The bloke came back from fishing with three tailor, and a great big Australian salmon. Tailor are one of my very favourite fish. They are listed as sustainable, they’re a good source of Omega 3, and they are such a good eating fish that it is a bit of a pity to do anything more to them than fillet, fry, and serve with lemon wedges and a good salad. And then use the frames for stock for a soup.
Salmon though are another matter. Australian salmon are not a salmon at all, but a sea perch, and though sustainable, they are notoriously not a prized table fish. If fresh caught, bled, skinned, and filleted to remove the dark “blood” meat, the flavour is good – strong but good. The texture is more the problem. They are a bit chewy and soft at the same time. Only one way to honour the life of an Australian salmon by really enjoying eating it! (Actually there’s two – they are really good smoked, but that’s for another day).
The Recipe:
This made a big pot of stew that would feed four for dinner easily. We were greedy and ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Dice (not too finely)and bring to the boil in a large pot:
- 2 onions
- 1 carrot
- 1 potato
- 2 stalks of celery
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 chilis
- 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs (oregano, marjoram, thyme)
- 10 pitted olives
- 1 cup of white wine
- 600 grams of fresh chopped tomatoes (or a can of tomatoes)
- 1 piece of preserved lemon, finely chopped (or substitute 1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind)
Simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the carrot and potato are just starting to get soft, then add 700 grams of Australian salmon fillets (skinned, white meat only) chopped into large chunks.
Continue simmering for 5 minutes or so, until the salmon is just cooked. Taste and add salt to taste.
Meanwhile, make the dressing.
The Dressing:
(Does anyone know what this is called? I’m sure it must be a traditional idea somewhere in the Mediterranean).
In a food processor, blend together:
- 3 big sprigs of parsley, stripped from the stems.
- 1 spring onion, greens and all
- 1 slice of good bread
- juice of a lemon
- pinch of salt
- little swig of good olive oil
Ladle the stew into bowls, sprinkle the dressing on top and serve.
Hi Linda
I recently started following your blog after reading your book ‘The Permaculture Home Garden’ – which is great by the way!
I think this type of dressing is called Gremolata. According to wikipedia it originated in Milan.
Frankie
Thanks Frankie! I knew it wasn’t original, but couldn’t think what it would be called.
Awesome that you consider the sustainability of the meat you eat. And wanting to honour its life by turning it something delicious. My family and I were vegetarians for some time but have recently been reintroducing meat into our diet while still meeting our values by insuring it is ethical.
Hi Jason, yes I was vegetarian too for many years. Lately I’ve read a few really good things that have helped me untangle the ethics. This essay by Lierre Keith gave me a lot of food for thought, and I’ve just been reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle, which I’ve been hearing about for ages and don’t know why I didn’t get around to reading sooner.