No, it’s not a sign of disgust. Quite the opposite: it’s something, if done right, that will make you swear you’re going to be a better person if you can have just a little bit more. What is needed? A lot of fish indeed.
It’s a fish stew, as savoury when it’s hot as when it’s just lukewarm, ideal for a spring day.
1 kg firm-fleshed white fish
4 green lemons or limes
4 pieces of garlic
1 leaf of Jamaican pepper or laurel
1 attilian pepper
2 onions
3 chives
1 bunch of herbs
butter, parsley, salt and pepper
the secret in preparing this dish is precision in adding the fish one after another, so that the little ones don’t get mushy and the big ones cook appropriately and don’t stay raw.
You can use sea bream, redfish, mullet, mackerel, even sardines, anchovies or the one we call bianchetto. If the fishes are big ones, cut them into chunks, open’em, clean ’em and brush with a half-lemon; marinate all the fish together for a couple hours in the juice of the remaining lemons, adding the chives, minced onions, three pieces of garlic, the crushed attilian pepper, the laurel/jamaican pepper, and salt and pepper.
Now for the broth.
1,5 liters of water with a finely chopped onion, chives, herbs and a little more salt, pepper and attilian pepper, and bring to boil.
Drain the fish and add them to the broth, one after another.
When the fishes are well cooked, put them on a plate, saving the broth, to which you are to add creamed garlic and warm butter: also, minced parsley and lemon juice. Drown the fish in this savoury cream and serve with boiled rice.
Happy eatin’, ye scurvy lot.
Oreste