Monkfish with Potatoes and Artichokes

Place the trimmed artichokes and potatoes on a steamer rack over (not touching) boiling water. Cover and steam until tender when pierced with a fork, 5-7 minutes for the artichokes and 8-10 minutes for the potatoes. Remove the vegetables from the steamer rack. When cool enough to handle, cut the artichokes lengthwise into quarters; peel the potatoes and cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick. Preheat an oven to 225 degrees F.

Trim off any thick outer membrane of the monkfish and cut into medallions 1/2 inch thick. At the top of each individual plate, arrange 6-8 potato slices in a fan, overlapping them slightly. Place 4 artichoke quarters in a fan below them, overlapping the potatoes. Keep warm in the oven.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the monkfish and cook until white on the first side, about 1 minute. Turn the monkfish over and cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in the wine, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the monkfish is just cooked through and tender, 2-3 minutes; do not overcook or the monkfish will become chewy. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the monkfish to the plates, arranging the medallions at the base of the artichoke fan. Place in the warm oven.

FOR THE SAUCE:
In the same pan over medium heat, add the shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the fennel and sauté for 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, add the tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute longer. Pour in the stock and cook over medium heat until reduced by one-third, or until the sauce thickens slightly and the fennel is cooked yet slightly firm, 2-3 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat, season to taste with the salt and white pepper and spoon over the monkfish, artichokes and potatoes. Serve immediately.