![]() ![]() Due to this firmness, monkfish can stand up to a variety of cooking methods, including grilling and high-heat searing. Some people also describe the mouthfeel of monkfish as similar to the tail of a gently cooked lobster. Hence, they are sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lobster” (I did not make that up.) The tail of the monkfish is considered some very fine eating indeed. Monkfish in these parts, which regularly dine on tasty crustaceans like lobster, absorb some of that essence. I guess they’re just too weird,” said the young man at the fish counter.ĭue to their enormous mouth, sharp teeth and ability to consume things that are nearly their own size – they can feed on lobsters, crabs, squid and even a seabird or two. Years ago, when recipe testing for my first cookbook, I was delighted to find monkfish tails at my local market, only to find that, later that week, they had disappeared from the fresh seafood case. Their mouth is lined with very sharp teeth that slant slightly inward to discourage prey from exiting that enormous maw. Monkfish can grow up to five feet, but most specimens these days are more likely to be in the three-foot range. There are not many species of fish that rate quite so high on the ugliness scale or that rank so near the top of the culinary charts. I just made that up.) But it’s an apt classification. Monkfish belong to the family of turpis delectamenti, or hideously deformed, ugly, but delicious. Not only are they frightening to look at, but, according to the Maine Sea Grant website, “Extra care should be taken when handling these fish because their bite can be dangerous.” At least an oyster won’t bite your hand off when gathered. While that’s no doubt true, it must have been a man crazed or blinded with hunger who first ate a monkfish. ![]() “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,” quipped Jonathan Swift. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |