Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        -----polenta-----
   6      cups          water -- cold
   1      tablespoon    butter -- unsalted
   1      teaspoon      salt
   1                    bay leaf
   1 1/2  cups          cornmeal
                        -----red snapper in brodetto-----
   4      pounds        red snapper -- cleaned or
   4      pounds        stripped bass -- cleaned or
   4      pounds        sea bass -- cleaned or
   4      pounds        monkfish -- cleaned
   2      cups          oil -- vegetable
   1      cup           flour -- all purpose
     3/4  cup           oil -- olive
   1      cup           onion -- finely chopped
     1/2  cup           scallion -- finely chopped
                        white part only
                        salt
   2      tablespoons   paste -- tomato
     1/4  cup           vinegar -- red wine (or more)
   3      cups          water -- hot
                        pepper -- (to taste)

Preparation:

For Polenta: In a heavy saucepan, combine water, butter, salt and bay leaf. Pour in cornmeal in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Continue to stir over heat until mixture is smooth, very thick, and pulls away from sides of pan, about 15 minutes. Cover and keep warm. For Red Snapper in Brodetto: With a cleaver, cut each fish into 3 pieces, leaving head and tail on. Heat vegetable oil in skillet to about 350F Dredge pieces of fish in flour, shaking off excess. Cook, turning once, until lightly golden but not cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside. In separate large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and scallion and sauté, tossing until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add fish in single layer and sprinkle with salt. Spoon tomato paste between pieces of fish and cook about 3 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Stir together vinegar and hot water and add to fish. Bring to boil then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn pieces of fish. Increase heat to medium high and continue to cook just until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer fish and a mounded spoonful of polenta to warm serving plates. Boil sauce vigorously until slightly thickened and correct seasoning with salt, pepper, and a few drops of wine vinegar, if needed. Pour over fish and serve immediately.