Year 1 and The BIG Idea.
My anniversary on Substack writing and sharing The Solstice Gathering story & recipe book .
Yes- it has been a year since I sidled up to my computer, logged in and signed up for this experiment.
A year since I first said out loud, I’m writing a book. I felt strong that day, wholly believing that this could be the thing, the place, that gets my long held idea for a book, out of the binder its been living in for decades, and in front of someone’s eyes.
I could go on about the difficulties of life slowing my progress but what I’ve learn from reading other offerings on Substack is that its the same for everyone. We are collectively striving to get ourselves out of our note books and on to a page… somewhere. Well, here I go again -sending stories and recipes into the Ethernet- with love, hope and gratitude for a year of being here.
What follow is a recipe and story for one entry in my Big Idea: The Solstice-Christmas Gathering cookbook-slash-memoir-slash-DIY art n craft Tome.
Working title:
A TABLE OF JOY 20 + years of Christmas Dinner gatherings; TRAVELOGUE ~ RECIPES ~ CRAFTING
Introduction: This is a book about my travels, it’s also a book about my Family of friends, about food and how it connects us all. And how travel can open us to previously unknown worlds and the fun and enjoyment found when putting the two together.
Kia Orana! Welcome to our island of Celebration
As I am wont to do when traveling- I brought something back with me for this Christmas dinner. In a smallish cooler I carried the main entree; a frozen bundle wrapped in New Zealand newspaper.
RECIPE: Almond crusted Parrot Fish with orange and lime found below.
I am in the Cook Islands, 2000 miles off the NE coast of New Zealand, deep in the Polynesian Ocean. Traveling with a couple of gals who had befriended my mom on one of her more recent tours as a Honolulu based program coordinator for Road Scholar.
The organizer of our travel to the Cook Islands, is Eve. Its she who planned this visit to her friends on the main island of Rarotonga, and she who generously invited me along, though we had only met briefly.
Eve’s friends, a young couple who own and operate the quaint seaside Paradise Inn, set us up in a nearby neighborhood. A comfortable open-sided bungalow, complete with mango, papaya trees, chickens and a rooster whose crowing filled the air each evening as the sky grew dark.
Most mornings, as the rooster retired and the sun rose I'd set out for a jog along the beach road taking in the sites and the smell of coffee and breakfast meat mingling with the sea breeze. The seascape is precisely the stuff that all island dreams are made of. Seen from the air on arrival, the open ocean is sapphire blue until approaching the island, where the reef wall breaks in a wide arc embracing the crystal clear shallows that glow turquoise due to the white sands below. The whole of the lagoon that encircles the island runs only a meter or two deep, giving easy access for snorkeling, kayaking or just floating about at almost any point along the shore.
Some mornings I jogged along the inner road; an ancient track said to have been constructed in the 11th century, paved most of its length with large slabs of stone. Along this road local shrines (including the most sacred shrine on the island; Arai Te Tonga), added to the ancient-ness.
Heading into the hills, I came across a hand painted sign: "parrot fish for sale”, it was still early and no one was about so I continued on. As I rounded a curve I came to THE Pineapple Field. Eve had mentioned this remnant of olden times, and it was on her radar to locate.
It was the tang of ripe fruit that caught my attention, sweet but sour too. I walked forward, into a single tidy field, fenced round with piles of bleached coral and lava rock, goat tied at the back, roadside table and money box at the front.
Gathering a choice specimen from the crate, dropping my triangular $2.00 Cook Island coin in the box, I started back, triumphant. The morning coffee service would be just a bit different this morning-and a break from mango and Lilli Koi. Eve was incredulous…"OH…you found the pineapple field!” Why this single field was an anomaly I never figured out...
During our weeks on the island, we had a car that was the size of a Fiat; petite enough for the narrow roads hemmed in by sand but large enough for the four of us to pile in and out with our snorkel gear and picnic lunches. I actually own a Rarotonga driver’s license (temporary issue as it is), and was cast as driver, as we spent our days winding around the island-all 18 miles of it.
Sightseeing through seaside villages, pulling off wherever the blue-green water belied good snorkeling or onto a white sand shoulder when cooking smells wafted out into the road and seem to yell, Stop! As the speed limit in town was 15 MPH and raced up to 25 MPH on the beach road, puttering along in this start-stop fashion seemed encouraged if not expected.
On one outing I suggested we seek out the fishmonger for that night’s supper, as thoughts of eating Parrot fish were still on my mind. Cruising up into the hills, I pondered, just how cool it would be if I could carry fish from the South Pacific, home.
We found our fish man standing in front of his sign, catch of the day cooling on ice and chatted him up- excitingly wondering what does parrot fish taste like, cook up like? In his tropical infused New Zealand lilt-he explained…
“The flesh is firm with large flakes (like Cod as it turned out upon cooking) and mild in taste, parrot fish is abundant in these waters and is a common meal".
We ordered a kilo. Weighing the fillets out, placing them in a Ziploc he then wrapped the bag in wet newspaper- "to keep cool on the drive back to your bungalow".
I broached the subject – “do folks ever pack your fish for traveling? I’m thinking of taking some home”. He asked where to?
"The United States, via Honolulu", I answered. Again in that soft lilt he replied smooth as can be-
“Of course; we will wrap and freeze in wet newspaper then wrap in wet newspaper and freeze again, for packing in a cooler. When you get to Honolulu put the package in your mamma’s freezer ‘till you go home- the temperatures in the belly of the planes are quite cold-it will be no problem”.
Ha! just like that, ideas for this year’s Christmas menu started running around my head. Parrot fish with a nutty crust and maybe some take on the “Rukau (roo-kow)” to be served at the Paradise Inn that weekend.
RECIPE:
Parrot Fish with Almond Crust Serves 4 (approx. 4-5 oz. each)
Feel free to substitute another sturdy fish; snapper or cod would be similar, a whole side of Salmon would work also-adjust cooking time.
Units: US Prep time: 25 min. Cook time: 10-15 min. (a bit more for a whole side of salmon) Ingredients:
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almond -finely chopped or processed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon orange zest (sub. lime/lemon zest)
1.5 lb fish fillet -fresh or completely thawed
6 tablespoon butter, melted
Salt and black pepper
Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cover 2 sheet pans with parchment or foil-set aside.
In a food processor pulse almonds (or chop by hand) until finely chopped and no large pieces remain-(if need be – sift out large pieces and process those again).
Pour chopped almonds into a shallow container large enough for the fillets to lay flat on the crumbs, add panko and oregano-stir well.
While warm, combine melted butter and zest in a small bowl- have a pastry brush or paper towel ready.
Lay fillets on a large dish towel (or paper if you prefer) to absorb excess moisture, fold the towel over and gently press to remove moisture- handle carefully.
Arrange fish fillets on one parchment-lined baking sheet, side by side. Brush tops generously with butter-zest mixture. Season each with salt and pepper, lightly.
One at a time, pick up fillet and place the buttered top into the crumbs. Press down to help the crumbs adhere.
Gently lift fillet and set on second sheet pan. Continue until all fillets are done. Place this pan in the refrigerator for 10 mins. to set the butter and crumbs.
Now repeat the same on the other side of the fillets. Turn the fillet plain side up on this pan and butter each; turn over and lay in crumbs and press well, return to this pan.
Again, set pan in the fridge until you are ready to bake or at least 10 mins. When ready to bake- drizzle any remaining butter over fish fillets.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on how thick your fillets are and how long they have been refrigerated) until fish flakes with a fork and reaches at least 150' on a thermometer.
If you'd like to brown the top, place under a broiler and watch carefully for 3-4 mins.
Let the fish rest before you move it – give it at least 5 mins. to set up, then arrange on a lovely platter with orange and lime wedges. ENJOY!
