Lentil Rosti with Monkfish
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 45 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: High
- Note + 10 min. for marinating the fish
PRESENTATION
Lentil rösti with monkfish? Now that's a dish that brings a cool Italian twist to your table, especially when you're in the mood for something both crispy and, let's be honest, a little more refined. In Italy, lentils are all about good luck at New Year's, and folks usually have them with cotechino sausage. This dish takes things in a new direction—keeping that classic vibe but shaking things up with a monkfish recipe that's really, really something. The lentil rösti mixes the Swiss idea of potato pancakes with Italian lentils, turning them into a fun, golden pancake that's both tender and a bit nutty.
Monkfish, or rana pescatrice as they call it, sits on top in moist little medallions, which are super popular in Italian fish markets. And the sauce? An orange and Marsala wine sauce gives the dish a tangy kick. It is like the best of both worlds: the crispy outside of a lentil pancake and the soft inside, matched with pan-fried monkfish that soaks up all those nice flavors.
Thing is, this is not your average lentil fritter. It's a mashup that respects tradition but feels fresh—super, super tasty. Across regions like Emilia-Romagna and Campania, families have their own takes on these festive foods. This lentil rösti with monkfish is a real celebration of both old and new. Seriously good.
The combination of textures and flavors, from the moist monkfish fillet to the crunchy lentil side, makes this dish a smart pick for any gathering. For sure, it's perfect when you want to impress or toast to new beginnings the Italian way.
People who usually stick to familiar stuff might find themselves loving this just as much as those who like to try new things. This dish is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a blend of culinary traditions while savoring a taste that feels both familiar and exciting. And look, when you want something that's not your standard fish and lentil dish—this is it. Pretty much.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for 6 lentil rostis
- Dried lentils 0.9 cup (170 g)
- Potatoes 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Eggs 1 - medium
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 0.7 oz (20 g) - to grate
- Breadcrumbs ¼ cup (20 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For 12 small monkfish medallions
- Monkfish 1.1 lbs (500 g)
- Marsala wine 0.7 cup (160 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- for the orange sauce
- Orange juice 1.5 oz (40 g)
- Fresh liquid cream 1.3 tbsp (20 g)
- Shallot 0.4 oz (10 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- for garnish
- Sage 12 leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Orange peel to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Lentil Rosti with Monkfish
To make the lentil rosti with monkfish, first prepare the rosti mixture: pour the lentils into a pot and cover with water, turn on the heat and cook for about 20 minutes 1, ensuring the lentils do not break apart but remain somewhat crunchy. Place the potato in another pot of water and boil until soft 2. Once cooked, drain the lentils and set them aside 3.
Mash the boiled potato in a bowl 4, add the lentils and mix 5, then add the grated Parmesan cheese 6,
the egg 7, breadcrumbs 8, salt, and pepper. Mix until you obtain a consistent and homogeneous mixture 9 and set aside.
Take the monkfish and divide it lengthwise, cutting along the central spine 10 to obtain 2 fillets 11. From each fillet, cut medallions about 1 inch thick (the diameter varies depending on the size of the fillet) 12
and tie each medallion with a piece of twine to hold its shape during cooking 13: you'll need a total of 12 small medallions. Transfer the monkfish medallions to a baking dish, pour in the Marsala 14, and season with salt and pepper 15, then marinate for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallot 16. After 10 minutes, drain the fish marinade by straining it through a sieve 17, then sauté the shallot in a pan with a little oil 18,
add the marinade liquid 19 and reduce it over low heat for about 5 minutes 20. Transfer the resulting cooking base to a tall, narrow container, add the oil 21,
orange juice 22, and fresh cream 23 and blend with an immersion blender. Adjust the sauce with salt 24 and keep it warm until ready to use.
Now you can proceed to cook the rostis: take a generous spoonful of mixture and shape it with your hands into a patty-like form 25, then place it in a hot pan without adding oil 26 and cook until golden brown on both sides 27; it will take about 10 minutes to cook all 6 rostis. Once cooked, set the rostis aside and keep them warm, perhaps in the oven.
For cooking the fish, heat a little olive oil in a pan, place the medallions inside 28 and brown over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side 29, then transfer them to a paper towel to remove excess oil 30.
Lastly, prepare the sage leaves for garnishing: heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan, add the leaves 31 and fry for a couple of minutes until crispy 32, then transfer to a paper towel to remove excess oil 33.
You are now ready to assemble your appetizer: place a rosti on each plate, top with 2 monkfish medallions, after removing the twine, and drizzle with a spoonful of sauce 34. Finally, garnish with 2 crispy sage leaves, some grated orange zest 35, and a sprinkle of pepper: your lentil rosti with monkfish is ready to be served 36!