Middle Eastern Monkfish Recipes

"POOR MAN'S LOBSTER" - MONKFISH WITH HERB BROWNED BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut fillets: Cut each monkfish into 3 or 4 even size pieces. (Note 1)
• Season: Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.
• Rack for resting: Place a rack over a tray (optional, for resting fish, Note 5)

OVEN ROASTED MONKFISH WITH CLAMS AND MERGUEZ SAUSAGE

Steps:

• For the monkfish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the monkfish with salt and pepper to taste. Sear on both sides until lightly golden brown. Place the fish in a small roasting pan and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
• For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes in olive oil in season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through and lightly golden brown. .
• For the sausage: Preheat grill or grill pan. Grill the sausage until golden brown and cooked through. Let rest and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
• For the clam broth: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add wine and cook until reduced. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add clams, cover the pot and cook until the clams open, remove the clams with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Cook the broth until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter, add the scallions and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Assemble: Cut the roasted monkfish into 4 pieces. Place a small amount of spinach in each bowl. Place a piece of monkfish on top of spinach and place 3 potatoes, 3 pieces of merguez and 3 clams around the edge. Ladle broth over and garnish with fresh parsley.

MONKFISH ALMONDINE

Steps:

• Combine the sweet paprika, smoked paprika and hot paprika, and the garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, and then sprinkle evenly, but sparingly, with the paprika mixture, and rub it in.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. When the skillet is hot, add the fish and sear on one side until dark, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest and shallots to the skillet. Flip the fish; add the butter and almonds; and cook, basting the fish using a large spoon, until the almonds brown and the fish tests tender in the center when poked with a fork or toothpick, 2 to 3 minutes. Pick out the lemon zest and discard.
• Transfer the fish, along with the shallots, almonds and some of the butter, to plates and serve right away.

MONKFISH ROASTED WITH HERBS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Tie the monkfish fillets with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
• Line the bottom of an earthenware or other low-sided baking dish with thyme and rosemary sprigs. Tuck bay leaves here and there, if using. Lay the fish on top of the herbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter the lemon slices and whole olives over fish. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the olive paste: Put pitted black olives, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small food processor and pulse to a rough paste. (Alternatively, chop olives finely with a knife and stir together with garlic and oil.)
• Roast fish, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top and firm to the touch. Check with a paring knife to be sure fish is cooked through. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Snip twine with scissors and remove from fish. Cut fish into 4 portions and spoon some of the roasted lemon slices and whole olives over the top. Dab each piece with a teaspoon of olive paste, or pass olive paste separately.

MIDDLE EASTERN MONKFISH

Steps:

• Finely chop garlic and gingerroot together.
• In a small bowl, stir oil into tomato paste. Stir in garlic and ginger mixture, cinnamon, and caraway seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove fine skin from monkfish, then spread on the spice mixture.
• Place fish into a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400.
• Cut a piece of foil large enough to enclose fish.
• Make a bed of chopped onions on the foil. Place monkfish and any spice paste left in the dish on top of onion.
• Fold foil loosely over fish and seal edges tightly.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Open foil and baste fish. Bake another 10-15 minutes until fish flakes.

CURRIED MONKFISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add Garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add fish pieces to the skillet and season with a little salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring, until the fish pieces lose thier translucency, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in curry powder followed by the tomatoes.
• Cook until bubbling hot.
• Reduce the heat and stir in the yogurt.
• Heat for 1 or 2 minutes, but do not boil.