Monkfish Mac and Cheese with Peas and Pancetta

Monkfish Mac ‘n Cheese is a fabulously flavorful variation on Lobster Mac. Sustainably sourced monkfish is delicious and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. It’s generally less expensive than lobster, too. Although any firm, flaky fish or even shrimp can be used for this dish, monkfish’s lobster-like flavor is perfect with the creamy pasta, fresh dill, peas and pancetta!

Updated January 2022: This post was originally created in March 2019 in collaboration with Almanac Fish in St. Paul, MN (which is now permanently closed) in effort to promote responsibly-sourced sustainable seafood. All opinions, text, and photos herein are my own.

This particular mac ‘n cheese recipe is a favorite of ours. It’s rich and creamy (just the way it’s supposed to be), but not overpoweringly so. And because it uses delicate white cheeses, the layers of flavors really shine through!

While the recipe does use heavy cream, it’s not a heavy dish, so it’s perfect for any time of the year. And leftovers – if you have any – are just as wonderful the next day. Just warm and enjoy!

Monkfish Mac ‘n Cheese is amazing on it’s own, but a simple green salad and a glass (or two) of lightly chilled Sauvignon Blanc are the perfect compliments.

If you’d like to learn a little more about monkfish, here is some additional information to check out:

HOW TO PURCHASE AND PREPARE MONKFISH .

And, if you like Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese, I challenge you to try my amazingly delicious recipe for:

MONKFISH MAC ‘N CHEESE WITH PEAS AND PANCETTA!

Enjoy!

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Monkfish Mac and Cheese with Peas and Pancetta

Monkfish Mac and Cheese is a fabulously flavorful variation on Lobster Mac. Sustainably sourced monkfish is delicious and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. Although any firm, flaky fish can be used, monkfish's lobster-like flavor is perfect in this creamy pasta dish highlighted with peas and pancetta! Enjoy!

Author Michele Phillips @BaconFatte

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh monkfish - trimmed and cut into evenly sized chunks
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• sweet paprika (optional)
• 1 cup dry gamelli or penne pasta (about 4 ounces)
• ½ - 1 tablespoon olive oil - as needed
• ½ cup pancetta - finely chopped (about 2 ounces)
• 2 - 3 whole shallots - peeled and finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup heavy cream - at room temp
• 5 - 5-1/2 ounces Camembert or Brie cheese - rind lightly trimmed
• 1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese - freshly grated (about ¾ cup lightly packed)
• 1 tablespoon garlic - finely chopped (about 2 large cloves)
• 1 cup peas - fresh or frozen (thawed)
• Fresh dill for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a covered pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta to al dente. Drain all but a couple of tablespoons of pasta water. Stir cooked pasta well, cover, and set aside.
   

2. To prepare the monkfish, remove any membrane and cut into evenly sized chunks. Season one side of the chunks very lightly with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika (if using; for color). Place fish in refrigerator while preparing the rest of the dish.

3. Warm a non-stick sauce pan or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pancetta and cook until lightly crispy. Place cooked pancetta into a mixing bowl (roughly 10 cup capacity), and set aside. Add chopped shallots to the pan with any rendered pancetta fat, and cook just until translucent. Add cooked shallots to the bowl of cooked pancetta.

4. Add the heavy cream to the pan, and allow to warm over medium-low heat. Add grated Parmesan and Camembert or Brie cheese to the cream and melt, stirring continuously until smooth. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.

5. Place pasta (about 2 cups cooked) into bowl with pancetta and shallots, then pour the warm cheese sauce over the pasta and stir well to combine. Add some chopped fresh dill at this point if you wish. Cover the bowl and keep warm.

6. Clean away any remaining cheese sauce from pan. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan if needed, and cook fish for 2 – 3 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 2 – 3 minutes or just until fish becomes firm and opaque but still juicy. Internal temperature should be 145 degrees when cooked.

7. Add fish to warm pasta mixture and stir it all together. Garnish the finished dish with fresh dill fronds. Serve with a fresh green salad and a crisp, lightly chilled Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Make sure monkfish cubes are all about the same size for even cooking.
• Leaving a little bit of pasta water in the pan after cooking helps prevent sticking. Stirring occasionally and keeping the pasta covered and warm until the sauce is ready also helps to keep the pasta from sticking.
• On trimming the Camembert or Brie: Removing the tougher parts of the rind ensure a creamier sauce, but this step is entirely optional.
• Heavy cream will result in the intended rich, creamy sauce. Using whole milk or anything with a lower fat content will result in a “watery” sauce with clumps of cheese.
• If using frozen peas, make sure to thaw them first so they don’t seize the sauce when added.

I’d love to know if you try this recipe!

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 Monkfish : Sustainable Seafood

It’s important to focus on responsibly-sourced sustainable seafood. Thankfully, we can learn more about it through programs like Smart Catch which is:

“an educational sustainable seafood program created by chefs for chefs with the purpose of increasing the sustainability of the seafood supply chain… the program provides training and support to chefs so they can serve seafood fished or farmed in environmentally-responsible ways. By becoming a Smart Catch Leader and earning the Smart Catch seal, chefs give consumers a simple way to identify and support their restaurants.” -jamesbeard.org

And I have to share some Hometown Pride: Check out the admirable list of amazing Minnesota Restaurants that are participating in the Smart Catch program. We’re so fortunate to have an amazing resource driving and supplying the best seafood available right in out own back yard!

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