Portuguese Fish Stew by Tyler Florence

Portuguese Fish Stew by Tyler Florence

Portuguese Fish Stew courtesy of Tyler Florence (who I happen to kind of be infatuated with)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound linguica or chorizo sausage, sliced in chunks
5 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
1 handful fresh oregano, hand torn
2 bay leaves
2 pounds potatoes, sliced
3 quarts chicken broth
1 pound kale, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/2 pound perch, cod, or bass fillets, skin and pin bones removed (I used cod)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Recipe Rustic Crusty bread, for serving, recipe follows

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy 4 to 6-quart pot over medium flame. Add the onions, garlic, and sausage; cook, stirring with wooden spoon, until the sausage renders out some of its fat and the onions are soft. Toss in the herbs and then the potatoes, stir that around for a minute to coat in the oil. Pour in the chicken broth and bring up to a simmer. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender.
Uncover the pot and add the clams; simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until the clams open. Add the fish and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the fish is cooked. Serve with crusty bread.

There you have it, a soup pot to heaven.

See Marie Cook posted this  great recipe. She is my inspiration for tonight. This dish is on the menu in one of my favourite restaurants in Provincetown, MA but, alas, not all the meat ingredients agree with me.  Tonight as a cook I'm in control , I'll be cooking this fine soup / stew with a slight tweak (beef kielbasa substituting chorizo sausage) and having it all to myself!

Super 88 now Hong Kong Supermarket

1095 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
(617) 787-2288

www.super88market.com/

Nearest Transit: Brighton Ave @ Comm Ave (193, 57) 

Hours: Mon-Sun 8:30 am - 11 pm

Life is full of precious finds in the places where you never expect them. I was looking for "Super 88 Market" information (in short "88", Chinese lucky number,  not to be confused with 99, 96, 69) .  Apparently, I haven't been to 88 for years though I own, use and like Chinese and Japanese dinnerware bought there. Figured that the chain  owner closed 3 out of 6 stores in Boston area in 2008, filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and was bought out by Hong Kong Supermarket. It's still a large Chinese supermarket with great variety and Asian food court. And the smell which I don't mind in Asian markets. No smelly boyfriends in my life but read up. That ecstatic and genuinely funny.

Why Super 88 (now known as Hong Kong Supermarket) reminds me of My Old Boyfriend:

They smell. Just like My Old Boyfriend, Super 88 really stinks. My Old Boyfriend couldn't help it- his feet and each orifice contributed to this condition. They mean well, but they still smell.

They are cheap. My Old Boyfriend aspired to a life filled with bargains in any form and so does Super 88. They both have this attitude. Cheap is sweet.

They are big. My Old Boyfriend was 6'5", had a beer keg-like chest and size 14 (smelly) feet. Super 88 is equally large.

They are hard to read. My Old Boyfriend was an unreliable puzzle when it came to communication. Super 88 can be equally confusing.

They like food. My Old Boyfriend was always eating. During our relationship, I gained ten pounds due to the constant caloric input. Super 88 has an incredible food court in front, which offers all kinds of food. I can't comment on any of it, though, because I am trying to lose those ten pounds now that My Old Boyfriend is history.

They are popular. My Old Boyfriend was Homecoming King, Prom King and and had many friends of all sorts circling around his large, odoriferous orbit. Super 88 is popular, too, especially when key items like Sriracha Sauce are on sale.

They are centrally located. My Old Boyfriend has a great spot not too far from Fenway, easy to find on the Green Line. Same goes for Super 88.

They are not without flaws. But who's perfect, anyway? If you get involved with either of them, you'll be fine as long as you can stand the smell.

 Source: YELP / Dorothy's review: Why Super 88 (now known as Hong Kong Supermarket) reminds me of My Old Boyfriend

Super Bowl commercials

SuperBowl - isn't it about junk food, cheap beer and the best TV commercials ever?

I like the period commercials:

Budweiser: "Return of the King"


And here the title speaks for itself: 
Fiat: "Seduction"

And I hate this one. It's like "having kids make people who apparently were smart enough to make money to stop thinking straight and degrade to 2-year old level"

ETrade: "Fatherhood"

Long skirts

Me fond of long skirts.

Right now I'm looking forward to spring. On Groundhog Day'2012 Punxsutawney Phil predicted long winter... Well, the only thing to tell the people was that the winter is not coming this year. Or may be we are in for April snowstorm. Nevertheless, spring is near.

Territory Ahead choice

Denim. Machine washable. Light, Dark Indigo;
Black (shown), White (sold out in 4, 6, 14, 16)

Linen. Machine washable. Wicker; Slate (above)

AllSaints Spitalfields Toledo Maxi skirt
Lightweight jersey maxi skirt with soft hand feel, elasticated waist and external seam at back. Black. Works for all seasons. No good picture in AllSaints catalog Just imagine a black tube.


A lot of cute but mostly winter (lama wool!) stuff on Peruvian Connection:

La Scala Skirt, cotton

Cuzco Wool Skirt

Strawflower Silk Skirt

 

 

If I had bigger storage space I would have bought them all. But I suppose in real life I'm for Territory Ahead white skirt which is sold out in size 4.

Fish of St. Peter a.k.a. tilapia

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the tax?" ²⁵ He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?" ²⁶ And when he said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.
27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."
Matthew 17:24-27

They say that this fish that proved once and again the miraculous powers of Jesus Christ and helped him to make his point re: taxes is actually tilapia.


Met a recent professional culinary art institute graduate who works in upscale Italian restaurant. He is not allowed to cook any sophisticated dishes yet, learning the ropes first. He was present as a guest but inevitably our conversation shifted to food.
It was buffet-style food, and really good quality. I must figure out the trade secret of their carrot-ginger fritters with orange cream sauce. So, they served Teriyaki tilapia and it was good. While enjoying our meal, me and a young cook discussed the ways to cook tilapia. This fresh water fish leaves at the bottoms of  the ponds, lakes or shallow streams and rivers. It's white dense meat has some distinct and unpleasant taste unless you make it disappear by skilful cooking.

Put your fillets in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and mix to make sure the salt has reached everywhere. Or rub it with salt. It really needs salt and it takes time to absorb it. If you have the time, salt it and leave it alone for an hour or longer. This is a generic suggestion for almost all occasions. Here are three recipes.