This is a hearty meal which could certainly be served in the summer, but it tastes even better when the season is cooler. It’s something of a harbinger of fall, and it’s a favorite for both of us.

The formula is wonderful, and, making it even more wonderful is its versatility: Its author, Mark Bittman, says, “The recipe can be finished with almost any firm fish fillet.” I’ve run through a small tally myself.

• four monkfish tails, totalling about 18 ounces, from American Seafood Company, roasted with two thirds of a cup of a combination of Moroccan and Kalamata olives from Whole Foods, pits removed, on top of a bed of scrubbed, unpeeled, thinly-sliced and seasoned fingerling potatoes from Lower Hayfields, a friend’s Hudson Valley garden, which had just been roasted (in a very generous amount of olive oil), with more than a dozen (!) dry bay leaves, finished with a sprinkling of purple radish micro greens from Windfall Farms
• indigo rose cherry tomatoes from Lani’s Farm, heated until starting to blister over medium high heat inside a heavy enameled cast iron skillet in which two red scallions red scallions from Norwich Meadows Farm, sliced, and one sliced large clove of ‘German hardneck‘ garlic from Race Farm had been already been allowed to heat until fragrant, the heat turned off and the mix allowed to sit for a couple minutes, further softening the tomatoes, which were then seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkled with torn New York CIty basil from Gotham Greens, via Whole Foods, and chopped parsley from Keith’s Farm
• the wine was a California (Sonoma) white, Daryl Groom Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2015 from Naked Wines
• the music was Q2 Music, streaming