Monkfish Roasted With Herbs And Olives Recipes

OLIVE-ROASTED MONKFISH

Steps:

• Put the olives, honey, and coffee in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Divide the puree into two parts, one for brushing the fish and the other for sauce.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a roasting rack on top. Put the monkfish tails on the rack. Using a pastry brush, evenly coat the monkfish with half of the olive mixture designated for coating the fish. Refrigerate for 20 minutes so the puree will adhere to the fish. After 20 minutes, brush the monkfish tails with the puree again and return them to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
• Remove the fish from the refrigerator and brush again with the olive puree. Roast the fish for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and roast for 10 more minutes. Turn off the oven without opening the door and let the fish rest for 10 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for 5 more minutes.
• While the fish is resting, heat the reserved half of the olive puree in a small pot over medium-low heat. Stir frequently so it does not stick to the pot.
• Working with one tail at a time, cut the meat off either side of the central bone. Slice each monkfish loin into medallions.
• To serve, put a pool of sauce on each of 4 plates and arrange the monkfish slices on top. Sprinkle with the scallions.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH POTATOES, OLIVES AND BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (a mandoline is great for this).
• Cover the bottom of a 9x12-inch baking dish with half the olive oil, and top with the potatoes in a single layer (they can overlap a little).
• Season with salt and pepper and top with the bay leaves and remaining oil.
• Roast for ten minutes, turn the pan back to front, and roast ten minutes more (by now the potatoes should be browning--if not, give them another minute or two).
• Top the potatoes with the olives and lay the fish on top, sprinkling it with salt and pepper.
• Roast the dish for an additional ten minutes or until the fish is tender but not overcooked.
• Serve immediately.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH HERBS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Saute onion in 2 T of the olive oil until soft. When soft add in the fresh herbs and saute until wilted.
• Meanwhile Preheat oven to 190°C Rinse fish and pat dry. I then "butterflied" the fish the best I could to make it a bit flatter.
• Season fish with salt and pep.
• Lay the prosciutto slices vertically and slightly overlapping on a roasting tin, then put one of the monkfish fillets across, cut side up. Arrange the peppers and the herb mix on top of the fish. Then put the other fillet on top (cut side down), to make a parcel. Wrap the prosciutto around the fish, covering it completely.
• Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes.

ROAST MONKFISH WITH CRISP POTATOES, OLIVES, AND BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (use a mandoline if you have one). Spread the bottom of a 9 X 12-inch baking pan with half the olive oil; top with a single layer of the potatoes (it's okay if they overlap a little). Season with salt and pepper and top with the bay leaves and remaining oil.
• Roast for 10 minutes. Check and turn the pan from back to front, shaking it a little to bathe the potatoes in oil. Roast for 10 minutes more. If the potatoes aren't browning, roast for 5 minutes more.
• Top the potatoes with the olives and the fish; sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes more, or until the fish is tender but not overcooked. Serve immediately.
• Variations
• You can mix sliced onion or other root vegetables in with the potatoes, and the results will be delicious, but the juices of the vegetables will reduce the potatoes' browning; it's a trade-off, and there's nothing to be done about it.
• Substitute about 10 fresh sprigs thyme for the bay or about 2 teaspoons fresh (or 1 dried) rosemary.
• Other possibilities: 1 tablespoon ground cumin or cumin seeds; 1 tablespoon fennel seeds; 3 teaspoons curry powder (sprinkle 1 teaspoon on the fish itself); a few saffron threads; or 1 tablespoon good-quality, medium-hot paprika.