Bring four cups of water and one cup of sugar to a boil. After trimming any skin and remaining membrane from the monkfish, cut the monkfish into large chunks and add to boiling water. Cook for about four minutes. You are just parcooking the monkfish here (getting it about 60% of the way done) and infusing it with a little sweetness.

In a separate pan, take two sticks—yes, two sticks—of butter. You will not actually use all of it in the rolls, but you’ll want the milk solids from two sticks to really get that yummy, brown butter flavor you’re looking for. Melt, and then brown, butter over medium heat. This takes about four minutes or so. Pay close attention, and when the butter starts to smell nutty and get the slightest bit brown, remove from heat and separate the clarified butter (ghee) from the browned milk solids. You’ll need to skim the solids from the clarified butter.

Add clarified butter to a clean frying pan on medium-high heat. Add in chopped tarragon. Add in the par-cooked monkfish chunks. Sauté for about four minutes, basting (or what the French call arroser) as it cooks. When cooked through, strain—keeping only the fish and tarragon—and add to browned milk solids. Add champagne vinegar. Fold until evenly coated. (Note: give one chunk a taste while no one’s looking; you won’t be disappointed.)

To serve, overstuff buttered and toasted split-top hotdog rolls with about a cup of brown-butter monkfish chunks. Sprinkle with a dash of chopped tarragon and a squeeze from a quarter lemon. Serve family style with potato chips or oven fries. In my opinion, this is a perfect late fall dish, something to make you nostalgic for the cookouts and carefree nights of a summer already faded in the rearview. Enjoy!