NLFrank Bakkenes from restaurant Bentinck in Amerongen presents an ode to monkfish.
Monkfish, anglerfish or zeeduivel
With its somewhat monstrous appearance and a head that is larger than its body, the monkfish is a striking fish. We know the monkfish, which is found in the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean, also as anglerfish or monkfish. Because it lives in deep, dark waters, it has a little rod on its head that functions as a lamp. This lures smaller fish that serve as food.
This predatory fish spawns, depending on the waters in which it lives, around April and May and is therefore best purchased from June through March. The monkfish population is doing well, ensuring that you put a responsible fish on the table.
Monkfish in the kitchen
Monkfish has beautiful white, firm flesh. Because of this, you can steam, fry, grill, and barbecue it without it falling apart. Since it combines well with meat, it is also suitable for surf ’n turf dishes. Another advantage: monkfish has hardly any bones.
In our monkfish assortment, you will find all parts: from cheeks to fillets and the whole fish, available both fresh and frozen. Delivered de-scaled or ready-to-cook? We take care of it for you!
Frank Bakkenes, chef at restaurant Bentinck in Amerongen
The 29-year-old Frank Bakkenes worked at the Michelin-starred restaurant De Vrienden van Jacob before he started at top restaurant Bentinck and event locations Buitenplaats Amerongen and Buitenplaats Sparrendaal (in Driebergen) in 2018. All companies are part of SWIJNENBURG | meet & celebrate and are located on historic estates on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Frank became chef in early 2020. In his kitchen, vegetables, fruits, and herbs from the castle garden play an important role. Frank: “What the vegetable garden of Kasteel Amerongen and the garden of the nearby estate Zuylestein cannot supply is supplemented by Driessen.
Driessen has been our largest fresh supplier since the opening of Bentinck in 2017, and I am very pleased with the quality of the fresh assortment, such as vegetables and fish. I have almost weekly contact with Lucas Kramer, the sales advisor of the fish department. I check with him the supply of fish that I want to put on the menu, and he sometimes gives me ideas that I would not have come up with myself.”
Full of flavor
According to Frank, frying is the best method to cook monkfish. “That way, the structure, the bite, and the flavor are best preserved. Cooking in the Roner, for example, does not give that nice bite. What has super much flavor is the meat that is in the head. You can make delicious broths and soups from that. The cheeks are perhaps the tastiest part, but unfortunately too small to make many dishes with. Monkfish can be used all year round; you let the seasons speak in the garnishes.”
For Driessen, Frank has created a dish in which he lets spring shine through.
Monkfish with white asparagus, potato, eggplant and hollandaise sauce
- Create a coffee oil from crushed coffee beans and sunflower or grapeseed oil.
- Make a hollandaise sauce with the coffee oil.
- Prepare a vinaigrette from ginger, scallion oil and shisopurper vinegar.
- Cut out rounds from the eggplant and fry them in sunflower oil. Add mirin, miso and sake and reduce until the liquids nicely coat the eggplant.
- Cut out rounds from the potato (of the same diameter as the eggplant) and confit them in oil with a bit of curry paste.
- Place a slice of eggplant between two potato slices to form a little waffle.
- Cook the asparagus in the classic way with some butter and foelie in the water.
- Fry the monkfish fillets until they are golden brown and develop a nice crust.
- Finely slice the scallions and cut the green part into a fine chiffonade; place in ice water so that they curl nicely.
- Plating: Arrange all the ingredients on the plate and finish with the dressing and the hollandaise sauce, garnished with the curled scallions.
