How to Cook a Monk Fish
Monk fish is a bottom-dwelling fish with a large mouth full of teeth and a warty body, which gives the fish an ugly and imposing appearance. This gives no indication of the firm, white flesh within the tail that has a sweet and delicate flavor. Monk fish flesh is typically cut as a fillet and can be prepared in a variety of cooking methods including baking, frying and grilling, although its firmness allows the flesh to be used even in stews and chowders. One popular way to prepare the fish is to simply broil it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cooking pot
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbs. black pepper
- Dash hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 lb. monk fish fillets 1 inch thick
- 2 plates
- Broiler pan
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Butter
- Basting brush
- 2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
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1
Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Add the salt, pepper, hot sauce and bay leaf to the water and reduce to a simmer.
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2
Add two 3/4 lb. monk fish fillets, which will make a total of four 6 oz. servings, to the water and let them simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the fillets, place them on a plate and allow them to drain completely.
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3
Turn on the broiler in your oven. Spray a broiler pan with the non-stick cooking spray. Place the monk fish fillets on the broiler pan.
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4
Melt some butter and brush the fillets with the butter. Insert the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the fillets are brown on the top.
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5
Remove the fish fillets from the broiler and allow them to rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the fillets with melted butter and lemon juice.
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Tips & Warnings
Concerns over overfishing and the indiscriminate fishing methods used to take monk fish, which often catch many other species such as turtles and ocean mammals, have led Seafood WATCH to recommend that consumers avoid monk fish in favor of other more sustainable species, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
