Monkfish liver is the large, fatty liver of the anglerfish, prized in Japanese cuisine as a delicacy called ankimo. Often nicknamed “foie gras of the sea,” it has a rich, creamy texture and a delicate flavor that has made it a staple of high-end sushi restaurants worldwide. In Japan, it’s considered a winter specialty and holds a respected place in kaiseki (multi-course) dining and traditional sushi preparation.
Why It’s Called the Foie Gras of the Sea
The comparison to foie gras isn’t just marketing. Monkfish liver shares the same silky, melt-in-your-mouth quality as duck or goose liver pâté, but with a distinctly oceanic character. The flavor is mildly sweet, with notes that recall lobster and scallops rather than the mineral, iron-heavy taste most people associate with organ meats. It does have a noticeable smell when raw, but the finished product is surprisingly gentle on the palate.
In Japan, monkfish liver goes by the name “umi no foagura,” which translates directly to “foie gras of the sea.” Unlike its terrestrial counterpart, ankimo doesn’t involve force-feeding the animal. The monkfish’s liver is naturally large and fatty, a byproduct of the fish’s biology rather than a farming practice.
Where Monkfish Liver Comes From
Monkfish (genus Lophius) are bottom-dwelling predators found in the Atlantic Ocean. In the United States, the commercial fishery operates from Maine to North Carolina. The fish are bizarre-looking creatures, sometimes called goosefish, anglers, or sea-devils, with enormous heads and wide mouths that can swallow prey nearly their own size. Despite their appearance, they’ve become commercially valuable for both their tail meat and their liver.
Several regions of Japan have long traditions of catching and preparing anglerfish, including areas in Shimane, Yamaguchi, Aomori, and Ibaraki prefectures. Some of these communities hold annual festivals during the cold season, including the Ankou Festival, which showcases a traditional hanging-cut butchery method called tsurushi-giri.
How It’s Prepared and Served
The classic Japanese preparation is straightforward but requires care. The raw liver is cleaned, deveined, and salted to draw out moisture and any residual blood. It’s then typically rolled into a tight cylinder using plastic wrap or cheesecloth and steamed until set. Once cooled, the log is sliced into rounds and served chilled, often with ponzu sauce (a citrus-soy dressing), grated daikon radish, and scallions.
Outside of traditional Japanese preparations, Western chefs have adapted monkfish liver into dishes like pâté, custard, and torchon (a French technique where the liver is poached in a cloth). Some restaurants serve it as a spread with pickled fruit or fold it into more elaborate tasting menus. The liver’s natural richness makes it versatile enough to work across culinary traditions, though its spiritual home remains the sushi counter.
Buying Monkfish Liver
Fresh monkfish liver can be difficult to find outside of Japanese grocery stores or specialty seafood markets. The more accessible option for most people is buying it pre-steamed and flash-frozen online. Expect to pay around $35 for a half-pound package, and be prepared for occasional stock shortages. It’s a niche product with limited supply. At sushi restaurants, a serving of ankimo typically appears as an appetizer or a special nigiri topping, priced as a premium item.
Nutrition and Safety
Monkfish liver is a high-fat food, which is what gives it that characteristic creamy texture. The flesh of monkfish itself is quite lean (about 76 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per 100 grams), but the liver concentrates the fish’s fat stores, making it calorie-dense in a way similar to other animal livers and pâtés.
Mercury is a common concern with seafood, but monkfish liver appears to be relatively low-risk. A study of Cape monkfish found mean mercury concentrations of about 0.106 mg/kg in liver tissue, well below the World Health Organization’s limit of 0.5 mg/kg for fish. No significant difference in mercury levels was found between the liver and the muscle tissue.
Parasites are the more practical concern, particularly if the liver is served raw or lightly prepared. The FDA recommends that fish intended to be eaten raw or undercooked be frozen first to kill parasitic larvae: either held at -4°F (-20°C) for seven days, or frozen at -31°F (-35°C) until solid and then stored for at least 15 to 24 hours depending on the holding temperature. Cooking the liver thoroughly also eliminates parasite risk. The steaming step in traditional ankimo preparation serves this purpose, bringing the liver to a safe internal temperature while preserving its texture.
What to Expect Your First Time
If you’ve never tried monkfish liver, the closest comparison point is a very mild, ocean-flavored pâté. It doesn’t taste “fishy” in the way most people fear. The texture is the real draw: dense and smooth, almost like cold butter, with a clean finish that lingers without overwhelming. It pairs well with acidic or sharp accompaniments (ponzu, pickled ginger, vinegar-dressed vegetables) that cut through the richness. A little goes a long way. Most servings are small, a few slices at most, and that’s by design. It’s meant to be savored rather than eaten in quantity.