Kitchen

[vabreeze]

I saw this fish at the market this week. It is touted as 'the poor man's lobster'. It's definitely cheaper than lobster. When I went online to look up recipes for preparing it, some reviewers indicated that it did taste like lobster and others said it didn't-- that only the texture reminded them of lobster. The fish itself is quite ugly. Its head makes up about 75% of its body and its mouth is as wise as its body. Only the tail and the liver of the monkfish are edible (only the tails were on display at the market where I shop).

I would appreciate responses from anyone who has experienced monkfish and those with tried and true recipes for preparing it. TIA!

[VaBelle35]

Amy Theilan made a monkfish dish on Heartland Table a week or so ago.

I'd rather have lobster ;o)

[Poodlepet2]

I love Monk fish, but I've had some bombs in restaurants. It's been best when simply prepared at home. When properly prepared, it does taste like lobster-(at least to me it does-but I find it to be a wonderful mild, firm-much, much firmer than your typical fish). This may be worth looking up on YouTube, but what you have to worry about with Monk fish is that there's a tough membrane that must be removed. I've had it in restaurants when they didn't remove the membrane-and the fish was dry and chewy as a result. It does take time, but manually remove the membrane. We tried recipes that suggested soaking it in a dry white wine in lieu of removing the membrane, and we did not care for the results at all. Once you remove the membrane, broil or poach it: a simple butter or olive oil sauce with garlic and whatever herbs you want is great.

All that being said, I love this fish, but it is work-and there is a little learning curve with it. If lobster is what you are really after, in the long run, it would be easier and less time consuming to buy the lobster, and depending on where you live, the lobster may actually be cheaper!

Poodlepet

[susan_ca]

I like flaky, mild flavored fish such as trout. But I digress......

Monkfish roulade:

Monkfish tail wrapped in pancetta:

[vabreeze]

VaBelle, Amy Theilan's monk fish recipe wasn't posted on her website. I only saw one for trout. However, Poodlepet has given me info on her personal experience with this fish. More than wanting something that tastes like lobster, I am always up for trying something I've not had before that others consider worth sampling. I eat cod, salmon, orange roughy, shrimp and scallops in my effort to get away from meats and poultry. So I found monk fish intrigting.

Thanks, Poodlepet, for the tip on removing the tough membrane and for the simplicity in preparing it. I think I will try it.

Susan_ca, the monk fish roulade looks so delicious! They grow really big... and ugly. I can't imagine wanting to try monk fish if the whole fish were displayed!

Thanks for your replies!