Chef Graziella
Arrosto di Maiale alle Erbe Aromatiche
Bone-in pork loin rubbed with fennel, rosemary, and sage, roasted until the herbs form a crackling crust and the meat stays pink and succulent. This is the roast that brings Sunday to life.
Culinary Explorer
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Coda di Rospo in Umido
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The ugly fish that cooks like veal, braised in tomatoes until the firm white flesh absorbs the briny sweetness of olives and capers. Fishermen's wives along the Adriatic knew its worth before restaurants discovered it.
Main Dishes
Italian
Dinner Party
Make Ahead
25 min
Active Time
35 min cook•1 hr total
Yield4 servings
Monkfish is the ugliest creature pulled from the sea. Its massive head, all gaping mouth and teeth, was traditionally thrown back or sold for pennies. But the tail contains flesh so firm, so meaty, so unlike other fish that Italian cooks call it coda di rospo, the toad's tail, and treat it with the respect it deserves.
This is not delicate cooking. The fish can take heat. It wants heat. Where a sea bass would disintegrate, monkfish holds its shape, absorbing the tomato, the brininess of capers and olives, becoming more itself through the braising. You could almost treat it like veal, and many cooks do.
The sauce here is simple because it must be. Tomatoes, good olives, capers rinsed of their salt, a whisper of garlic removed before it can announce itself. The fish provides the substance. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. A sauce crowded with herbs and spices would fight the delicate sweetness of the flesh. We are not making a stew. We are coaxing the best from an ingredient that rewards patience.
Monkfish remained a fisherman's secret along Italy's coasts for centuries, considered too ugly to sell in respectable markets. Wives of the men who worked the Adriatic boats around Cesenatico and the Tyrrhenian ports near Livorno developed preparations that showcased the firm flesh, braising it slowly in tomato. Only in the late 20th century did restaurants recognize what fishing villages had always known.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
monkfish tail
Quantity
2 pounds
membrane removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/4 cup
garlic cloves
Quantity
3
peeled and lightly crushed
dry white wine
Quantity
1/2 cup
San Marzano tomatoes
Quantity
1 can (28 ounces)
crushed by hand
Gaeta or Kalamata olives
Quantity
1/2 cup
pitted
salt-packed capers
Quantity
2 tablespoons
rinsed thoroughly
red pepper flakes
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
fresh Italian parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| monkfish tailmembrane removed, cut into 2-inch pieces | 2 pounds |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup |
| garlic clovespeeled and lightly crushed | 3 |
| dry white wine | 1/2 cup |
| San Marzano tomatoescrushed by hand | 1 can (28 ounces) |
| Gaeta or Kalamata olivespitted | 1/2 cup |
| salt-packed capersrinsed thoroughly | 2 tablespoons |
| red pepper flakes | 1/4 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| fresh Italian parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy 12-inch braising pan or Dutch oven with lid
- •Fish spatula for turning
- •Paper towels for drying fish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the monkfish
Pat the monkfish pieces completely dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides. The fish must be dry or it will not brown properly. Wet fish steams. We want color.
The membrane covering monkfish shrinks dramatically when heated, causing the fish to curl and cook unevenly. Your fishmonger should remove it, but check. Any remaining membrane must be pulled away before cooking. - 2
Sear the fish
Heat three tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the monkfish pieces in a single layer, leaving space between them. Sear without moving until golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and sear the second side, another 2 minutes. The fish will not be cooked through. This is correct. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
Infuse the oil with garlic
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the crushed garlic cloves. Let the garlic warm gently in the oil until fragrant and barely golden, about 2 minutes. Watch it carefully. The moment it begins to color, remove and discard the cloves. What remains is perfume, not presence. Burned garlic ruins everything.
- 4
Build the sauce
Add the wine to the pan and let it bubble until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the fish. Add the crushed tomatoes, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly. Season with salt, remembering that olives and capers bring salt of their own. Taste before adding.
- 5
Braise the monkfish
Nestle the seared monkfish pieces into the sauce, spooning some of the tomatoes and olives over the top. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes when pressed with a fork. The flesh should be firm but yielding, not rubbery.
Monkfish is forgiving, but there are limits. Overcooked monkfish becomes tough and chewy. Check at 15 minutes. The fish tells you when it is done. A thin-bladed knife should slide through with slight resistance. - 6
Finish and serve
Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. The fish will finish cooking gently in the residual heat. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top. Serve directly from the braising pan, or transfer carefully to a warm serving platter. Spoon the sauce generously over each portion. Crusty bread to soak up the sauce is not optional.
Chef Tips
- •Ask your fishmonger for monkfish tail, not fillets already cut. You want to cut it yourself into even pieces that will cook at the same rate. Inspect for any remaining membrane, which appears as a thin purplish skin.
- •Salt-packed capers have superior flavor to those brined in vinegar. Soak them in several changes of cold water for 15 minutes before using. If only vinegar-packed capers are available, rinse them well and reduce any added salt.
- •Gaeta olives from the coast south of Rome are traditional here, small and purplish-black with a mild, fruity flavor. Kalamata olives work adequately. Avoid canned black olives, which taste of nothing.
- •The sauce should cling to the fish, neither too thick nor too thin. If it reduces too much during braising, add a splash of water. If too loose at the end, remove the fish and simmer the sauce briefly to concentrate it.
Advance Preparation
- •The sauce base (tomatoes, olives, capers) can be prepared up to one day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before adding the seared fish.
- •This dish does not hold well. The fish is best eaten within 30 minutes of cooking. Do not attempt to make it entirely in advance.
- •If you must delay, sear the fish, make the sauce, then finish the braising just before serving. The seared fish can rest at room temperature for up to 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 375g)
Calories
365 calories
Total Fat
19 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
15 g
Cholesterol
55 mg
Sodium
620 mg
Total Carbohydrates
11 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
35 g
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