Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Monkfish are about as ugly as fish get—but their filets have beautiful, firm white flesh. It has become more commonly available, and for good reason: It’s versatile and tasty. It’s usually caught year-round, but look for it in the wintertime when other species aren’t as prevalent. When you pound the monkfish filets, try not to make them too thin, otherwise it’s easy to overcook. Cook the orzo before you do everything else, then work on the Swiss chard. Cooking the fish should be the last thing you do before assembling the plates. Note: If you use rainbow or red chard, your pasta will be pink!

Serves 4

For the orzo and Swiss chard:
1 cup orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large bunch green or rainbow Swiss chard, leaves torn into pieces and ribs thinly sliced
½ cup heavy cream
zest and juice of half a lemon

Monkfish:
½ cup canola oil, divided
4 monkfish filets, about 5 ounces each, trimmed of dark membrane
1 cup flour
2 large eggs
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1½ teaspoons dry mustard 
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the orzo and Swiss chard: Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss the orzo with the olive oil, spread onto a rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10–15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sliced chard ribs and cook for 2–4 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the chard leaves, salt and pepper to taste and cook until the leaves wilt. Add the cream and lemon zest to the pan and simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat the leaves. Stir in the cooked orzo and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Set aside.

For the monkfish: Cut two pieces of plastic wrap, each about 10 by 10 inches. Spread one on a hard surface and very gently brush the plastic with a little of the canola oil. Place one of the monkfish filets in the center and place the other piece of plastic on top. With a meat mallet, gently pound the monkfish until it is an even ½ inch thick. Set filet aside and repeat with the other pieces.

Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs mixed with spices into three separate shallow bowls. Season each filet with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece first in flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip in the beaten egg and coat well, letting any excess drip off, then transfer to the seasoned breadcrumbs and gently press the filets to coat.

In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place two monkfish filets in the pan. Cook until they begin to turn golden brown on the bottom. Lower the heat, then carefully flip the filets and continue cooking on the other side until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the monkfish to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the other two filets, adding more oil if necessary. Serve with the orzo mixture spooned over the side.

Adapted from The Row 34 Cookbook by Jeremy Sewall.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2023 issue as part of a larger story on Undervalued Local Seafood.