SAUTÉED MONKFISH MEDALLIONS

SERVES 3 to 4

Monkfish is a type of angler fish, one that rests partially buried on the sea floor and lures in smaller fish as prey. It used to be considered trash fish, being discarded by fishermen. As I understand it, Julia Child was instrumental in introducing the fish, the only edible part of which is the tail. The flavor is often compared to lobster. The flesh is sweet and quite firm. However, I don’t agree that it tastes like lobster. It does have a slight shellfish flavor, probably because shellfish are a large part of the monkfish’s diet. Unfortunately, monkfish are not abundantly available. The fish markets in my area are starting to get them in on a more regular basis. This is just one simple preparation for the fish, which lends itself to many different cooking methods.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound monkfish fillets, skin and membrane removed

3/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Lemon wedges

1cup dry white wine or vermouth (optional)

Cut monkfish crosswise into slices about 2-inches thick. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet large enough to hold the fish medallions in one layer over medium-high heat. Dredge the fish in the flour, coating all sides and shaking off excess. Place in the hot skillet and cook on one side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side another 3 minutes. Serve immediately with lemon wedges or, if desired, remove to plate and tent with foil while making sauce. Add the wine to the skillet and turn on high. Boil and reduce wine by about half, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the wine-butter sauce over individual servings of the fish.

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