Christmastime in Venice with Cuttlefish in Its Ink

The cooking of cuttlefish in its own ink is a method that goes back at least to the fourteenth century, as we know from an early cookery manuscript fragment from about 1300 (Frammento, Biblioteca Universitaria della Università di Bologna, MS 158, ffº 86r – 91v) where it is cooked with leeks, garlic, and spices to […]

Joy of Simple Fish

The easiest way to cook a firm fleshed fish is on the griddle. One could use halibut, mahimahi, catfish, salmon, swordfish, monkfish, grouper, yellowtail and a host of others. When I say a griddle, I mean a flat (not ridged) cast iron pan which is what we call a griddle. They are made in long […]

Swordfish for Summer Grilling

Xiphias gladius is the only member of the family Xiphiidae. Swordfish are found in the world’s ocean especially in warm and temperate waters. It is a game fish and prized in many cuisines of the world but probably none more so than in the Mediterranean, most especially Sicily. It can be as large as 1,000 […]

Grilled Shrimp Make Great Appetizers, But Can Be Ruined Quickly

Grilling shrimp is a very simple matter that can easily go wrong.  The difference between succulent shrimp grilled to golden orange perfection and dry, withered buttons of nothing is a matter of a minute or so.  When grilling shrimp it is best to stay by the fire and keep your eyes on them, turning often […]

Keep it Simple When Grilling Fish–The Italian Way

Italians usually keep their seafood grilling simple. That’s because fresh seafood needs little adornment. In this recipe, the fish marinates in fresh orange juice and fresh lemon juice. Then it is grilled along with the orange and lemon wedges, which you can also eat. Halibut is a firm-fleshed fish which eventually flakes as does sablefish […]

Keep it Simple When Grilling Fish

Grilling whole fish can present a host of problems, from turning a too-big fish to the skin sticking and tearing when moved.  The best way to handle some of these problems (there are more too) is to start simple, with whole smallish fish that get turned once or not at all. Some cooks leave the […]

Fire, Fish And Fresh Herbs For Divine Summer Dining

The summer grill party is one of the most beloved of summer gastronomic experiences. On the Fourth of July we fire up the grill, people gather round impatiently, and on go the hamburgers, the hot dogs, the pork spareribs, the chicken breasts, the steaks. But why not take your grilling game up a notch this […]

Valencia’s Arros a Banda – Paella’s Cousin

Arròs a banda is a very old preparation from Valencia and really quite simple. Traditionally, arròs a banda was made on the small cabotatge, the coast runners that ran from north to south along the Levante, the Valencian coast. The boatmen would eat the fish with some hollowed out pieces of bread. Fishermen also made […]

Oyster Heaven, A Simple Recipe with a Big Bang

Every now and then I get an urge for a particular taste–almost the way pregnant woman get an urge for a particular, and sometimes weird, taste.  This is how this recipe came about.  I wanted oysters and I wanted them creamy and I wanted them hot. I had several Hood Canal Pacific oysters leftover from […]

Techniques for Cooking Fish Don’t Have To Be Intimidating

One of the oddest questions I get when serving fish is, “Does this fish have bones?” My answer is always, “Assume it does.” I answer that way to encourage people to eat slowly, to eat as if it does have bones, because all fish have bones. Even when you buy a boneless fillet of fish, […]

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