Monkfish with Brown Butter, Lemon & Caper Sauce
Coda di rospo or “monkfish” is probably one of the ugliest fish around. With an oversized head and an enormous mouth filled with razor sharp teeth it comes as no surprise that “sea devil” is another preferred name. Yet, what this grotesque fish lacks in beauty, it makes up for in its exquisite meat. Firm in texture with a mild taste, it’s a favorite in Italian cuisine. You’ll find it often in soups, pasta dishes and main courses.
Servings: 2
Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil.
In the meantime, make the leeks. Add the water and leeks to a skillet and cook over medium heat until soft, adding more water if needed. Remove from heat, drain any additional water and set aside.
When the pot of water is boiling, add the coarse salt, bay leaves, pepper corns then reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully drop in the monkfish fillets and cook for 5 minutes, or until completely white and no longer translucent. Remove from the water, rest the fillets on a cutting board.
Now make the brown butter sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter turns medium brown, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, capers, thyme and parsley.
Divide the leeks in the center of two shallow bowls. Top each bowl with one monkfish fillet, season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper then spoon the butter sauce on top. Garnish with radish slices, valeriana lettuce and more parsley. Buon appetito!
