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| Vintage shark charm by wolfmansmummy, $4.50 |
About the time mid August rolls around you’re already starting to realize that the beach days you promised yourself…well, they didn’t so much happen. And you’re feeling pretty bad about those missed opportunities. Thank heavens the Discovery Channel is there to ease your pain with Shark Week. I can’t speak for you, but I know I haven’t been able to swim in the ocean without anxiety since seeing Jaws sixteen times during the summer of 1975. Our local Massachusetts news stations aren’t helping matters with nearly daily reports of great white sightings off Cape Cod. It turns out if there is a natural smorgasbord of seals, you’re going to find some great whites.
This is where Shark Week comes in. One evening of watching and you realize that there is no great benefit to driving a couple hours when you know in your heart that you’re only going to swim as deep as your ankles. Shark Week gives you a vicarious ocean thrill without leaving your couch. You save time and gas money. It’s like a trip to the beach every night and you won’t have to vacuum the sand out of the car.
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| Stoneware soup crocks by fishlegs, $22 |
Full on Shark Week mode comes complete with glorious ocean footage, imagined salt spray and eye-covering cringing, but you really ought engage all your senses, which means you need something ocean fresh to tantalize your taste buds. How about a bowl of rib-sticking Portuguese Fish Stew from the master of all things that taste divine, James Beard? The richness and passion for food in every recipe of his vintage 1983 cookbook Beard on Pasta is heavenly. His Portuguese Fish Stew might be just the thing to enjoy in front of the air conditioner while you scratch that shark jones of yours. Mr. Beard recommends serving it with bread, cheese and fruit.
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| Butcher block cutting board by Circa810, $17 |
James Beard’s Portuguese Fish Stew
28 oz. can Redpack whole tomatoes in puree
2 small onions, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
6 leaves of fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 lb. peeled cooked shimp
1 pound fresh tuna, cut into 1/2″ strips
1 cup orzo
In a very large pot, cook the tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil salt and pepper over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the oil. Strain or process the sauce and return it to the pot. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and let is simmer for 10 minutes. The soup can be done ahead of time to this point.
When you are ready to serve the soup, bring it back to the boil. Put in the shrimp and the strips of raw tuna and turn off the heat immediately.
Cook the orzo in boiling water. In the bottoms of 4 to 6 soup bowls, but a large spoonful of cooked orzo. Ladle over the orzo portions of soup containing some shrimp and some fish.
Just tweeted – this stew sounds delish!
Off to the beach for a week – Yay!
no sharks ^,no sharks^, no sharks^…