Simple Sundays | Prosciutto Wrapped Monkfish
[image size=”large” align=”center” autoHeight=”true” quality=”100″]http://kitchenconfidante.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ProsciuttoWrapMonkfish-Main-477×720.jpg[/image] I’m thinking of starting a new series. Starting today, in fact. Simple Sundays will focus on uncomplicated dishes, short posts that share tasty bites, foods that are in season, or anything I find novel. It may be as simple as…
[image size=”large” align=”center” autoHeight=”true” quality=”100″]http://kitchenconfidante.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ProsciuttoWrapMonkfish-Main-477×720.jpg[/image]
I’m thinking of starting a new series. Starting today, in fact.
Simple Sundays will focus on uncomplicated dishes, short posts that share tasty bites, foods that are in season, or anything I find novel. It may be as simple as a photo, much like what some call Silent Sunday or Sunday Stills. Or I may share something, short and sweet. The whole point is, I plan to not blabber on and on on Simple Sundays (as I easily find myself doing for regular posts). Think of it as my way to say a quick hi on weekends!
[note title=”Making Fish Choices” align=”right” width=”250″] Since this post was published I learned that monkfish is classified as a fish to avoid by Seafood Watch, due to bycatch and habitat concerns in the monkfish fishery. Please see my post on Lessons in Sustainable Seafood on more. Meantime, other excellent fish choices can be wrapped in prosciutto, such as US Pacific Halibut & Cod. [/note] I’m already chattering more than I should. So let’s cut to the chase. Now that the weather has drastically improved in the Bay Area, you can imagine how eager we are to be outdoors and get grilling. This weekend, we prepared a beautifully simple Prosciutto Wrapped Monkfish. If you’re not familiar with monkfish, it is found nearly all year in the North Atlantic. Many call monkfish “poor man’s lobster” because its long fillets have a texture, shape and flavor much akin to lobster tail. I would argue that these days, though, the price has crept up considerably so it’s not necessarily the cheapest fish available.
You can wrap nearly any fish in prosciutto, but I do love how the monkfish works in particular. The prosciutto imparts a salty, smokey flavor, and keeps the monkfish from sticking to the grill. Preparation takes seconds, and grilling takes minutes. How’s that for a Simple Sunday supper?
[image size=”large” align=”center” autoHeight=”true” quality=”100″]http://kitchenconfidante.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ProsciuttoWrapMonkfish-001-477×720.jpg[/image]
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Prosciutto Wrapped Monkfish
Serves 4
- 1 lb of monkfish; about 2 fillets, cut in half, for a total of 4 pieces
- 2-3 thin slices of prosciutto per piece of monkfish
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh or dried herbs, optional
Preheat your grill. Season the monkfish lightly with salt. Season with pepper and any fresh or dried herbs as desired. With pieces of prosciutto overlapping slightly, wrap each piece of monkfish. Place seam side down on the grill. Grill for about 15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish (average 10 minutes per inch diameter), rotating periodically. Serve with a light salad.
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Comments
COOKBOOK
I really like smoked salmon! This dish appears fashionable and tasty!
five forks from me!
You had me at prosciutto!
Love this Liren! Great idea for Sunday posts and love this recipe. Love the combination of fish with prosciutto. Great pictures!
Simple Sundays…love it! Wonderful dish :)
Liren, yes, do start the series. I love the idea. I considered one a few months ago about meals using just my pantry/refrigerator items but I haven’t followed through. I made one post about it. *shame*
BTW, I think I would devour anything wrapped in prosciutto. I saw Greg’s comment and I’m noting it, too. Didn’t know that about monkfish–I have so much to learn in that department. Glad to have been educated today. :-)
Hope you’re having a great week.
That looks wonderful.
Wow, just discovered your blog and am so excited! It is so beautiful and your cooking style seems to fresh and totally in line with how I approach food.
Thank you Kasey, so glad you dropped by! I also discovered your blog via Twitter recently and am so pleased to meet you – love your “spin” on food – I do agree, that our cooking styles are very much in line. Looking forward to sharing more!
hi Liren, this is an absolutely lovely dish. i love prosciutto-wrapped prunes with cream cheese but your monkfish looks way better and more delicious :) more importantly, i dropped by to say as i’ve always said that your blog is really one of the blogs i admire and that i feel that you should be the recipient of the eight (8!!! :P) awards i just recently received. i’m passing the 8 awards to you and i hope you’ll have the time to pick them up hehe :) http://janiscooking.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/creamy-cream-dory-and-fabulous-awards/
Gosh darn it… I wish I ate prosciutto now. This looks fantastic and super easy and wonderfully elegant all at the same time.
Gorgeous recipe as always. I think I’ll try it with Halibut which is in season and peaking now on the West Coast. Besides a lot of folks don’t realize that Monk Fish is not a sustainable seafood choice and is about to be eaten into extinction. Which is a shame because it’s so damn tasty! Which I hope is not a rude comment, but I signed a pact with Seafood Watch to point these little things out at the restaurant I eat in and and the blogs I visit. It’s all about becoming more aware, that’s all. I encourage everyone to make their own choices. GREG
Hi Greg, thank you so much for making me aware of this point. I absolutely did not realize this and do not think of your comment as rude at all. When I went shopping for fish, I had halibut on my mind but after seeing the freshly arrived monkfish and remembering how much I love it, I immediately jumped at that choice. I will certainly keep this information in mind for next time. Hopefully there will come a time when monk fish is plentiful again.
I love the idea of Simple Sundays. I personally feel the same way – think I blab too much and should just post some silent images. :)
Your pictures are beautiful – what a fantastic weekend meal. :)
I still have yet to get my hands on some monkfish, but apperently they have them in Portugal, so this is on my list of things to make when I get there! And I’ll be able to get some really good prosciutto (presunto in Portuguese) to wrap around that fantastic fish :D
I feel foolish for never thinking to wrap fish in prosciutto…thank you for opening my eyes! I think Simple Sundays sound sensational. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for next week! Thanks for sharing :)
You already start to fire up the barbecue while we have to store it now…
Like those simple and tasty bites !
See? this is the kind of recipe I love: simple, delicious and of great effect! If you start a new series of dishes like this you will totally be successful! Oh, and I’m drooling at the pic! Now I want them for dinner whether it’s Sunday or another night!
I used to make “poor man’s lobster many years ago, I’ll have to look for it again, and try your simple recipe. Great idea for a post!
What a great idea! With a simple salad, it’s a perfect Sunday lunch! Can’t wait to get the grill out of the garage!
Nothing says simple sunday like something wrapped in prosciutto. Great start to your new series.
I like this series already. This is a lovely recipe and I wish I was your neighbor. I am always trying to invite myself to people’s home that have a gril enticing them with doing all the grill work. Living in an apartment in NYC I miss the grill.
Simply delicious!
I’m liking this series! And I’m loving this fish – gorgeous and elegant.
Gorgeous presentation! Mmmmmmmm.
I love the idea of Simple Sundays, and although I haven’t tried monkfish before, this preparation does sound amazing (since I really love proscuitto!). Thanks for sharing Liren! :)
I think that sounds perfect for a Simple Sunday supper. And I love the idea of making it a series – my kind of cooking! Have a great week, Liren.
Simple Sundays sounds wonderful, I like the idea very much. I can’t wait for more.