NHCS Newsletter, Fall Session Week 10, Monkfish
NH Community Seafood
Community Supported Fishery
Eat Fresher Fish. Support Your Fishing Community.
------
We are in Week 10 of NH's only Community Supported Fishery (CSF), supporting our few remaining NH Commercial Fishermen. Quota allotments, set by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), for our fishermen are very low for many species this year. We are currently sourcing fish from just 4 boats.
So to remain true to our mission of buying what the fishermen are catching, we are once again offering a species that is abundant and that our fishermen have ample quota to catch, the Monkfish.
Monkfish, Lophius americanus, once caught as by-catch in otter trawls and gillnets, have quickly become one of the world's most popular fish. In the west, usually just the tail meat is eaten, but there is a large market for whole monkfish in Asian countries. Also known as "Poor Man's Lobster", monkfish tail meat has both the consistency and distinct taste of this famous crustacean. If you like lobster, you'll love monkfish! And if you don't like lobster, the firm, white fillet when cooked also tastes like a sweetened fish. The flesh is distinct and a purplish-brownish color when raw and turns white once cooked.
Colin Barnard, crew on the F/V Marion J with a Monkfish
Not at all attractive on the outside, monkfish should not be judged by their outward appearance! They are a brownish color mottled with white spots on top and white on the underbelly. Their habitat spans from the Grand Banks and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence along the Atlantic shoreline south to Cape Hatteras, NC. Monkfish are voracious predators. They lurk on the sandy, muddy bottom and lure their prey with the spiny extension on their head. This "lure" attracts the prey, like bait on a fishing line, bringing the victim close in for the lunge of the monkfish. The unusually broad mouth, adapted to swallow whole fish, shrimp and squid, is lined with layers of stubby white teeth.
Cook monkfish as you would any other fish, and remember the cardinal rule, 10 minutes an inch! The monkfish tails are wide and thick, because they are the tail meat. Marinating the tails and seasoning before cooking adds to the flavor. Baked, sauteed, broiled, roasted or grilled, these tails are fantastic!
Here are some great recipe ideas for monkfish: https://www.pinterest.com/fishisthedish/monkfish-recipes/.
Additional Fish Orders and Lobster Ravioli Add-ons:
Monkfish seasoned with spring herbs on grill
If you love Monkfish or just need some extra fish this week, we are once again this Session offering our Additional Fish Orders to be made until 12pm tonight.
Additional fish will come in 1lb and 2lb packages, with a discounted rate if you order 4lbs or more!
Lobster Ravioli are SOLD OUT for the remainder of the Session!
Nuts over Fish Add on, order for Week 11:
Almond Nut- One of 6 toppings available as our new Add-on item!
Pistachio, Macadamia or Almond Toppings Available
We are delighted to be able to offer our Members this diverse variety of specialty items! Please note, to order Add-ons, you must be paid in full for your fish share and use a credit or debit card to purchase.
We would like to welcome our newest member, The Atlantic Grill, at the traffic circle in Rye, to our Restaurant Supported Fishery(RSF). Thanks to Chef Justin Blais for signing onto our program and to Three Rivers Alliance for their help! Here is a list of all our RSF members, so you can support them next time you dine out!
- Throwback Brewery, North Hampton, NH
- Local Eatery, Laconia, NH
- The Hancock Inn, Hancock, NH
- Moxy, Portsmouth, NH
- Vida Cantina, Portsmouth, NH
- Jumpin' Jays Fish Cafe, Portsmouth, NH
- One Hundred Club, Portsmouth, NH
- The Bedford Village Inn, Bedford, NH
- Franklin Oyster House, Portsmouth, NH
- The District, Portsmouth, NH
- Cure (seasonally), Portsmouth, NH
- Appledore Island Dining Hall, Atlantic Ocean,NH
- Row 34 (seasonally), Portsmouth, NH
- Oak House, Newmarket, NH
- Blind Pig Provisions, Kittery, NH
- Atlantic Grill, Rye, NH Just added!
Thank you for your continued support of NH Community Seafood! We appreciate your business as we help our remaining NH Fishermen, one pound at a time!
Enjoy your Monkfish!
Andrea
-------
Andrea Tomlinson
Manager, New Hampshire Community Seafood
(603) 767-7209
Proud Member of LocalCatch.org
LocalCatch.org is a community-of-practice made up of fisherman, organizers, researchers, and consumers from across North America that are committed to providing local, healthful, low-impact seafood via community supported fisheries and direct marketing arrangements in order to support healthy fisheries and the communities that depend on them.