Stokes Sauces: Fish Friday - Marvellous Monkfish

Putting Monkfish on your Menu

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-monkfish

Monkfish is sustainable net-caught in south western seas and off Iceland. Many years ago Monkfish tail was used as scampi. It was also known once as 'poor man's lobster' because of its firm flesh and gentle crustacean sweetness.

Now though it is a rather expensive fish. The price puts some people off, mainly for fear of spoiling and possibly wasting the meal and the budget.

Today, with some help from 'Great British Chefs' we'll show you how easy, robust, adaptable and delicious Monkfish is to prepare and cook.

Sold as tails or steaks, it should have been filleted, skinned and the membrane stripped by the fishmonger. It can be pan-fried or roasted. An average 140g fillet will take about 7 or 8 minutes to cook. Insert a knife through the thickest part of the fillet and if the blade comes out hot, the fish is cooked.

Its versatility is such that it can be grilled, barbecued, stewed (as in a curry) and skewered (as for a kebab). As for flavours - it takes anything you care to throw at it.

Sitting Pretty on a Plate

Monkfish Basquaise

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

Monkfish is popular across the globe and in this culinary corner of south west France its firm white flesh enjoys the flavours of our smoky version of this tomato sauce.

Here's how:

Fry 2 red peppers, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, 2 tsp of chopped thyme and 2 cloves of grated garlic together for 7 or 8 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup and 250 ml of vegetable stock. Let this simmer for 15 minutes to combine the flavours and reduce the liquid.

Cut 700 g of Monkfish into 6 cm mini steaks, dust them in a little flour and fry them in hot olive oil for just 2 minutes each side.

Put the fish in the simmering sauce, cover and cook for a further 10 or 15 minutes. Served in bowls as a soup with a baguette or ciabatta, it makes a delicious supper.

Monkfish in Parma Ham

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/traditional-condiments

This is our variation on an absolute classic Monkfish dish. Garnish it simply as there is a lot of flavour in the fish and ham combination. A few potatoes and simple roast cherry tomatoes suits this very well.

Here's how:

You need a 700 piece of fish cut into 4 fillets. Lightly season the fish steaks then rub each with a thin coating of 1 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard mixed with the juice of half a lemon.

Wrap each piece in two slices of Parma ham. (TIP: the easiest way to do this is lay down a sheet of cling film, place two pieces of Parma ham on top followed by a piece of Monkfish, then roll it all up tightly.)

Remove the clingfilm and sear the Parma-wrapped fish on both sides in hot olive oil, then transfer them to a baking sheet to bake in the oven at 180°C/Gas mark 5 for 10 or 12 minutes until cooked.

Oriental-style Monkfish

https://stokessauces.blogspot.com/2019/01/chinese-new-year-competition.html

Try this as part of our Chinese New Year celebrations and competition (more here).

Here's how:

First a coleslaw of finely sliced Chinese lettuce, carrot, spring onion, cucumber and bean shoots tossed in Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise, lime juice and a drop of soy sauce.

Take 4 x Monkfish fillets as above and shake a little Chinese 5 Spice onto one side. As above, fry the fillets for 2 minutes on each side in vegetable or sesame oil, then transfer them to the oven at 180°C/Gas mark 5 for 10 minutes or so until cooked.

Slice the fillets onto a bed of watercress and serve with a dressing combining half Stokes Hoisin Sauce and half Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce. This simple combination gives you the sweet rich spices of the hoisin followed by a delicious punch of chilli.

Celebrate the Chinese New Year