Lay the fillets in the marinade, making sure you’ve got them completely coated. Cover with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. When you’re ready for dinner, remove the fish from the marinade and season it with salt and pepper. Coat the fillets well with flour.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a heavy skillet (this is a good time to pull out your cast-iron pan) until very hot but not smoking. Fry the fish in batches for about 1½ minutes on the first side, then turn and fry for another 45 seconds. The crust should be golden. Drain on paper towels, and serve with the tartar sauce.

For the tartar sauce:
Drop the cornichons, capers, and shallot into a food processor. Process for a few seconds just to combine. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, herbs, lemon juice, and white pepper and process for about 8 seconds to blend well. Scrape down the sides. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream.

Scrape the tartar sauce out into an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours before using.