Monkfish Recipes

Monkfish is an often overlooked seafood species with meat similar to lobster. If you need cooking inspiration, browse these recipes for monkfish karaage, monkfish bisque, and more!

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Monkfish Karaage

Ingredients

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Fried Monkfish on a platter with lemon wedges
Monkfish Karaage by Chef Hajime Sato

Monkfish Marinade

2 fresh garlic cloves, grated

2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons mirin

Monkfish Karaage

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless monkfish filet

3–4 ounces potato starch

4 cups high smoke point cooking oil (e.g., canola oil, avocado oil)

1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions

  1. Prepare the marinade by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Cut the monkfish into 1 ½-inch cubes and place them in a large bowl.
  3. Pour the marinade over the monkfish and mix thoroughly. Let marinate for 1 hour.
  4. Using a strainer, drain the marinade from the monkfish. Gently pat the monkfish dry.
  5. Place the potato starch in a large bowl. Add the monkfish and toss to lightly coat.
  6. Pour cooking oil into a pot so that it is approximately 2 inches deep. Heat on stovetop to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Carefully add the monkfish into the pot. Cook for 90 seconds before removing the monkfish from the pot for 2 minutes to rest.
  8. Allow the oils to return to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and return the monkfish to the oil until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 30 seconds).
  9. Remove the monkfish from the oil and place on a rack to allow excess oil to drain.
  10. Serve piping hot with lemon wedges.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Hajime Sato, owner of Sozai Restaurant and winner of the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes

Monkfish Bisque

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A bowl of creamy soup with white fish.
Recipe and photo courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant's Mariner's Menu

Ingredients

1 pound poached monkfish (begin with 1 ½ pounds raw fish)

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup diced potatoes

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped celery

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

½ teaspoon dried basil

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup dry white wine

2 cups heavy cream

Directions

  1. Poach the monkfish in lightly salted water. Coarsely chop and set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then sauté the potatoes, carrots, and celery until tender.
  3. Remove the vegetables from the pan, puree, and return to the pan.
  4. Stir in the salt, pepper, and basil. Then add the broth and wine and heat.
  5. Blend in the cream, stirring constantly until well combined.
  6. Add in the poached monkfish and heat, about 5 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant Mariner’s Menu, contributed by Joyce Taylor.

Seafood Panzanella Salad

Ingredients

8 littleneck clams, rinsed of sand

4 large sea scallops, muscle removed

3 ounces calamari (squid) rings

3 ounces monkfish, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces

½ cup large diced tomato

½ cup julienned cucumber

¼ fennel bulb, julienned; reserve a few fronds for garnish

4 basil leaves chiffonade; plus a couple of whole leaves for garnish

1 scallion cut lengthwise into thin slices; reserve the green top for garnish

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, sliced

½ teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper to taste

1 cup water

1 large baguette

Directions

  1. Remove crust from the bread and cut it into ½ - inch cubes. Lightly toast bread cubes in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and set aside. You’ll need about ½ cup of toasted bread cubes for the recipe.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan. Add olive oil. Season scallops and monkfish with salt and pepper. Sear until browned on the outside, remove from the oil and set aside.
  3. Add garlic and brown slightly, then add calamari and toss quickly.
  4. Add clams and water, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover until clams begin to open.
  5. Return scallops and monkfish to the pan. Cook covered until all clams open, about 1 minute. You may have to add more water if the clams do not open. Make sure that you have about a ½ cup of liquid left when the dish is finished.
  6. Put cut vegetables into a large bowl with basil. Season with salt and pepper, add bread cubes, and toss.
  7. Just before serving, toss in the hot seafood and half of the cooking liquid. Portion onto plates, garnish with scallion sprigs and fennel fronds.
  8. Pour remaining seafood broth around each plate.

Recipe credit: Chef Jim Weaver, New Jersey chef, 2004 Great American Seafood Cook-off

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