Savor the Miso Magic

Just imagine a ladleful of miso-lemon magic onto plates, topped with golden monkfish, and finished with a glistening caperberry flourish. Dig in!

Monkfish, famous for its silky, lobster-like texture, stands up to a rich, lemony white miso butter sauce. A liberal sprinkle of salty capers and caperberries keeps the dish in balance, slicing through the richness of the sauce.

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How to Make a Monkfish -:

Ingredients: 

You’ll use 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (divided), 12 thinly sliced and 2 smashed garlic cloves (also divided), 1 cup of unsalted chicken broth, and 1/4 cup of white miso.

For brightness:

• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 1 thinly sliced lemon
• To coat the fish
• 1/2 cup of instant flour (like Wondra)
• 3/4 teaspoon of granulated garlic

Trim 4 monkfish fillets (each 7 ounces) and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. For the cooking, you will use:

• 3 tablespoons of canola oil (divided)
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 14 caperberries (halved or whole)
• 1 tablespoon of drained capers,
• Sprigs of flat-leaf parsley to be used as a garnish.

Start with sautéing 1/2 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, frequently stirring, until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and cook for a minute. Whisk in the white miso and chicken stock and stir well until blended. Bring the mixture to a boil and proceed to cook until reduced to about 1 cup, around 10 to 12 minutes. Pour the sauce into a blender, venting slowly to let steam out, and blend until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and set aside.

Then, combine the instant flour and minced garlic on a plate. Dust the monkfish fillets lightly with the salt and flour mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to a large skillet and heat over high heat, so the oil just begins to smoke. Add lemon slices to the skillet and sauté until brown, approximately 1 minute on each side. Remove skillet and clean out.

Add the other tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook two of the fillets, turning once, until brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. For the last minute, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter, 1 smashed garlic clove, and a sprig of thyme, spooning the melted mixture over the fish as it cooks. Drain the garlic and thyme, place the fillets on a platter, and keep warm. Repeat for the remaining fish, oil, butter, garlic, and thyme.

Finally, add the caperberries, capers, and browned lemon slices to the skillet just until warmed through, about 1 minute. Garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley. Serve with a citrus-driven, vibrant Sonoma Coast Chardonnay to match the richness of the dish.