“Poor Man’s Lobster” – Monkfish with Herb Browned Butter
Recipe video above. With sweet, meaty shellfish-like flesh, monkfish is affectionately known as “poor man’s lobster”. But there’s certainly nothing “poor” about this dish!If you’re new to cooking monkfish, this is a good recipe to try. It’s easy and showcases just how good monkfish is. There’s a reason it’s a firm favourite with upmarket restaurants!Other names: Stargazer is another name for monkfish in Australia.Allow around 150 – 180g / 5 – 6oz monkfish per serving.
Prep: 10min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 308 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 66 mg, Sodium 319 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 300g / 10oz monkfish fillets (, skinless and boneless (Note 1))
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper (, finely ground)
- 2 tbsp/ 30g unsalted butter (, cut into 1cm (1/2″) cubes)
- 2 garlic cloves (, smashed (Note 2))
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 tsp parsley (, finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp chives (, finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp chervil (, finely chopped)
Instruction:
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Cut fillets: Cut each monkfish into 3 or 4 even size pieces. (Note 1)’, ‘name’: ‘Cut fillets: Cut each monkfish into 3 or 4 even size pieces. (Note 1)’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-0-0’}
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Season: Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.’, ‘name’: ‘Season: Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-0-1’}
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Rack for resting: Place a rack over a tray (optional, for resting fish, Note 5)’, ‘name’: ‘Rack for resting: Place a rack over a tray (optional, for resting fish, Note 5)’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-0-2’}
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Cooking monkfish (Note 2):’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Heat oil: Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat (medium-high for weak stoves).’, ‘name’: ‘Heat oil: Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat (medium-high for weak stoves).’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Sear first side, then turn: Place thickest pieces of fish in the pan first. Leave for 1 minute then add the thinner pieces. (Note 4). Cook for a further 2 minutes, then flip fish.’, ‘name’: ‘Sear first side, then turn: Place thickest pieces of fish in the pan first. Leave for 1 minute then add the thinner pieces. (Note 4). Cook for a further 2 minutes, then flip fish.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-1-1’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add butter and baste: Add butter to pan. After it starts melting, add garlic and thyme. When the butter starts foaming, tilt the pan and start spooning the butter over the fish. Do this for 2 minutes or until the internal temperature is 55°C/131°F (Note 6), or the flesh flakes easily. Butter will begin to smell nutty – it’s now brown butter!’, ‘name’: ‘Add butter and baste: Add butter to pan. After it starts melting, add garlic and thyme. When the butter starts foaming, tilt the pan and start spooning the butter over the fish. Do this for 2 minutes or until the internal temperature is 55°C/131°F (Note 6), or the flesh flakes easily. Butter will begin to smell nutty – it’s now brown butter!’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-1-2’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Rest: Transfer fish onto the rack and rest for 3 minutes.’, ‘name’: ‘Rest: Transfer fish onto the rack and rest for 3 minutes.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-1-3’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add herbs: Add herbs to butter remaining in pan. Serve this Herb Brown Butter with monkfish.’, ‘name’: ‘Add herbs: Add herbs to butter remaining in pan. Serve this Herb Brown Butter with monkfish.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-1-4’}]}
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Optional plating up, fine dining style!’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Slice monkfish into 2.5cm / 1″ pieces. Place on pea puree, then drizzle with Herb Brown Butter. Optional garnish with any combination of dill, parsley, chervil.’, ‘name’: ‘Slice monkfish into 2.5cm / 1″ pieces. Place on pea puree, then drizzle with Herb Brown Butter. Optional garnish with any combination of dill, parsley, chervil.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.recipetineats.com/monkfish-recipe/#wprm-recipe-64291-step-2-0’}]}
11 Simple Ways to Cook Monkfish
These monkfish recipes are simple, easy, and so good! From poor man’s lobster to baked fish to spiced fish, you’ll love the versatility of monkfish.
Ingredients:
- Poor Man’s Lobster
- Monkfish in Tomato Garlic Sauce
- Monkfish with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Catalan Monkfish
- Baked Monkfish with Lemon, Rosemary, and Breadcrumbs
- Spiced Monkfish
- Roast Monkfish with Lemon and Parsley Butter
- Grilled Monkfish with Roasted Pepper
- Pan-Seared Monkfish with White Wine Garlic Sauce
- Monkfish and Chips with Remoulade
- Monkfish and Cauliflower Chowder
Instruction:
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a monkfish recipe in 30 minutes or less!
Monkfish recipe (“Poor Man’s Lobster”) with Herb Brown Butter
FAQ
How is monkfish best cooked?
Monkfish fillets can be pan-fried or roasted to give the fillets colour. An average-sized monkfish fillet (around 100g) will take around 5–6 minutes. Monkfish suits being grilled or barbecued because the robust flesh doesn’t fall apart easily. It can be cubed and skewered to make kebabs.
Is it healthy to eat monkfish?
Monkfish meat is a healthy option, especially if you are trying to manage your weight. That’s because monkfish has low levels of sodium and calories. A serving of 6 ounces of cooked monkfish only has 110 calories. However, despite being low in calories, this meat contains high cholesterol levels.
Why is my monkfish rubbery?
Monkfish is an unusually meaty white fish that unless cooked very carefully can result in a rubbery texture. Cooking it sous vide eliminates this problem as the low cooking temperature results in a tender, perfectly cooked piece of fish every time.
Is monkfish very expensive?
Is monkfish expensive? Monkfish is known as poor man’s lobster for a reason: It not only tastes similar to the pricey crustacean, but it is also cheaper.
