Monkfish

Goldi, those aren't munkfish but I guess you bought turbotin as they call them in French. Nothing to worry about, they are the small versions of turbot. The mature turbots are usually reserved for the posh restaurants,... they're about the most expensive treat from our seas! So your money was well spent although I can imagine they weren't cheap at all?

You can do a lot with them but one thing is sure; keep it simple, it's one of the most tastiest fishes around!

 

Monkfish are really ugly, with huge mouths and lots of teeth.

 

And oh so good  /img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

 

I've never eaten any, so I can't say.  But I have heard that their liver is like the fois gras of the sea.  I've never had fish liver, that I know of.

mjb.

 

Also known as poor man's lobster.

If you have never had it before Goldi , try just pan frying it butter. If you decide to add any aromatics to the fish , it will automatically take on those flavors.

If you would like a change, precook (peel and blanch) a couple of wazy potatoes-  (put aside) . Chop up some garlic and parsley , mix together so that the garlic infuses the parsley  (set aside) Put some olive oil in a pan and toss in those potatoes to continue cooking them , turning every so often till golden, place fillets in pan to sear each side, then sprinkle  the garlic parsley mixture over and around, add a good handful of chopped cherry tomatoes , toss in some capers , zip off a sprig of thyme, and cover with some thinly cut slices slices of parm ham, making sure to cover the fish , a slight splash of olive oil over the dish,  Place pan in oven for 7-8 minutes.

Grab a plate, place 2-3 potatoes down, layer a fillet on top, place the ham on top and spoon out the tomato &  drippings on top of everything.

Teamfat: You would love this video :  Life can only get better with Michel Roux. Gosh I wish I was cooking beside him in his kitchen - for every dish .

 

It's pretty rare to find monk fish in my supermarkets.  When it does show up, it's NEVER a whole fish... long filets similar in size to a pork tenderloin.  Pretty sure the tail section is about the only part that gets eaten??   Has some membrane that gets tough when cooked.  I'm not sure how to remove that, so just eat around it!?!  Fish is mild in flavor and very firm... sometimes have heard it referred to as "poor man's lobster".  Think it would do nicely on the grill... probably not fall apart, cuz so solid.  I have just pan fried in a little butter +/or olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

 

Video is worth a thousand words - this is how I've done it -



And if you are lucky enough to get a whole one -



Without a doubt the cheek meat is the best meat on a fish.  I always cut them off when cleaning fish.

 

Oh go Goldi, anyone who has the chance of learning all those great and refined cooking techniques , should take it .

Of course I would need details , and I mean  lots and lots of details (pics of everything) , on every aspect of your cooking day there. If only I there.......        

I'll live it through you !

 

Monkfish is around 2/3 head and 1/3 tail. We call them "staartvis" in dutch, which means "tail fish" in English. More interesting is the other common name for it which is "zeeduivel" or... "sea devil". Until not all that long ago, fishermen threw them back in the sea. They were truly scared of that ugly fish and all those teeth, they really thought it was the devil. Later on, they decapitated them on board and threw the heads overboard until they discovered only recently, like Mike9 already mentioned, that the cheeks were quite big and a true delicacy.

It is still somewhat a tradition not to bring the heads back or at least not to show the heads in the shop.

The membrane should indeed be cut away before selling it, which is not very easy at all, it needs a skilled fish monger.

The determination "poor man's lobster" might be a little outdated since monkfish became quite pricey. But indeed, what a taste. Most people love monkfish since they don't contain any bones, only a backbone.

 

Goldi, I would give my right arm to attend Michel Roux Jr.'s cooking classes, eh, no, my left arm.

I'm already counting on seeing you in the next Masterchef UK.

 

Actually, I find monk fish skin quite tasty (nothing should go to a waste and why can it not also be true for fish?). I believe Nobu had a recipe (in his first cookbook) that features skin along with meat and all.