“The jerk store called…”
Remember the Seinfeld episode The Comeback? George is at a meeting and is scoffing some seafood and a co-worker snarks “Hey, George, the ocean called. It’s running out of fish!”1. Given the amount of fish and other ocean life we’ve consumed since starting the 2010 food routine (footine?) I’m expecting that comment directed at me any day now. Less surprising, I guess, is that the meatless day hasn’t escaped beyond Monday.
Meatless Monday
Last Monday did not catch me unprepared. Having checked the weather forecast over the weekend I’d already picked up a variety of mushrooms for a risotto. Determined to do it properly, I raced home from work and popped a pot on the stove for vegie stock. Stephanie Alexander suggests halving a tomato and an onion and bunging them in the oven until they’re “black”, which I did, albeit only to “brown”. While they were caramelising, I was sweating a bit more onion and some leek, then threw in a bunch of vegies rescued from the bottom of the fridge. The result was surprisingly nice, as was the risotto2.
Fresh Fish Thursday
The Ponytail, aka Neil Perry, came to the rescue on Thursday with his suggestion of a tomato, green olive and caper sauce to accompany snapper. Simple and gorgeous. I added some smashed kipflers that were fried off with sliced spring onions for a bit of zestiness, which I adapted from the Strodes’ Two’s Cooking3
No Booze February
One down, three to go.
I won’t be making this routine a habit. As soon as March hits, I’m having a glass of wine. It’s only been a week, so I can’t say “this is easy” because… it’s only been a week. Perhaps if I was feeling better and could trace the betterness to not drinking, I might consider taking it further, but I’m not, so I won’t. I was dreading going out for dinner and having to wave the wine list away, but Friday’s seafood feast at Esposito was not ruined by the lack of wine and I doubt that Wednesday’s Libertine bouillabaisse will be, either. Maybe it really is all about the food (and the company!).
= = = = = = = = = = = =
1. For a recap of the whole episode, Wikipedia has this article. It’s very detailed, but… convoluted.
2. Full disclosure: I thought the stock was so nice that I was actually dancing ’round the kitchen singing “I am the stock queen! I am the stock queen!”.
3.This book has been getting a bit of a workout. The recipes are straightforward and reliable and perfect for weeknights.
Related posts:
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
I must check out the Neil Perry cookbook, also I must be the only person not to have seen all episodes of Seinfeld.
I am looking forward to having a drink with you soon.
reality raver´s last blog ..Rhys Uhlich Nearly Bitten By A Shark
I hope that means you’re planning a visit! Otherwise we’ll have to arrange to have a “virtual” drink together when Feb is over. The Ponytail’s cookbook is a really good day-to-day meals resource.
I find that the recipes from the Ponytail’s cookbooks nearly always work. I’d recommend “The Food I Love”. The only downside of a Ponytail cookbook are his references to the work he does with Qantas, and the odd, slightly inaccurate, commentary on Australian immigration policy from the mid 1970s.
I haven’t noticed any refs to Qantas – will have to read it paying greater attention. Ditto the immigration policy. Will I satisfy my curiosity with Good Food or must I look at other books?
My preference is “The Food I Love”. That one had references to Qantas through the book. In “Good Food”, I think he may have mentioned Qantas in the recipe for the duck ragu with paparadille.
In his first two books, “Rockpool” and “Asian Food”, he writes about how much work the Whitlam government did in bringing multiculturalsim to Australia….and neglects to mention that it was actually a bipartisan approach with the Liberals, and theVietnamese boat people arrived when the Fraser government was in power.
Raver
I can proudly say i have never watched an ep of Seinfeld (I’m unique Whoopy doo)
Injera
I hope your recipe did not include carrots and celery, I’m sick to the back teeth of seeing that combo by every tv chef and her/his dog (and I HATE celery)
Thursday’s menu sounds yummy
Admirable willpower re the booze. Congrats
sourkraut – I hadn’t seen a James Bond film until a couple of years ago (damn you, Daniel Craig!) and now I feel as though I’ve lost my only point of difference (damn you again, DC!). You are the only person I’ve heard of who has never seen a Seinfeld episode. Have you ever watched Curb Your Enthusiasm?
The Ponytail does create good flavour combos – Thursday’s fish was really lovely.
(Still booze free!)
Injera
No to C Y E and likewise a whole host of American “canned laughter comedies” BUT I do admit to loving F Troop, the 3 stooges, Get Smart and comedies of that generation, which were actually funny without being told where to larf
Give me subtle Brit comedy or even some of the better Oz comedies. I forgot to mention b4 that “the Games” was probably the second best comedy on tv and “the hollow men was certainly worth at LEAST one more series, and “Very small Business” had me peeeing my pants
Congrats again on the boozeless time, hope it doesn’t all come back in a rush. Good luck