Ligurian monkfish head sauce is one of those simple recipes, with its ancient taste, which dates back to the days when nothing was thrown away and trimmings and scraps were used to make true delicacies.
The environmental emergency is now a known fact throughout the world. Among the problems closest to my heart is the state of peril to which nature, i.e. biodiversity, is exposed.
To improve the situation, we must change our dietary habits also in terms of consumption of seafood, choosing fish which originate from sustainable fishing: adult fish from nearby seas with a provenance certified by the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council), ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) or organically farmed.
Monkfish is a delicious fish, not so common on our dinner tables, whose fishing is not yet regulated. That is why it must be consumed with moderation and, above all, not wasted.
This Ligurian recipe is an excellent solution to cook a super tasty sauce based on scraps, particularly the head, which is very large in this fish, so that to waste it would be a real shame. Ask your fishmonger to keep the head of this fish for you and you will bring to the dinner table these delicious first courses…
Ingredients
Tools
Steps
Chop the garlic and parsley with a knife or with a food processor.
Fry lightly in a large saucepan with extra virgin olive oil for two minutes on a medium heat and then add the monkfish head (in pieces or whole).
Simmer for a few minutes then sprinkle with white wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate and add the tomato purée and a little salt.
Put the top on and cook over a low heat for an hour.
Turn off the heat, remove the pieces of head with a large spoon and lay them on a chopping board to take out the bones and recover the meat to put in the saucepan with the sauce. This job has to be done by hand (take care not to burn yourself) and requires a little patience but it is worth it!
Put the heat back on to dry out the sauce for a few minutes. Use as a sauce for fresh or dry pasta.
Varied doses for servings