Good ‘n healthy Monkfish

If you or someone in your family is not a lover of fish, monkfish just might make a convert out of you. Its sweet, mild flavor is quite tasty and its firm, almost “meaty” texture has been likened to lobster.

Available at your fish market year round, this versatile seafood is U.S. wild caught in the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to North Carolina. It can be grilled, sautéed, roasted, and added to soups, to name a few ways to cook it, and has become a popular item on many restaurant menus.

This low-sodium, low-calorie seafood is a great option if you are watching your weight – about 110 calories for a six-ounce serving. It is a bit high in cholesterol though, so you will want to eat it as a treat now and then if you have this condition.

Monkfish is high in protein for muscle growth; minerals such as phosphorus to support metabolism and bone strength; vitamins B-6 and B-12 for your nervous system and brain function; and loaded with selenium, important for making your body work correctly and increase the action of antioxidants.

The actual fish is not very pretty to look at but fortunately it comes skinned and filleted and ready for you to cook. Just toss with some marinade and you have one easy, healthy meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
• 1 Tablespoon chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 ½ lbs. monkfish fillet, cut in half lengthwise then cut into 2-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel half of the lemon with a zester (or peel with paring knife then thinly slice peel) and set aside. Careful not to peel too deeply. You only want the yellow part, not the white part. This zest will be sprinkled over the monkfish before baking.
3. Finely grate the other half of the lemon.
4. In a medium bowl mix together the grated lemon, mustard, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and salt in a small bowl.
5. Add monkfish pieces to the mustard sauce and gently mix to coat.
6. Place monkfish in baking dish. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the lemon zest strips.
7. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes.
8. Sprinkle juice from lemon over monkfish before serving, or serve with lemon slices.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: To serve with spinach. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in pan and sauté 12 ounce bag of baby spinach over medium heat for about two minutes, just until it wilts. It will cook down very quickly. Sprinkle with some lemon juice and top with sliced almonds, if desired, to serve.

Nutritional Information
Per 6 ounce serving (monkfish only*): 110 calories; 2.2 g total fat (0.0 g saturated; 0.0 g polyunsaturated, 0.0 g monounsaturated); 26.1 mg sodium; 36.3 mg cholesterol; 0.0 g carbohydrate; 0.0 g fiber; 0.0 g sugars; 21 g protein; 581.4 mg potassium.

*Marinade and olive oil ingredients are not calculated in the nutritional value since the amount absorbed in cooking is negligible.