The Type Of Fish Masaharu Morimoto Once Cooked For Anthony Bourdain

When you're cooking for someone like Anthony Bourdain, you always want to bring your A game. That's why when he patronized Masaharu Morimoto's XEX, the Iron Chef knew exactly what he'd be preparing: monkfish. 

Starting off, Morimoto prepared a play on "ankimo," or steamed monkfish liver. Serving raw monkfish meat with flash-boiled skin layered with leeks and tomatoes, Morimoto used the ankimo in a ponzu sauce rather than serving it whole. Since monkfish is rather low in fat, he drizzled some hot vegetable oil on top to gently cook the exterior of the fish and provide a bit of extra richness. Given that monkfish liver is around 40% fat, this is a deceptively rich dish for something seafood-based.

Kentucky fried monkfish with bamboo shoots and seaweed was up next. Between the heartiness of the breading and the sweetness of the flesh, this could be a particularly hearty dish, something that needed to be followed up by a bite that was a touch lighter. The meal finished with a nabe or hot pot stew made of meat, skin, cartilage, and assorted green vegetables. While the other dishes may have wowed guests, cooking monkfish in such a classic, homey dish let Morimoto show off the technique of his staff and how even the simplest preparations put a spotlight on this amazing ingredient.

When Anthony Bourdain flew to Tokyo for his show, "No Reservations," Masaharu Morimoto wanted to showcase exactly how great monkfish is. Skinning, gutting, and butchering a whole fish himself, Morimoto and his chefs were able to prepare a range of Japanese dishes from soup and sashimi to Kentucky fried fish nuggets because monkfish is so versatile.

An affordable lobster substitute and secret ingredient for great paella, monkfish is a remarkable creature. Though it may look like a mistake someone hid at the bottom of the ocean, its flesh is sweet, meaty, and flaky, almost like a crustacean. The bulk of its harvest comes from its muscular tail, but its cheeks and gills can also yield some incredible meals when prepared properly. However, the true pearl of this fish is its liver. Smooth, fatty, and rich, it's like a fishy foie gras you can eat raw.

Referred to as the "seven tools of the anglerfish," every last bit of this animal is worth cooking with. Its skin has plenty of collagen, its fins are fairly large, and it has enough cartilage to toss them all in a pot for a delicious fish broth. Monkfish roe is a delicacy for sushi, and its full stomach can comprise up to half of the animal's weight, so it's got plenty of meaty potential whether fried or stewed. When Morimoto cooked for Bourdain, he served him not just the delicacies but dishes made from every last piece.