Coda di Rospo, Rana Pescatrice, Rospo

This ugly fish is becoming more and more sought after by chefs all over the world. Its firm, tasty tail meat is almost completely boneless and, after cooking, it resembles lobster closely enough to be confused with it quite regularly.

With its large mouth, the monkfish is able to take quite large prey and spends much of its life skimming the seabed in search of food. It is therefore fished with a flexible rod which is weighted to reach the seabed. Monkfish grow to quite a large size, but generally only the tail of the fish is used. The large, ugly head is usually discarded in Italy, although in some parts of the world it is used to make fish stock and gelatine, for which it is excellent. The tail is cooked in every way, from grilling and deep-frying to baking and stewing, with simple added flavourings like lemon, garlic, parsley and olive oil.