Monkfish "provencal," with apologies if necessary

Ragazzi, if you are careful eaters, you may feel that it's impossible to know what to eat, and not to eat. First, we have the level of what we SHOULDN'T eat: no trans fats, no preservatives, and so on and so forth. That can be challenging enough, especially since the "experts" in nutrition change their minds and differ so often. But then we move to the next level, the one where Annalena tries to engage the latest theory, that of sustainability . What shouldn't we eat because if we do, it will go extinct? is how I think about it. And as a result, there is no bluefin tuna in this home, for example, and if a restaurant lists a dish as "tuna," instead of specifying what species, we leave it alone. For years, we did so with swordfish and chilean seabass. Of course , we do so with shark.

But monkfish? We had not heard anything about the fish being threatened and went about eating it without a concern. Then, this week Annalena bought some to cook for supper. While looking for a recipe, she picked up Rick Moonen's book on fish cookery. The Index contained precious little about monkfish, and what it did contain, caused concern. Chef Moonen stated that, given the overfishing of monkfish and its threatened state, he would not be including any recipes for it.

Hmmm. Intrigued, Annalena went to what is regarded as the definitive source for information on threatened fish, the so-called "Monterey index." You should look this up. It's extremely informative, if a bit overzealous in Annalena's view, but every movement does need zealots. The index did, in fact consider monkfish a threatened species. Oh, dear.

Now, as she was considering all this, one of Annalena's favorite tv shows broadcast (it is a cooking show, of course), and it featured an interview with a chef from Maine, who is known for his local, seasonal, and sustainable cooking. And the closing shot was of the chef, holding a large whole monkfish in his hands, opening its wide jaws toward the camera.

You may be beginning to get somewhat puzzled. So, Annalena went to her favorite fishermen and asked. Before you start thinking "now isn't that like putting the wolves in charge of the hen house," understand that these fishermen are a small family, with the business being handed down from generation to generation. They do not sell bluefin tuna. They do not sell fish that they cannot bring in from local waters, and they do not sell things like crabs, because they feel that they damage the environment in so doing. They sell monkfish. According to these folks, there is no problem. And the second end of the problem, according to many, is the damage, done to the ocean floor, by trawling, which is how monkfish are caught. According to many of the people who work "in the field," i.e, they fish, this kind of thing does not so much damage the ocean floor as make it more receptive to the breeding of younger fish, which are then eaten by more mature fish.

So, who do you believe? Doesn't it always come down to that? Confused, and with a piece of fish to cook, Annalena went to work, using a recipe she found in Mr. Bittman's book from 1994.

I love this book. It's very basic and very clear. One wonders if Mr. Bittman would leave out certain species if he redid this book, but there is no sign that he is going to do so. Alas, I must leave it to you. If you are squeamish about using monkfish, for any of these reasons, you can substitute any firm, thick white fish. It would not work with flounder, or any flat fish, but if you were to have a thick slice of cod, or even striped bass, it would work exactly as written. You could substitute shrimp, but then you would need to cut back on the cooking time.

Alright, I leave considerations of sustainability to you, and I say, let's cook. You will need very simple ingredients: a pound to a pound and a half of monk fish, or cod, or whatever. If you use the fish, cut it into 3/4-1 inch slices, cutting the piece vertically. You will also need four tablespoons of unsalted butter (use good stuff here, the rich European style, if you can find it), two large, or up to six, small leeks, and you will cut coins from the white parts, a cup of stock of some kind, be it fish or chicken, half a cup of dry white wine (I used gewurtztraminer), a bit of fresh thyme, and half a lemon.

You will also need a wide pan, a plate along side of it, and a slotted spoon. Melt half the butter in the pan, and when it is melted, add the leeks. Saute' them until they begin to soften. It will take about five minutes. When you're there, add the thyme, the wine, and the stock, and let it come to a boil. That will take about a minute. Now, add your fish slices or shrimp, lower the heat to a low medium, and cover the pan. IF you're using shrimp, it will take about five minutes before you need to take them out of the liquid. Other fish? Probably about seven minutes. Move them to the plate you have on the side. Raise the heat to high, and reduce the liquid until you have only about half to 3/4 of a cup. This may take about five-ten minutes. When you're there, add the butter, in small bits, swirling as you add it. It's lovely what happens when you do this, as the liquid emulsifies, thickens, and becomes velvety. Add the fish or shrimp, and turn them briefly in the liquid to coat them. Then squeeze in the lemon juice from the half lemon.

And you're done. Not too hard now, is it? The original recipe calls for eating this with crusty bread, but I can't imagine eating it with anything but rice. Brown rice if you like. And a nice simple green. Spinach is back in season, so we had it with garlic and sesame oil

The issues of sustainability are with us, and we do have to be serious about protecting our earth. But they are complex. Do your research, be informed, and then make your decision. Annalena does not think you can be wrong, if you do your homework first. Be as educated about your food, as you are about anything else. It's important to all of us.