Monkfish was once deemed to be too ugly to be put on display in a fishmongers window now this firm fish is a real meat favourite with  home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. This roasted monkfish recipe pairs the  meaty sweetness of monkfish with the salty pork for a very tasty meal.

About Monkfish

The white Monkfish tails that you see in the shop are very different from the appearance of the whole fish. Before filleting what catches your eye is the distinctive appearance of a large flattened head, big eyes and a wide mouth with rows of sharp  teeth! The tail that is so good to eat looks almost like an afterthought. These tails have a single cartilage/bone that runs down the centre which we can remove this for you in the shop.

Allow about 30 minutes to prepare and cook this dish. The quantities listed below will serves 4 people.

Ingredients For Roasted Monkfish

1kg monkfish tail from Walter Purkis & Sons
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tblsp black olives, sliced
3 tblsp olive oil
1 stick celery, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
125g pancetta, diced
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
50ml (2fl oz) stock
2 x 15ml spoon (2 tablespoons) flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper
Lemon quarters to serve

Cooking Method For Roasted Monkfish

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF, Gas Mark 6.

Cut the fish into four equal pieces. Place in a roasting tray and sprinkle with the rosemary and black olives. Drizzle with half the oil and season. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

Heat the remaining oil in a large pan, add the celery, carrots and onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened and translucent but not coloured.

Next add the pancetta and cook for a further 4-6 minutes until beginning to colour. Now add the beans and stock, and continue to simmer on a low heat for about 8 minutes, if the beans start break up or crumble reduce the heat. Add the parsley and season.

Serve the roasted monkfish on a bed of the bean mixture along with a quarter lemon slice for a bright garnish.

You can find more monkfish recipes here >>