Monkfish is known as the “poor man’s lobster” because the tail meat is similar in firmness & taste but it’s a more aordable option.

Smoky Monkfish Stew with Littlenecks & Mussels

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. monkfish fillets
• 18 littleneck clams
• 18 mussels
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsps. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 28 oz. cans diced
• or whole tomatoes
• Kosher or sea salt & black pepper
• Fresh parsley, minced
• Crusty baguette, toasted

Preparation:

• Warm the olive oil on medium-low heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the minced onion, shallot and garlic. Sauté gently for a minute or two until translucent.
• Stir in the smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and thyme. Add the wine and simmer for just a minute, then add the tomatoes. Bust up the tomatoes if they’re whole. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes while you scrub the clams and mussels in cold water. If the mussels have "beards," just firmly pull them against the shell to cut them off.
• Trim the membrane o the monkfish. Cut the fillets in big, thick medallions or chunks, and salt and pepper them generously. Drop the clams into the pot first. Once the clams just begin to open, lay in the monkfish pieces and poke them down gently into the bubbling stew. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the mussels and cover until the shellfish open and the monkfish is cooked up white and firm. Serve in big, wide bowls with minced parsley and a toasty baguette to sop up all of the savory stew.

Recipe Courtesy of Mac’s Seafood. All rights reserved.

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About Our Partner Mac's Seafood

As the founder of Mac’s Seafood on Cape Cod, Mac has made it his life’s work to source and serve fresh, high-quality seafood in his restaurants and markets every season of the year - so you know the scallops, swordfish, littlenecks, and oysters on your plate didn’t travel far to get there.

“You can count on us to know where your fish comes from,” says Mac. That’s our commitment. That’s why we do what we do every day. In fact, the Wellfleet Oysters I use in this stuffing are farmed by local shellfishermen right down the street from my house. So give this recipe a try, you’ll make the seafood lovers around your table VERY happy.”