Back in my own Kitchen & Enjoying New Challenges

With all of us cooking at home much more, I am trying to push myself beyond the meals that I find simple to throw together and to make some new things! Thanks to my new subscription to The Fearless Fish Market’s Fish Share, each week on Wednesday afternoon, I get a share of two kinds of fresh fish, one filleted for me and one whole fish. The fun is that I am surprised each week by what is included—it is so fresh it is nearly still swimming! I find out on Tuesday, and then start flipping through my cookbooks. This week, I got two beautiful whole Black Sea Bass, and I found a recipe in Taverna, by Georgina Hayden (buy this book, call Island Books to support a local independent bookseller—she will special order anything!).

I am very comfortable with filleted fish, but this whole fish thing is a little more complicated. That said, like anything else, cooking whole fish gives a greater depth of flavor, so I am all in to learn. This one was simple: a marinate of capers, herbs, olives, lemons, which I diced and stuffed into the cavity, drizzled with olive oil, grilled on medium high for 5 minutes per side, then (critical step) invited a friend who makes delicious glazed carrots with dill and herbed couscous (a recipe he found in Maria Helm Sinskey’s Vineyard Kitchen ), open a bottle of chilled Ermitage Pic Saint Loup Rosé, and gently remove the backbone which takes with it nearly all the bones. Voila!

Yes, the bones are a little tricky, but I am getting better at it each week. The flavor of the fish is so more complex and interesting, the crispy skin is delicious, and the work makes me feel more legit! Give it a try!! Just follow these steps:

1st, sign up for Fearless Fish Share

2nd, Pick up your fish at my shop on Wednesday 2-6…and grab a bottle of our suggested pairing & enjoy a 10% discount.

3rd, feel free to sit at the shop and look though my library of cookbooks and find one that suits you.

4th, relax, have a glass of wine, and chef it up!

5th, take a photo & put it on Instagram & tag @newportwinenchz & @fearlessfishmarket to enter to win a free bottle of wine! Details on IG @newportwinenchz (21 years and older, of course)!

And, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get updates on the opening of Le Petit Gourmet—yes, we are petit again!

Cheers, and keep on eating, drinking, and thinking,

Maria