Barbara Bretton: Wish You Were Here

What's Cooking?

The Food Goddess is in the Kitchen! I am delighted beyond words to present my friend, my pal, Kali Amanda Browne (daughter of the beauteous and talented Marie) aka The Food Goddess. Enjoy!

Funky Gumbo

I was always mystified by people who told me they hated fish, until it occurred to me that they'd never had fresh fish because they had lived their entire lives landlocked - and here I differentiate between seafood and freshwater catch. Worse, their experience had been limited to frozen fish sticks or fast food versions of seafood (can you think of anything less appetizing than a greasy spoon's version of shrimp cocktail?).

This is why I extol technology and the ingenuity of educated foodies who have revolutionized the food industry from top to bottom. The frozen foods or refrigerated section of the supermarket is no longer a source of disdain or disgust. The reason is that techniques have been developed to flash-freeze foods without ridding them of their natural moisture. Frozen foods may be thawed and still retain their shape, texture, nutrients and taste.

In fact, some frozen seafood is actually fresher than the non-frozen choices at the market - because it was packaged within hours of the catch!

This is true of seafood, fruits and vegetables. No more mushy stuff that can't be identified on a plate! And you can actually have "fresh" seafood flash frozen and shipped immediately to your home. This was unprecedented a generation ago!

Of course, what I like the most about it is that it gives a larger group of people an opportunity to try new things that may not be widely available near them. I prefer uncooked varieties of foods, so that I may prepare them to my own taste.

I am also gratified to see that most of the packaging even includes recipes, from the simple to the sublime - from stir fry to gumbo.

Here is an idea that is half make-ahead and a quick sautŽ treat for a cold day.

Heat up some olive oil in a Dutch oven and quickly brown chopped bacon or chorizo. Lower the heat and add diced garlic, onions and peppers until the onions are translucent. Add diced tomato and some dried oregano. Add between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of medium grain rice (depending on how thick you want the resulting soup/stew). Stir to make sure the rice is coated in the oil. Stir in capers and tomato sauce and a dash of red wine vinegar.

Add water or stock, cook on moderate heat uncovered until it reaches a boil. Add a few threads of saffron or saz—n. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for half an hour. Add a little bit of salt if using water, none if using stock, and taste and adjust after done cooking. You can always add salt to taste but there is no saving too-salty soupy rice.

If you like a heftier stew, you can add garbazo, white or pigeon peas - you'll want to use a relatively mild bean that will not overpower the fish.

This will keep in the refrigerator for over a week. It tastes better after all the flavors have become familiar, so to speak, and reheat it when ready to serve.

Buy a frozen seafood combo - generally it has shrimp and lobster, mussels and other bite-sized pieces of fish. If you have people with allergies to shellfish, pick a combo that includes none. There are plenty of varieties and choices available! Thaw, drizzle with a couple capfuls of lemon juice, cracked black pepper and a dash of garlic powder; sautŽ for a few minutes per package instructions.

Add a portion to a soup bowl and ladle hot soup over it. You may add fresh chopped cilantro or parsley to garnish. You may also drizzle some olive oil or a dash of lemon to refresh the taste. You can also add a slice of avocado to the plate for a most sublime finish.

It makes for a funky kind of gumbo, quick but delicious. You can let people believe you slaved over a hot stove for hours.

You can email me at kali.templeofdoom@gmail.com.