How to Cook Monkfish to Taste Like Lobster?

I’ve discovered that monkfish, often referred to as the “poor man’s lobster,” is a fantastic seafood alternative that captures the essence of lobster when cooked properly.

Its meaty texture and mild flavor make monkfish a cost-effective and sustainable choice for anyone looking to indulge in the luxurious taste of lobster. It is a phenomenal ingredient.

I would like to provide you with a couple of recipes that will help you with achieving just that.

Selecting and Preparing

Before you can do anything, you need to find a proper fish. Finding the best monkfish you can is a key factor in preparing a tasty dish, especially if you want it to taste like lobster.

Here are some of the criteria you should be aware of:

Steaming Monkfish

Prepare the Rice

• Cook the rice in approximately 2 cups of boiling salted water until done, ensuring to use of high-quality Jasmine rice for the best flavor and texture.

Prepare the Vegetables

• Rinse and trim the zucchini, cut it in half lengthwise, and then slice thinly.
• Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic, and ginger.

Prepare the Fish

• Rinse the monkfish and pat it dry.
• Cut the fish into 8 equal medallions and season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with a little lime juice.
• Place the fish in a buttered bamboo steamer.
• Fill a pan with water about two finger widths high, place the steamer basket over the water, and steam the fish for 8-12 minutes.

Make the Curry Sauce

• Heat some oil in a pan and sauté half of the ginger, onion, and garlic.
• Stir in the curry paste, then pour in the stock and cream.
• Simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and curry powder to taste.
• Thick the sauce with cornstarch dissolved in a little water.

Final Preparation

• In another pan, heat a little oil and sauté the remaining ginger, onion, and garlic.
• Add the zucchini, cooked rice, and saffron. Sauté while stirring.
• Season with chili sauce, soy sauce, and pepper.
• Spoon the rice onto plates, arrange the steamed fish on top, and pour the curry sauce around the edges.
• Garnish with cilantro.

Grilling Monkfish

Preparation of Monkfish

• Slice the monkfish fillets thinly lengthways, creating about 8 strips.
• Using a metal skewer (or a rosemary sprig as a skewer), thread the rosemary through each strip of monkfish until the whole strip is skewered.

Prepare the Salad

• Slice the tomatoes, leaving smaller ones whole.
• Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a serving plate.
• Tear the buffalo mozzarella into chunks and distribute over the tomatoes.
• Scatter fresh basil leaves over the tomatoes and mozzarella.
• Dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil (lemon-flavored oil is also a good choice).

Grilling the Monkfish

• Preheat your grill.
• Lightly brush the monkfish strips with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Grill the monkfish for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until the fish is lightly seared and the rosemary begins to blacken.

Serving

• Place the grilled monkfish on top of the prepared salad.
• Finish with an additional sprinkle of sea salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Broiling Monkfish

Prepare the Marinade

• In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and white pepper.

Marinate the Fish

• Place the monkfish fillets in the marinade.
• Ensure that each fillet is well-coated.
• Cover and refrigerate for several hours, ideally turning the fish once to ensure even marination.

Broil the Monkfish

• Preheat your broiler.
• Remove the monkfish from the marinade and place it on a broiler pan.
• Discard the leftover marinade.

Cooking Time

• Broil the monkfish for about 8-10 minutes.
• The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Serving

• Serve the broiled monkfish with a side of brown rice and a green vegetable of your choice, such as steamed broccoli or green beans.