A few years ago I was doing a stage with a chef who's a "Fish Whiz." We went to the market where a whole monkfish was on display. He suggested it could stand up to flavoring it like lamb. Stud it with garlic and anchovies and rub all over with chopped fresh herbs of Provence and salt and pepper. It is SO good that way!
It is a versatile fish... As Greenstuff mentioned, works great in stews. I also like to poach it in broth or olive oil, and serve with a nice sauce on the side. Tempura is lovely too.
I love any firm textured white fish, christened with lemon juice and rested a bit; lightly dusted with Wondra flour..salt and pepper. Fried in clarified butter (or olive oil). and served with a Chimichurri sauce of Parsley, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and red pepper flakes--all wisked in a mini-prep food processor or blender to a nice green sauce.
Monkfish are sometimes called "poor man's lobster," but it's important to realize that they get that name from their texture, not their flavor. They are a really firm but mild-flavored fish. Therefore, I almost always cut them into pieces for cooking--big pieces are prone to curling up. And I have some flavors in my dish, so that I don't disappoint anyone who thinks it's a crustacean. They are, for example, wonderful in tagines and fish soups and stews. Julia Child had a famous monkfish show, and her recipe for monkfish with peppers and onions was a smash hit in the 1970s.
Be sure to remove the slightly gray membrane. And I hope you like it, it's one of my favorites.
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Be sure to remove the slightly gray membrane. And I hope you like it, it's one of my favorites.