The direct fishery for Norwegian monkfish (Lophius piscatorius) officially started in the last days of May, and the fishery is now gathering pace. In the following months, Nordic Group is therefore pleased to offer its clients steady supplies of fresh monkfish of the highest quality.

As opposed to other fisheries, where trawl is often the most common gear used, the Norwegian monkfish fishery in which Nordic Group is involved, uses exclusively gill-nets. This ensures that larger, mature fish are caught, and the end-result is both healthier fish stocks and a higher quality product.

Gunnar Sivertsen, Nordic Group’s supply manager, reports that so far, this season seems to be fairly similar to last year with steady supplies of high-quality monkfish. In 2009 Nordic Group accounted for close to 30% of the Norwegian exports of fresh monkfish. This year the landings are mostly concentrated in the western region of Norway, as opposed to Northern Norway in previous years.

The fact that the Norwegian direct fishery for monkfish takes place during the summer months can in many ways be seen as a “lucky coincidence”. Summertime is a period of the year when many fishmongers see their fresh fish sales slump, as consumers are turning to barbequed steaks and sausages in the summer heat. Monkfish, on the other hand, may very well be the best whitefish species out there for a barbeque party. With its firm and boneless flesh, it will not fall apart on a sizzling grill and it goes well with all kinds of spices and marinades.

So tell your customers to leave those pork chops alone, and throw some monkfish fillets on the grill instead; we guarantee they won’t be disappointed!

Grilled monkfish with avocado and bouillon

1.       Brown the butter and stir in soya sauce and capers immediately before serving.

2.       Peel and chop the avocados into boats, clean the carrots and asparagus. Brush the vegetables with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Fry the vegetables in the grill pan until tender, 3 - 4 minutes.

3.       Cut the fish into four equal pieces. Season them with salt and brush with oil. Grill the angler fish on a high heat until it is brown on both sides. Allow to rest under aluminium foil for two minutes. Serve the fish with the vegetables and butter around.

Source: www.seafoodfromnorway.no