Monkfish are deep water bottom-dwellers, mostly harvested in the North Atlantic from coastal Norway to the Mediterranean. Rather than swimming, they use their fins to “walk” along the ocean floor and search for prey. They are voracious feeders and will eat nearly anything that swims nearby.
Monkfish have small eyes, rows of fang-like teeth, and large heads and mouths. The tail is the only edible part of this fish. When filleted, the flesh is bright white.
Monkfish has a mild, slightly sweet taste. The tail meat, the only part of the fish that is used, is firm, dense and boneless. It doesn’t flake readily and is firm like scallop or lobster meat.The raw flesh is off-white to pale gray, covered with a blue-gray membrane; cooked meat is white.
