Monkfish Tail Steaks with Parsley Beurre Blanc. A Masterchef-worthy recipe that’s also LOW-CARB and KETO friendly, with just 0.3g net carbs per serving.
And you won’t believe how quick it is: 15 minutes including prep time!
Monkfish is a beautiful fish to cook with. Succulent, meaty, tasty, and 100% worth every penny. It has a delicate, slightly sweet flavour and texture that’s somewhat similar to shellfish. The tail meat is grey-ish/white, firm and devoid of splintery bones, which makes it perfect for anyone who doesn’t normally eat fish for fear of bones.
It is also a keto-perfect choice, thanks to it being highly oleic. And the best part is that, unlike most fish, it is difficult to overcook.
If you don’t like monkfish, or can’t get it for some reason, there are great alternatives. Keep reading and you’ll see my suggestion for viable substitutions.
Monkfish. Ugly to Look at. Gorgeous to Eat.
Too bad that it is regarded as the ugliest and most terrifying fish – its meat is simply the best. I totally adore monkfish (aka anglerfish). Probably because it reminds me of lobster and scallops – both of which I can never tire of. It’s not as expensive as lobster or scallops, but it’s definitely not a cheap choice of fish. Especially if you buy it fresh.
And fresh monkfish is unbeatable in flavour and texture. However, it is only native to the Atlantic ocean and Mediterranean sea, therefore its availability as fresh produce is geographically dependent.
If you cannot find fresh (or frozen) monkfish tail, there are other options for this dish.
Salmon, swordfish or tuna are all good alternatives. For ‘steaks’ you need fish that has muscular, firm flesh, not one that disintegrates and gets mushy.
I strongly recommend that you avoid farmed fish. Wild-caught fish costs more but, in terms of ethics, quality, taste and nutritional profile, it makes farmed fish pale in comparison.
How to Make Monkfish Tail Steaks with Parsley Beurre Blanc
Pick your fresh parsley leaves and chop them. Mince the shallot. There you go. Tedious part over. The rest is stupidly easy and will need just minutes to complete. Even the Beurre Blanc, despite its posh-sounding French appellative, is child’s play. It just goes to show that you can create stunning dishes without any complication and without spending hours in the kitchen.
With regards to the white wine, any type will do, as long as it’s not dessert wine (sugar alert!). I use dry white cooking wine that in Italy is sold in tiny 35 cent cartons – ideal for small quantities.
Posh keto nosh à la queenketo… 😀
Note that the recipe is for a single serving, so you’ll need to double/triple/quadruple quantities to suit your needs.
Because it is a very fast dish that should be served immediately, I strongly recommend that you prepare your side first, whether it’s a salad or some cooked veggie of your choice.
I serve Monkfish Tail Steaks with Parsley Beurre Blanc alongside a mixed salad tossed with my healthy Italian Salad Vinaigrette. It’s refreshing, and balances the buttery heavyness of the main course beautifully.
Enjoy!
- Yield: 1
- Serving: 1
- Calories: 587
- Fat: 45g
- Net Carbs: 0.3g
- Protein: 36g
- 250g monkfish tail (1.5cm/1/2" slices)
- 50g unsalted butter
- 30ml dry white wine
- 15ml apple cider vinegar (U.S. option HERE)
- fine Himalyan pink salt (U.S. option HERE)
- ground white pepper
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 15ml (1 TBSP) extra virgin olive oil (U.S. option HERE)
- ½ shallot (finely sliced)
- cube butter and keep chilled.
- put sliced shallot, white wine and apple cider vinegar in a small, heavy-base pan.
- bring to a gentle boil, then turn heat down and simmer for about 5 minutes until liquid is reduced to about ½ TBSP - tilt the pan to check, and stir from time to time to ensure the shallot doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frying pan, add monkfish steaks and cook both sides over medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes (depending on thickness) - once cooked and caramelised, remove pan from heat and leave the fish in to keep warm.
- when the shallot liquid is sufficiently reduced, lower the heat to a bare minimum and add chilled butter cubes - one at a time - whisking continuously with a manual whisk, until you obtain a thick and creamy sauce - don't let it simmer, you just want to use residual heat, so you will need to move the pan away form the heat source from time to time as you whisk and add butter.
- once you've added all the butter and your beurre blanc is nice and thick, strain it and discard shallot pieces, then stir in chopped parsley and a generous sprinkle of Himalayan salt and white pepper (taste test and adjust as needed).
- plate monkfish and top with beurre blanc.
- serve immediately, preferably with a refreshing side salad.
