Best Monkfish Crazy Water Style Recipes

FISH IN CRAZY WATER

Steps:

• Trim the spring onions and fennel (reserving any leafy tops), peel the carrot, then slice them all 1/2-centimeter-thick (1/4-inch-thick). Halve the tomatoes. Peel and finely slice the garlic and chilli. Squash and destone the olives. Put a large frying pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the onions, fennel and carrot, followed 4 minutes later by the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and olives. Toss regularly for 2 minutes while you lightly score the fish on both sides (this will help flavour and heat to penetrate as it cooks).
• Lay the fish on top of the veg, stuff half the herbs into the cavities, then pour over the wine and let it reduce by half. Add about 300 milliliters (10 ounces) of water, to come 1 centimeter (1/3 inch) up the side of the pan. Cover and leave to thunder away on a high heat for 8 minutes (boiling underneath, steaming on top means fragrant veggies). Pick the remaining herb leaves, finely grate the lemon zest over them, then chop and mix together.
• Uncover the fish and baste with its juices for 1 minute. To check the fish is cooked, go to the thickest part up near the head--if the flesh flakes easily away from the bone, it's done. Remove to a plate, spoon over the veg and juices, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, scatter over the lemony herbs, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Great served with bread to mop up that irresistible sauce, or with new potatoes, couscous or rice.

SEARED MONKFISH WITH BALSAMIC AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Combine sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato oil, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Toss to coat and set aside.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the purple translucent membrane away from each fillet. Cut each fillet crosswise into 3 to 4 pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear monkfish until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, remove fish to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Pour sun-dried tomato mixture into the skillet and quickly stir around the pan until just warmed, about 20 seconds. Spoon topping over fish and garnish with parsley.

MONKFISH CRAZY WATER STYLE

Steps:

• Begin by seasoning the monkfish chunks with salt and pepper. Pour the bottle of white wine into a large pot and cook over medium heat until the alcohol is cooked out. Turn the heat to medium-low, and add the sliced garlic. In a medium sized pan over high heat, saute the pearl onions in a small amount of olive oil until they begin to brown. Add these to the wine pot. Next, saute the sliced fennel over high heat with some olive oil until they brown, add these to the wine pot. Wait for the onions and fennel to become soft. In a medium pan over high heat, saute the monkfish chunks with olive oil until they begin to brown as well, add these to the wine pot. Repeat the same process with the bay scallops and add them to the wine pot. While all ingredients are in the wine pot, add salt and pepper, to taste. Finally add the tomatoes and marjoram to the pot and cover for 2 minutes.

MONKFISH WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare the sauce: Combine heavy cream with garlic and anchovies. Boil this down until it gets thick--approximately 1 hour. (If it seems too thick, thin it out with water, chicken stock or more cream.)
• Cut the fillet into scallops and salt evenly on both sides. Allow them to sit for a half hour so that they will drain. After a half hour, dry off the liquid and brush off salt. Nick all around the edges of the fillets with a sharp knife. This allows the fillets to stay flat and cook more evenly.
• Heat the clarified butter in a saute pan. Coat fillets with instant or granulated flour, and then saute in clarified butter. The fillets should develop a crunch on the outside.
• Lightly steam the spinach and place on a plate. Dry off fillets on a towel and place them on a nest of spinach.
• Combine the minced tomatoes and the sherry vinegar and place the mixture on top of the fish.
• Drizzle cream sauce on top of the tomato concasse and then drape sauce around the plate.
• Wine: A young, fruity Saint Amour Beaujolais from Georges DuBeouf

MONKFISH WITH LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the monkfish in a bowl with the lemongrass, lime leaves, lemon thyme and olive oil. Cover and chill for 6 hrs to marinate.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon dressing. Chop the strips of lemon zest into small dice and tip into a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then drain. In a small saucepan, cook the blanched lemon zest with the sugar in 140ml water for about 5 mins. Drain the lemon zest and mix together with the remaining ingredients and 2 tbsp water. Taste and season, if you like.
• About 20 mins before you're ready to eat, remove the monkfish from the marinade and lightly season. Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the monkfish medallions for 4 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 4 mins. To serve, gently warm the dressing, adding more water if needed. Spoon it over the monkfish and around the plate, then scatter with rocket leaves.

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.

MONKFISH WITH MASHED POTATOES AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook potatoes until quite tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and put through a ricer or food mill, or mash with a fork or potato masher. Add butter, milk, a few thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm in the oven or reheat in a microwave when ready to serve.
• While potatoes cook, or immediately after they are done, put an ovenproof skillet large enough to accommodate monkfish over medium-high heat. After a minute, add the oil, garlic, a couple of thyme sprigs and then fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute, then without turning, transfer to oven.
• Roast until monkfish is cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes depending on its thickness. (It will be tender but still firm when done; a thin-bladed knife will meet consistent light resistance when inserted in its center.) Reheat potatoes if necessary, then serve monkfish browned side up on top of them, garnished with a little more thyme and pan juices.

MONKFISH SCAMPI & LIME TARTARE

Steps:

• For the tartare sauce, mix the red onion with the lime juice and zest and a small pinch of salt, leave for 5 mins to soften a little, then mix in the mayonnaise and coriander. Cover and chill until needed. Can be made a day ahead.
• For the batter, add the flours, cayenne and bicarb to a bowl, then whisk in the water or lager and set side. Pour the oil into a deep, wide pan ensuring it is no more than two-thirds full, or heat a deep-fat fryer to 180C if you have a thermometer. If you don't, drizzle a little batter into the oil - it's ready when the batter sizzles and turns crisp in less than a minute.
• Put a little plain flour in a shallow dish then, working quickly, dust the fish in the flour, then dredge through the batter. Hold a nugget of fillet above the batter to let the excess drip back into the bowl, then very carefully lower into the oil. Fry as many nuggets as you can without the pan being overcrowded - you may need to do it in batches. Fry the fish for about 4-5 mins, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Lift onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain for a minute, then serve in a basket with the tartare sauce for dipping.