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2 teaspoons stemmed thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds monkfish fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, then swirl in the olive oil. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened and aromatic, about 3 minutes.

Add the fennel and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring often.

Add the frying or green pepper and garlic; cook for 20 seconds.

Pour in the tomatoes and broth, scrape up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom, and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Whisk in the tomato paste until dissolved; then stir in the thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly until the vegetables are very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the monkfish, cover, and cook just until the chunks are opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt before serving.

Variation: Add 1 pound Swiss chard, spinach, or escarole, stemmed or cored, washed, and the leaves roughly chopped, with the monkfish.

Seared Mackerel Fillets with Radicchio, Cranberries, and Port

Any variety of mackerel will do in this recipe but smell the fillets to make sure the aroma is not too strong. They need a preparation with bold flavors—here, a combination of bitter, sour, and sweet. Makes 4 servings

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt, plus more as desired

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Four 4-to 6-ounce skin-on or skinless mackerel fillets

1 medium shallot, minced

½ cup chopped fresh cranberries

3 cups shredded radicchio

¼ cup vegetable or fish broth

¼ cup port

Mix the flour, salt, and pepper on a serving plate. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then swirl in the olive oil. Dredge the fillets in the flour mixture, coating both sides and shaking off any excess, then slip them into the pan.

Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the thin part of the fillet flakes when gently scraped with a fork, about 3 more minutes. Use a large metal spatula to gently transfer the fillets to four serving plates or a serving platter; tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the shallot to the skillet; cook, stirring constantly, just until barely softened, about 30 seconds. Add the cranberries; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.

Add the radicchio; cook, tossing with two wooden spoons or tongs, until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Pour in the broth and port, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Simmer until the radicchio is tender, less than 1 minute. Check to see if the sauce needs more salt, then spoon over the fillets.

Variations: Add 2 garlic cloves, minced, with the cranberries.

Substitute sweet vermouth or cream sherry for the port.

Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar over the dish just before you serve it.

Black Cod with Coconut and Ginger

Black cod—also known as sable—is an oily fish, rich enough to pair with this sweet, spicy coconut rub. Makes 4 servings

Canola oil for greasing the baking dish

½ cup shredded unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Two 10-ounce black cod fillets, skinned

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 13 × 9-inch baking dish; set aside.

Place the coconut, ginger, and cayenne in a mini food processor, a regular food processor fitted with the chopping blade, or a large spice grinder. Grind until the consistency of cornmeal.

Pat the fillets dry with paper towels, then rub them with the lime juice and salt. Pat the coconut mixture all over the fillets, coating them evenly. Place in the prepared baking dish.

Bake until lightly