Baked monkfish with potatoes: an easy and juicy traditional recipe

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Baked monkfish with potatoes is one of those seafood dishes that never fails. It’s a simple, healthy, and very impressive recipe, perfect for a weekend meal or a special occasion.

Recipe Details

  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Rations: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 800 g – 1 kg monkfish (whole clean tail or thickly sliced)

  • 3-4 medium potatoes (Monalisa or Kennebec type)

  • 1 big onion

  • 1 ripe tomato (optional)

  • 100 ml dry white wine

  • 4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • Salt and black pepper to taste

  • Fresh parsley chopped

Step by step: how to make baked monkfish with potatoes

1. Prepare the potatoes and onions

Since potatoes take longer to cook than fish, it’s essential to bake them first:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C with the top and bottom elements on.

  2. Peel the potatoes and slice them baker’s slices (about 3 to 5 mm thick). Slice the onion thinly and, if using tomato, slice it thinly.

  3. In an ovenproof dish, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom and arrange the potatoes and onion evenly.

  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, pour over the white wine, and add another generous drizzle of olive oil on top.

  5. Bake the dish for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften and are slightly crispy. golden brown.

2. Place the monkfish and finish baking

  1. Clean and dry the monkfish well with kitchen paper towels.

    Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  2. Remove the dish from the oven and place the monkfish pieces directly onto the bed of tender potatoes.

  3. Finely chop (or slice) the garlic cloves and distribute them over the fish along with a touch of chopped parsley and a few drops of oil.

  4. Return the dish to the oven for 12-15 minutes at 180-190 °C (the exact time will depend on the thickness of the monkfish; watch carefully to avoid overcooking). dry).

3. Serve and enjoy

  1. Remove the dish from the oven when the fish is white and firm but juicy to the touch.

  2. Drizzle the monkfish and potatoes with the juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the dish.

  3. Garnish with a little more freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately while piping hot.

Tips for perfect results

Regarding the bones and head: If you buy a whole monkfish, don’t throw away the head or the central bone; keep them in the freezer to make fish stock or fumet for rice dishes and stews.

  • Controlling the cooking point: Monkfish is a fish that loses a lot of quality if overcooked. As soon as the meat changes from translucent to opaque white and easily separates from the flesh, it’s at its peak.

  • Suggested pairing: This dish pairs perfectly with a fresh, dry white wine (such as a Verdejo, Albariño, or a white wine from the Penedès/Empordà region).