Jul 30, 2008
Caraway Crusted Planked Monkfish
with Tomato and Green Onion Sauce
Serves 4
Monkfish is often referred to as the poor man’s lobster because it
has very firm, rich, flavourful white flesh. The fillet looks kind
of like a pork tenderloin, and it cooks up very nicely on a plank.
The tomato and green onion sauce nicely offsets the strong flavor
of the caraway-crusted fish.
For the fish:
1 lb|500 g skinless monkfish fillet
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp|30 mL extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp| 22.5 mL caraway seeds
pinch cayenne
granulated onion
For the sauce:
¼ cup|60 mL mayonnaise
1 ripe fresh tomato, chopped into a ¼ inch|6 mm dice
3 stalks fresh green onion, finely chopped, 1 Tbsp|15 mL reserved
for garnish
1 Tbsp|15 mL finely chopped parsley
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
pinch cayenne
1 Tbsp|15 mL fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
Lightly toast the caraway seeds in a dry frying pan, transfer to a
plate to cool, and set aside.
Season the fillet with salt and pepper. Combine the olive oil,
minced garlic and lemon zest and coat the fillet with the mixture.
Sprinkle all but ½ Tbsp|7.5 mL of the caraway seeds evenly over the
fillet. Let sit for 15 minutes.
To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Set aside.
Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5 or 10 minutes or until the
chamber temperature rises above 500°F | 260°C. Rinse the plank and
place it on the cooking grate. Cover the grill and heat the plank
for 4 or 5 minutes, or until it starts to throw off a bit of smoke
and crackles lightly. Reduce the heat to medium.
Place the fish on the plank and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning
half way through the cooking time, until the fish is springy to the
touch or has an internal temperature of 135°F | 57°C.
Cut the fish into medallions and serve with a dollop of the sauce,
a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
Garnish with the reserved seeds and green onions.