The Cross and the Cleaver… Simplicity

In a time when the whole world seems out of control, we are looking back to a recipe The Rev. Piotr shared with us. Given the current state of politics and more, we could probably all use a little “simplicity.”

“It used to annoy me to no end when people with a knack for something made their activity look easy and effortless—while I sweated, cursed, messed up, burned, and made it crooked… oh yeah, did I mention cursing?

One of my memories of such situations is about my boyhood friend. It was one of those friendships that books are written about and movies are made of. Do you have, or had, a friend like that?

Anyway, he didn’t just ski—he glided with grace atop the snow powder. He didn’t just cast his fishing lure—his movements would put award-winning ballet dancers to shame. And you could not tell the difference between his small-scale airplane models and high-quality die-cast ones, even if you tried.

While our friendship remains one of my most cherished memories, I equally remember the envy and feelings of inadequacy.

The other memory is that of Dawn, my wife, at the beginning of our courtship. We had just come in from a miserable, cold, rainy day—the kind that soaks even your bones and soul. I offered to buy pizza. She said she would quickly whip something up.

And she did.

Within 15 minutes, we were seated in front of a pot of hot, aromatic, and delicious fish stew—something Dawn had whipped up using a few cans from the pantry and some herbs hanging around the spice cabinet.

That was over 20 years ago, and she still has not shared the recipe with me!

Chef Marco Pierre White, whom I mentioned in this column before, was once asked why he used so few seasonings. His answer was simple. He said: “The more you add up, the more you take away.”

I often lose patience with recipes where, by the time I’ve arrived at the last ingredient, I’ve forgotten the first one. Simple cooking—and cooking simply—does not have to be stressful.

So how about a simple Middle Eastern-style fish stew?

It originated with Marco Pierre White, and I’ve tried to make it even simpler and more adaptable to what we can buy here in Kindersley. Give it a try, and trust me… it is simple.

Amounts in this recipe are for a two-person dinner—plus maybe leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salmon (cheap, pink stuff), cut into 1-inch cubes.
• 1 cup white-fleshed fish (cod loins, haddock, halibut, thicker basa—whatever is on sale), cut into 1-inch cubes.
• 1 cup raw, defrosted, peeled shrimp (any size; cut jumbo ones to match the fish).

Preparation:

1. Toss all the seafood together, drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with:
   • Lemon juice
   • A pinch of sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or a couple of shakes of your favorite hot sauce (if you like it spicy).
   • A pinch of curry powder or saffron (if you have some).
2. Let it marinate on the countertop for 15–20 minutes while you…
3. In a large saucepan or pot, heat up:
   • 2 cups of tomato juice (or canned cream of tomato soup), mixed with:
   • 1 cup of either:
     • A half-and-half mix of orange juice and water,
     • White wine, or
     • A half-and-half mixture of white and red wine.
4. When the liquid is bubbling, gently drop in all the marinated seafood.
5. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Garnish & Serve:

• Garnish with cilantro, parsley—or don’t.
• Serve with rice, crusty bread, regular bread, gnocchi, or small pasta.

Simple!!! … and easy.