Roasted Monkfish Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Season fish with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Over high heat, cook one side of the fish until golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn, and brown the second side. Add carrot, onion, garlic, wine and fish broth, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the contents of the skillet to an oven-proof baking dish, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 5 minutes. Remove the fish to a serving platter and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, boil the cooking liquid and vegetables over high heat until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining olive oil to bind the sauce.
• Spoon the sauce and vegetables over the fish, and serve with mashed potatoes.

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.

Steps:

• To make the rouille, in a small saucepan, bring the wine to a simmer and reduce it by half. Set aside. In a food processor, combine the roasted pepper, Tabasco, potato, garlic, salt and pepper and process until almost smooth. Do not over process or the potato will become gummy. Add the olive oil and vinegar in a thin stream while the machine is running, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Just before serving, heat the reduced wine slightly and beat it into the rouille, drop by drop, to loosen it. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the whole potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Drain well, cut in half, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a heavy 12 inch skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat and add half the olive oil. Sear the onion slices until almost charred, pressing them down with the back of a spatula and turning to the other side when blackened.
• Separate the onions into rings and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and wipe the pan with a paper towel. Add the remaining olive oil and, again over medium high heat, lightly season and then sear the monkfish tails, turning with tongs to be sure all sides brown evenly. Return the onion mixture to the skillet around the fish and add the potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. The fish should not be crowded or it will steam rather than roast. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Serve the rouille on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the monkfish, shaking the pan as you add the fish to prevent sticking. Sear the fish on one side until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and roast until opaque and firm to the touch, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer the fish to a warm plate and set aside. Place the skillet over medium heat and add the wine or vermouth and 1/4 cup water, scraping the browned bits from the pan. Add the Chunky Cipolline Tomato Compote to the skillet and cook until heated through.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the compote among 4 dinner plates, arrange a piece of the monkfish over the compote, and serve.