Grilled monkfish with thyme and rosemary

How to prepare grilled monkfish . The fish recipe that I present today is one of those that you make in 15 minutes. It is perfect for dining or eating without complications, not only that, but it is delicious, simple and tasty.

The main ingredient of this dish is  monkfish (Lophius piscatorius),  a medium-priced fish, there are cheaper and more expensive, but it is accessible to everyone. If for economic reasons it is not within your possibilities you can substitute it for a similar white fish, the result will also be very tasty.

Monkfish is undoubtedly one of the ugliest fish in the shopping basket. But with its monstrous head we can make an unsurpassed fish broth that complements its meats. Another great advantage of this fish is that until now it has not tolerated the fish farm and therefore it always has a lot of flavor, unlike other similar species, such as sole or turbot. It lives in the depths in contact with the seabed and the base of its diet is crustaceans and small and medium-sized fish, with this food it is impossible that it is bad.

The monkfish is very good as is, grilled. But also in stew,  in tartare , on a skewer,  in the form of soup , as part of  a soupy rice  and even in salads. I hope you like today’s recipe and that you dare to cook it.

Preparation of micro potatoes

This simple preparation does not take any time and the potatoes are very rich. We are going to do them to the micro.

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into not very large quarters.
2. Peel the 2 garlic cloves and crush them in a mortar or mince them very finely. We want its taste and smell, not to find them in potatoes.
3. In a container suitable for microwave cooking, add the potatoes, the extra virgin olive oil, the peppers, salt and the Provencal herbs.
4. We remove everything with a ladle or with our hands to mix everything well and that all the ingredients come together.
5. We put the micro for 15-20 minutes at maximum temperature. The container must be covered by the lid of the mike, since a lot of water will come out that the potatoes release during cooking.
6. Remember that the recipe is for 4, if we make for more or less, we have to vary the preparation time in the micro.
7. Every 5 minutes, remove from the micro and stir with the ladle so that they are done evenly. In the same way we are clicking to see how they are since, depending on the type of potato, they can be done before.
8. If we notice that the potato when pricked is not hard we can remove them, even test to see if they are in their point.
9. Once done, let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving on the plate. We can tune this type of potatoes to our liking and with the spices that we like the most.
10. While the potatoes are made we are preparing the monkfish.

Preparation of grilled monkfish

1. I have mentioned to you in some other recipe that rosemary and thyme are essential in my kitchen and provide that special Mediterranean touch, delicious I would say.
2. We clean the monkfish loin by removing the ribs that are stuck to the meat. We cut into similar slices so that all our diners have the same amount on the plate.
3. This fish releases a lot of water and we want us to have two nice portions. With an absorbent paper or a cotton cloth, we remove any traces of moisture that the fish may release. Season with salt and pepper and prepare to grill.
4. We add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pan. When it is very hot, add the fish and thyme carefully, do not burn.
5. We brown without overcooking, just to seal the skin and make it juicy inside, with a minute and a half on each side is more than enough.
6. In the return of the fish we add the rosemary and cover the pan. We turn off the fire and let it sit for another minute in it. It will release a little sauce with which we will water the fish and potatoes on the plate.
7. We assemble the plate placing the pieces of monkfish with its sauce and the potatoes.
8. Sprinkle with a few flakes of salt on top, Maldon type.
9. We decorate with the rosemary and thyme that we have used in the preparation to give the green touch to the dish that makes the difference. To the table!

Tips and advice for a grilled snuff monkfish

• Monkfish is ideal for those who feel a certain rejection of fish. As is the case with some children, thanks to its meat-like texture and the absence of bones.
• My advice is that when you go to your trusted fishmonger buy the whole monkfish. Not only the tail, because monkfish, like the pig, everything is used.
• Monkfish is a fish with no scales, just a very easy to separate membrane and hardly any bones. Although the best thing is that your fishmonger prepares it depending on what you want to cook. With a very fine texture and practically no fat, it is perfect for grilling
• I recommend using the rosemary and thyme as fresh as possible. Well, when they dry they lose part of their aromatic potential.
• Rosemary is important to use at the end of the dish preparation. In this way we preserve the properties of its essential oils, which are volatile and can be lost due to heat if they are introduced too early on the plate.
• Unlike rosemary, thyme needs a cooking time to release its essential oils. So it is better to add it at the beginning of the preparation.