Monkfish and Lobster Tango

Once called the "poor man's lobster", it seems to have joined the upwardly mobile economic class as I paid over $10.00 a pound wholesale for it last week. The demand for fresh fish keeps climbing even in the landlocked Southern Illinois-St Louis area. The flavor and texture of monkfish is often compared to lobster, and I often use lobster in a monkfish dish to reinforce the similarities.

While the humble monkfish now demands more dollars and enjoys more respect culinarily, it is still decidedly "marrying up" in this dish. An exotic sauce flavored with vanilla bean and Italian prosecco complement the slightly sweet fishes. A saffron rice make a beautiful splash of color against the creamy sauce and the coral lobster.