Monkfish

Common Name:

Monkfish, anglerfish, goosefish, bellyfish

Product Information:

Monkfish has a mild, slightly sweet taste. The tail meat, the only part of the fish that is used, is firm, dense and boneless. It doesn’t flake readily and is firm like scallop or lobster meat.The raw flesh is off-white to pale gray, covered with a blue-gray membrane; cooked meat is white. With headless monkfish, blood is a sign of a recently caught fish. Dried up or brown-colored blood indicates a fish that’s started to age. Don’t accept tails when the edges of the meat are discolored or there’s a fishy odor.

Cooking Tips:

Mild yet very firm, monkfish is highly versatile and benefits from zesty marinades, seasonings and sauces. The firm texture of monkfish means you don’t have to worry about the meat falling apart on the grill or in chowders. Buy slightly larger fillets than for other fish, because the meat loses moisture and shrinks when cooked. Use poached monkfish to stretch a lobster salad (the monk is known as “the poor man’s lobster”).

Cooking Methods: