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How to Cook a Wolf

The Oven gets a workout

Okay, maybe not a whole wolf, like M.F.K. Fisher writes about in 1930’s France from
THE ART OF EATING  – but a FISH.   This was a real WHOLE MAQUEREAU (mackerel) head, eyes, and all.

It was not intimidating.   I kept thinking of Daddy.    When he wasn’t flying he was fishing.  He ‘d bring that smelly fish (as I use to call it, only it wasn’t the fish, it was HIM, ha) into the big kitchen on 94th Street in Miami Shores and start scaling it, then washing it, gutting it and frankly I was pretty impressed.   What I didn’t realize, was that this fresh fish we were enjoying  that evening and every week thereafter was the freshest and most tasty food I ever ate.   The rest of the time it was TV dinners, because that was the ERA.    Sometimes,   (a lot actually) we ate out at Watson’s where it was , um, not bad, but the vegetables were definitely canned.  The only thing that might have been fresh were the “chicken croquettes”.

When we left for North Carolina each and every summer, it was fresh fresh everything……collards, green beans, okra, black eye peas, all picked that same day from neighbor’s local farms.   That taste of fresh stayed in my memory forever.   

That’s what makes cooking a fresh mackerel very exciting.   Knowing that this is something that was – well, swimming this morning!

I was so busy with this fish, that I failed to take pictures of after it was done  – and it was a bit of a lesson in removing the head and separating the entire top from the filet in one fell swoop.   It was more like bits and pieces, but ahhhhh when it came time to taste, it was absolutely fine, tender, tasty.    The recipe is darn easy.  I, personally need more practice on the removing of head, tail and bones ……….

Little mackerel’s have a potato in their mouths, isn’t that so cute???

Easy Roasted Fresh Mackerel  (In French:  Maquereau )

For 2 people:

2 small   cleaned whole Spanish mackerel or bluefish (with head and tail).   Mine was “bluefish”

Can of tomatoes in herbs or fresh tomatoes chopped, with olive oil and S & P and herbs d’ Provence

Sliced potatoes and carrots

S & P

Saute the  carrots & potatoes in olive oil and a bit of butter till browned but not totally cooked.   Save on plate.  Place cleaned whole fish in casserole, sprinkle with S & P and a bit of olive oil. Pour tomatoes on top with herbs, add potatoes and carrots.  Put in 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes.  Watch it carefully.  When fork tender or eyes of fish turn white – it’s done.

There are YouTube videos of how to separate the fish from the filet, from head and pulling right off to leave one nice whole filet, but if it’s too soft may fall apart.  That’s okay, remove head, bones, tail and remove from skin.

Incredibly tasty.

Bon Appetit

from Marti in Cassis

Would you happen to have a plastic baggie or some Centièmes?

My friend Martha in Tennessee, wanted to know if I had storage since I had such a small apartment.

I told her “I have no storage.  We are probably called “minamalists” since we have come to France with little.”    Then I took a pic of my “storage containers” which are here, and nothing but cardboard file containers from IKEA.  Yes, all two of them.

“storage” for our entire lives – in France

But there’s another problem, —-   my various bags.

Today I have started cleaning out just my handbags and my backpack that I usually take on all my walks with me, (not all at the same time, ) however, the variety of material that I have found inside and placed on my bed, is astounding.  It is a wonder that my shoulders aren’t lopsided.   I have never seen so many various and assorted “emergency”  sundries in my life.   I have found allergy pills that were missing for months and I daresay are any good,  Band-Aids that are so old, they probably wouldn’t stick if I needed them, a vast amount of lip softeners, chap-sticks, etc that I shant need another one for the rest of my living days………a receipt from PHILADELPHIA airport café where I promised the girl I’d sign in and give her a good writeup, (will) –  a  variety of paperclips, writing tablets, post-a-notes, pens,   And, strangely enough,  a tiny bottle of Bayer Aspirin, in case I have a heart attack, that was dated 2004;  4 sets of white stereo earphones, 181 centièmes,  26 small plastic bags so in case, God forbid, I have to carry an entire bottle of ADVIL with me instead of tucking a few pills here and there in teeny tiny baggies for the huge handbags,  AND an Irish Journey Blessing, an expired Starbucks card, AND a pair of scissors.  I am ready to nurse, heal, overdose, write an entire novel from the amount of paper inside, soften everyone’s lips that lives in Cassis, buy my way through at-least 3 trips to the “beach attendant toilet guy” that wants 60 centièmes to use the toilet there.   He loves it when I pour out the 60 centièmes from my little plastic baggies!!!!   Not.    OH!  Mon dieu – I just found 2 more items!   A St Louis Lottery ticket from LAST year and my mother’s hair pik from the 70’s!!   I’ve been looking for that thing!!!   (I dare not look up the numbers, it’s void after 180 days -what if I had the numbers?????!!!!!!!!!)    Better not to know.

And I tease my husband for being “OCD!!!”   Which, by the way is “TOC” in French.   (Trouble Obessionnel Compulsif );   Never say you haven’t learned a cool French Acronym from me.

the hand bag contents

Okay, time for me to get the heck out of here and walk walk walk,  and find ingredients  at the market for my SOUFFLE tonight.    My friend Sandrine is coming to enjoy that Souffle – and to give me yet another French lesson, of which we both laugh out loud from the “mistakes” and the “misunderstandings” .    I wonder if she needs a couple hundred plastic baggies.

Ginger Salmon w/ Lavender honey on bed of Lentils

What can I say?   It was easy peasy and you will love it, if you like salmon.  Who doesn’t like salmon?

I usually get very fresh salmon from where-ever – and here in the port town of Cassis, it’s full of Sole, Daurad,  and other white fish – but salmon, I usually buy from a local market.   It’s always and forever GOOD.

Here’s the easy recipe:

Mix ginger orange marmalade with lavender honey – or regular marmalade with honey

Sauté 2 small pieces of salmon in a little olive oil and butter .    Apply the marmalade and honey mixture as it’s sautéing on one side.

Turn over in couple minutes, and apply same mixture.    Saute couple minutes then turn up to really high heat – throw in some

white wine and scrap the bottom as it bubbles.   Turn down.  If it seems too raw in center (depending on thickness of your salmon, let it go a few minutes longer, adding more white wine as needed.  )

LENTILS –

Lentils were prepared day before – with sautéed carrots and shallots and teeny bit of garlic.  So all I did was heat them up.

Spread a mound of lentils on plate and place salmon on top.

Voila!  Your dinner is done and fantastic.

Our salad was simply sliced cucumber, tomatoes, S & P, herbs d’Provence, lavender oil, or olive oil

Filet slices w/ Roquefort on bed of greens

Menu:

Left over ENTRECOTE roast, sliced thin

Roquefort cheese slightly melted placed on top of thin cuts of beef

Arrange over bed of greens, preferably arugula, which I can’t get at my market here, so use any that look particularly fresh and colorful and delicious

French bread

Melted Roquefort cheese for dipping bread

Left over carrots and zucchini if desired for the side dish

VOILA!  Completely satisfying and very delicious

Marti

from
Cassis

From now on……………..it’s CUISINE !!!

Sept 2, 2013

From this moment on, I will feature FOOD.   The reason?  We have an OVEN now in our apartment and I am cooking cooking cooking.   You will be the recipient of that, We only wish that you could BE here and actually imbibe.

Here are photos of my first dinner – a Entrecôte – our very expensive ROAST (beef) which I have not prepared in 2 years.     I will not put exact amounts because I use no recipes, I cook by tasting and by the number of people that are coming for dinner.

Entrecôte Roast

Don’t be turned off by no measurements.  It’s incredibly freeing not to use them.

ALSO,  excuse my French.  It’s just part of me now and I use it with some descriptions.

Menu:
Entrecôte Roast  or Roast that has the filet mignon in it

Herbed Potatoes whole

Sautéed mushrooms

Carrots and zuchinni

Recipe:

The best cut of meat you can find for a roast – about 3/4 of a kilo – little under 2 pounds.

Sear it first , putting a bit of flour and herbs, salt and pepper  on it by rolling it around..

Sear it well, then add a good red wine to pan and scrape the bottom of the pan

Cook it in a 350 degree oven for less than 1 hour   – ours was done in 40 minutes because we like it medium rare or “a point”   –  Add more red wine half way through.

It is incredibly delicious, like imbibing in a filet mignon, well it’s from that cut of meat.

Add a Bouquet garni to the pan with as many potatoes as you want — in the same roast pan.

1/2 inch julienned carrots and  round zucchini — As much or little as you want.  (I eat a LOT of veggies).  Cook carrots in little olive oil and butter and brown sugar, pinch of salt .  After carrots are browned nicely, add zucchini, cook few minutes more (or less) as they will still all be crunchy.

While Roast is cooking in oven, sauté the sliced mushrooms in butter and olive oil, Herbs d’Provence, S & P.  After browned nicely, throw in some red vin.

Set aside

After Roast is done – (you can use a meat thermometer to the temp of your liking),  take out – let it rest for 10 minutes, then carve.

It’s a delicious home cooked roast with veggies.   Use Creme Fraiche if you can get it- instead of sour cream- on the potatoes.

A good red wine is mandatory.    We liked a SYRAH.

Oh and desert – well it was something decadent and from a package & French,  without chemicals from ALSA; called MOELLEUX au CHOCOLAT avec des Pépites and if I could I would bring an entire case home next time!!  FABULOUS!!  It went with the leftover CHAMPAGNE that we started with,  to celebrate our new home, our new apartment, our OVEN!!!!!!

Bon Appetit!!

Marti in Cassis