Name: Monkfish in Tomato-Garlic Sauce
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 heads of garlic plus 4 large cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon sweet paprika; 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cups water; Salt and freshly ground pepper; black pepper; Eight 6-ounce cleaned monkfish fillets, about 2 inches thick

Monkfish in Tomato-Garlic Sauce — Photo:
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg Dupree / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Yield:

8 servings

Monkfish just might be the most underrated fish around. With a toothsome texture and sweet flavor that's similar to lobster, monkfish is our go-to for a quick and easy dinner that's still incredibly impressive.

Frequently asked questions

How is monkfish usually cooked?

With its sturdy flesh and sweet, lobster-like flavor, monkfish is easy to cook, making it a great choice for fish novices. It can be prepared in any number of ways — poached, pan-fried, grilled, roasted, steamed, or stewed. This monkfish recipe takes a combination approach: It's first seared on one side on the stovetop, flipped, then transferred to the oven to roast.

How do you know when monkfish is done?

Monkfish needs to reach an internal temperature of 145°F, but to account for carryover cooking, you'll want to pull it from the oven before then — it'll finish cooking as it rests, in the few minutes it takes to reduce the pan juices with the tomato sauce. The fish roasts for about 15 minutes; when it's done, the flesh will have a springy feel and will flake easily when a knife is inserted into the thickest portion. Additionally, the knife tip will be hot to the touch once it's removed.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

We'll be upfront with you here: Though this recipe for monkfish is incredibly simple, you will need to prep a lot of garlic — we're talking two whole heads plus four additional cloves. This doesn't need to be overly laborious, though. Check out Jacques Pépin's method for peeling and chopping garlic to streamline the process.

Suggested pairing

A creamy Sauvignon Blanc, such as one from the Penedès region of Spain, is great with the garlicky tomato sauce on this monkfish.

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 heads of garlic plus 4 large cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 (6-ounce) cleaned monkfish fillets, about 2 inches thick

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and cook slowly over very low heat, shaking the skillet, until the garlic is deep golden, 15 minutes. Remove about 1/4 cup of garlic slices to a plate and reserve. Add the paprika to the garlic in the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the water and simmer until the sauce has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a very large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, 2 minutes. Turn the fish, transfer to the oven, and roast until just cooked through, 15 minutes.
Transfer the fish to a large, warmed platter. Pour any juices from the skillet into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Spoon the sauce onto plates and set the fish on top. Scatter the fried garlic over the fish and serve right away.