Monkfish wrapped with prosciutto is a classic combination. By dry brining the fish first and then cooking it sous vide, the fish will be tender and juicy.

It is important to remove the membrane of the monkfish, as it contracts when the fish is cooked and will render it tough.

My advice is to use real prosciutto from Parma if you can find it in your area. This is not just for the flavor, but also because by law prosciutto from Parma with a DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) may only contain pork and salt, nothing else. It is fine to use already sliced prosciutto from the supermarket. When eating the prosciutto by itself it is better to use freshly sliced, but for this recipe you won’t be able to notice the difference anyway.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 250 grams (.55 lb) monkfish fillet, membrane removed, in 2 portions
• 2 thin slices of prosciutto
• 3 grams salt [1.2% by weight], about 1/2 teaspoon
• 1.5 grams sugar [0.6% by weight], about a heaping 1/4 teaspoon
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Mix salt and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle the fish with this mixture evenly on all sides. Allow to dry brine in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

After that, rinse the fish with cold running water.

Then pat the fish dry with paper towels.

Wrap each portion of fish with a slice of prosciutto and brush with a small amount of olive oil. The olive oil is not for flavor, but to prevent the prosciutto from getting stuck to the bag.

Vacuum seal each portion individually, or at least make sure that the portions are not touching.

Cook the fish sous vide for 30 minutes at 48C/118F. (Click here for more information on the sous vide temperature of monkfish.)

After sous vide cooking, cool the monkfish for 5 minutes by submerging the bag in cold water (no ice). This step is needed to prevent the fish from drying out when searing.

Sear the monkfish quickly over high heat in olive oil until the prosciutto is crispy. Use a non-stick pan for this, or (preferably) a carbon steel pan with natural non-stick properties.

Serve at once on preheated plates.