They call it “the monster of the sea”, but at the same time also the tastiest fish that exists. Monkfish does not win the beauty prize, but the meat of the fish is monstrously tasty.
Monkfish has firm flesh with a mildly sweet taste. The texture and taste of monkfish is comparable with the meat of a lobster. Monkfish is also known as “poor man’s lobster”. Today, this fish is becoming more and more popular and, ironically, is more expensive than lobster as well.
In this recipe, we combine monkfish with dill sauce. It is made from cooking cream, making it light and fresh. In addition, of course, fresh dill and juice of one lemon is added. Check also our recipe oven-baked salmon with dill sauce as well.
Baking the monkfish
Monkfish is a very firm fish. Due to its structure, monkfish also requires a slightly different preparation than normal white fish, which you prepare to a core temperature of 57°C. At this core temperature, the monkfish will become somewhat mealy and spongy.
We first fry the monkfish in the pan for a few minutes to turn it nicely brown. We then cook it in the oven to a core temperature of 70°C. At this temperature, the monkfish remains soft, stays moist and has a fleshy texture.
Check out our other fish dishes as well for more inspiration.
Baked monkfish with dill sauce
Ingredients
- 4 pieces monkfish 175 to 225 grams per person
- dill sauce recipe
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1/2 fennel finely chopped
- 1 carrot in small cubes
- 200 ml fish stock
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 250 ml cooking cream
- 5 sprigs dill leaves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- Pat the monkfish fillets dry with kitchen paper. Then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- Heat a dash of oil in a cast iron pan (that fits in the oven) over medium heat. If you do not have a cast iron pan, fry the monkfish fillets in a regular pan. Then put the fillets in an oven dish when you put them in the oven.
- Place the monkfish fillets in the pan and fry for 2 minutes on both sides until nicely browned.
- Place the pan (or oven dish) in the oven and cook the monkfish for about 8 minutes to a core temperature of 70°C
- Put a pan of water on the stove with a cube of fish stock and bring to the boil. Then turn the heat down.
- Heat butter in a saucepan and fry the shallot, fennel and carrot for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the fish stock and heat until reduced by half.
- Pour in the white wine and cook until reduced by half.
- Pour in 200 ml of cream and boil again until reduced by half.
- Pour the sauce into a sieve and collect it in a container. Return the sauce to the pan and add the chopped dill, mustard and lemon juice. Stir well.
- Put the remaining cream together with the egg yolk in a bowl and beat until they are whole. Pour it with sauce.
- Heat the sauce but do not let it boil. It must thicken a little. Add salt and pepper to your preference.
- Remove the monkfish from the oven and serve with the dill sauce.
