For all of you who tend to look at things in terms of black and white and not focus on the middle gray area, that area where I feel most things reside I ask you to read the current New Yorker. More specifically the Letter From China entitled Angry Youth.
Was it irony that not 20 minutes before I pulled up a chair and sipped some coffee at my local coffee shop prepared to make my way through a few magazines, papers, and trade publications that I ran into an old friend at the supermarket. After pleasantries were exchanged it was mentioned that she was extremely worried that her boyfriend was on his way to China to protest the Olympics. More specifically that he would be arrested, thrown into prison, never to be heard of again.
How do you end a conversation like that? I’ll tell ya how. “Hey, well at least you’re here, safe and sound in America. Go Dream Team!!!!” Do they still call them that?
Anyway, living in New York tends to give one tunnel vision. Towards the rest of this country for sure and somewhat towards the rest of the world. We all get along here or at least we tolerate each other. Where else are people from so many different cultures, religions, beliefs, etc., crammed into such small spaces together. Elevators, subways, buses, restaurants, and in my case an apartment. Somehow we make it work. Most of the time.
Ok so the article. Read it. It’s interesting and from a point of view that you don’t often get. A Chinese youth. OK skeptics might say, “Well this person is a youth of China, clearly brainwashed”. I say read the article perhaps it is you that might be the brainwashed one. Plus, this isn’t American youth. I work with a few of them. There’s no hope for us. Unless hope is shrouded in blank stares, pour work ethic, and the inability to detect sarcasm and irony. This letter draws parallels between Tiananmen Square and Kent State, The 2008, China Olympics and the 2006, Atlanta Olympics and the idea that democracy doesn’t always equate to wealth, food, and, well, freedom.
You can find the article here…
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/28/080728fa_fact_osnos
Ok, How about some food? Perhaps a fish recipe? I know, I’m the butcher and you’re suppose to eat nothin’ but rib eye and pork shoulder. Well as tasty as all that is throw some fish in a pot, add some white wine and some tomatoes, a little heat if you like, let it simmer and you’ve got a rival I think to any rib eye steak!
It’s called Cacciucco which translates roughly into “A little bit of this, A little bit of that”. And that’s exactly what it entails. Hailing from the Tuscan port city of Livorno, fisherman would return from sea with holds full of fish. The fresh catches were sold off to markets and restaurants and what was left you could call the Fisherman’s Private Catch. Much in the same way the hanger steak represents the Butcher’s cut; these remnants weren’t undesirable they were just left over. They’re represented by monkfish, red snapper, squid, octopus, shrimp, and mussels. Today you can substitute almost any fish that will hold up in a stew. Yes yes even the mild tilapia, the boneless skinless chicken breast of the sea (more on this in another blog). The key is low heat and liquid.
(adapted from Emily Wise Miller’s extraordinary recipe)
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves,
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves or crumbled dried sage
1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic chopped
3⁄4 lb. squid, cleaned and cut into 1″ pieces
3⁄4 lb. baby octopus, cleaned and cut into 1″ pieces
1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 14-oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
1 cup fish stock
1 1-lb. monkfish filet, cut into 2″ pieces
1 1-lb. red snapper filet, cut into 2″ pieces
3⁄4 lb. large shell-on shrimp
3⁄4 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
6–8 hunks country-style bread, torn in half
1.Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped parsley, sage, red pepper flakes, and chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add squid and octopus and cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir well, and cook until paste has darkened slightly, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes
You can see there’s a lot of stirring involved here. Remember that those that are lucky enough to enjoy this meal with you will surely notice the love you put in to it.
2. Add tomatoes along with their juice to seafood mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until octopus and squid are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in fish stock, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add monkfish and cook, covered, until just firm, about 5 minutes. Add snapper, then shrimp, to the pot and scatter the mussels over the top. Cook, covered, without stirring (finally), until the snapper is just cooked through and the mussels have just opened, about 10 minutes.
The last part is to toast up some country bread so you can make a little something my grandmother called “Zuppa Zuppa”. It’s the perfect addition to soak up all those remaining bits of goodness that just don’t seam to cooperate with a spoon.
Rob, our fishmonger, has all the above fish fresh daily and more. Just stop by and ask. Even for some Tilapia.
