Spin does it again!!!

MrsSpin

I'm going to rent Spin out for catering dinners!! Living in Southern NJ and with Spin working in Cape May NJ, he has a tendancy to bring home some strange food stuffs. A co worker gave Spin Monkfish(the poor mans lobster) on Friday. Needless to say he checked out different ways to cook this thing. Spin ended up preparing Marinaded Monkfish Medalions with roasted red pepper-basil sauce. I am the first to say, I'm not a large fish eater. This changed my mind. I killed 4 small medalions in a flash (Actually I pigged out). The recipe is adapted from The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook. I'll get him to post the recipe later. Just had to brag on this excellent meal my hubby made. [p]Mrs. Spin

Gfw

MrsSpin, I have never missed when I have followed spins recipes or instructions. Congrats to Spin.

Char-Woody

Mrs Spin, Wow..that guy is sumptin when the queen of the kitchen will come aboard and express her delights. Good to hear it. At first I thought a Monkfish was something tossed out from a monastary! But ya see, I am from the midwest!
:-)
Cheers..C~W[p]

MrsSpin

Char-Woody,
My friend, After I read your post. I researched this fish I had for dinner. It has to be the ugliest fish swimming in the Atlantic. It is currently found all along the Atlaactic coast and as far North as the Grand banks off the coast of Newfoundland. According to the New York Seafood Council it has been called one of the ugliest fish of the sea. It may be ugly, but, wow...great taste. The fish is considered a delicacy in Europe and the far east.I guess they never saw a picture of it. Ugly is being nice. The recipe that Spin will be posting can be used with any mild flavored, firmer textured fish, including cod, grouper, mako shark(?) and others. Hope you get the opportunity to try. It's a great recipe.
Mrs.Spin

Char-Woody

Mrs.Spin, if you hear a weak knock on your door, its me! :-)
Hey..Bud-Ugly would maybe flip over that one!!
C~W

Tim M

MrsSpin,[p]I have deep midwestern roots like the Woodman so fish posts don't normally eggcite me but knowing your not a fish eatter either makes me wonder if its worth a try. I have heard of monkfish but wouldn't know it if it fell on me. I assume, where you live, that someone caught it and gave it to you - or was it store bought? Looking for the recipe.[p]Tim

Nature Boy

Howdy Mrs.Spin,
We eat monkfish often. It IS just about the ugliest animal in the world!! The tail is what you eat, and it is kind of nice cuz there is only one big bone runing down the middle, aith no small bones. Easy to de-bone, and like you said, it is a tasty fish with a great texture.[p]Thanks for the report, I will keep my eyes peeled for the recipe.[p]Cheers
NB

Unknown

Char-Woody,[p]Seeing is believing. They taste good but they are uglier than sin. You may not want to eat one after looking at them. Click at your own discretion. BTW, did you get a polder from Radio shack? $7.99, Such a deal.[p]-Jobu

[ul][li]Monkfish[/ul]

Char-Woody

Jobu, Good grief..that thing looks like something scraped of the highway....yikes...!
My Radio Shack Store came up empty..even on the search inventory listings. :-(

Deacon

MrsSpin,that sounds wonderful. I live in the Hudson Valley of New York and we can get this fish in the local stores readily and rather inexpensively. If you just broil or let it go straight in the egg for a short time, put drawn butter on it straight, it tastes just like Lobster. But I agree the native fish in the raw looks uglier than sin. Hope to see your recipe soon, Deacon

Spin

Tim M,[p]A co-workers son works on a clam boat. Monkfish love cohog clams (about 5" across) and the dredge occasionally scoups one up while feeding. This one had 9 cohogs in his mouth that he didn't chew on yet. He was 5' long, about 85 pounds, and the mouth was more than a foot wide. If anyone is familiar with an oyster cracker (worthless fish), a monkfish is an oyster cracker on steroids.[p]As Nature boy pointed out, the only eatable meat (almost the only meat!) is the tail. It has two round muscles about 2 1/2" in diameter and 20" long on each side (tappering slightly toward the tail). These can easily removed by cutting from the backbone which is quite large. The meat is enclosed in a multi layered membrane that is not hard to remove, just a little time consuming. I always remove the membrane as it just becomes stiff when cooked and has to be cut around, detracting from the experience.[p]What is left is basically a large tenderloin of monkfish. It can be cooked whole, but really benefits from slicing before cooking as browning and flavoring is enchanced. I prefer cutting across the meat to create 1" medalions as their use for cooking is much more versatile. Most commercial monkfish is cut on the bias to form a shape similiar to a filet. Obtain a thicker cut as it is can easily be overcooked.[p]Monkfish cooking is simple. A quick sear on each side and shut down the Egg to finish. I like to use a vegetable tray to avoid feeding them to the fire:). Any recipe that calls for lobster can substitute monkfish with adjustments for the thickness of the meat. You will find the taste and texture very close.[p]I encourage you to try it. It doesn't have a fish taste, yet can taste like lobster when cooked similiarly. It does take to marinades and flavorings much better than lobster, IMHO.[p]Spin[p]

Spin

Char-Woody,[p]Let me know you'r coming so I can place the request. I get them free as the clam boat can only officially catch clams, but does obtain a variety of fare (divided among the crew). Nothing better that eating what was living just 8 hours ago.[p]BTW, Just come on in [p]Spin

Spin

Spin,[p]I forgot to mention. Lobster is a sensitive cook that tends to become tough when just barely overcooked. Monkfish is much more forgiving a meat than lobster.[p]Sorry,[p]Spin

Char-Woody

Spin, That sound great..just tear up the pictures..:-)
I should check down here more often. I miss some postings.
I agree on the fish..fresh is much better!
C~W[p]