Shrink in the Kitchen

I’m feeling blue: Not blue like bluefin or Regina Spektor’s, “Blue,” or the blue of Avatar or Joni Mitchell’s, “Blue,” or the blues.  Just blue: Raw, exposed, tired, and hungry.

Thank goodness for food.

Big discovery: I feel better when I eat.

Last night, using a thick filet from New Deal Market, I made “Hake, Salerno style,” adapted from a recipe in Dave Pasternack’s book based on the food he serves in his restaurant, Esca.  Esca is my favorite restaurant on the planet.

You preheat an oven to 450 degrees.  You take little Yukon potatoes and boil them for 10 minutes in salted water.  You put two garlic cloves, a handful of fresh basil, a handful of fresh parsley, and about a cup of fresh breadcrumbs in a Cuisinart.  You let the potatoes cool and slice them in half and make a layer in an ovenproof pot.  You put the hake on top of the potatoes.  You put two sliced garlic cloves and about an ounce of butter on top of the hake.  You put some of the mixture from the Cuisinart on the potatoes and fish.  You put a lid on the pot and put it in the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and eat.

I felt much better.

This week, however, it’s going to be lazy:

Monday: Chicken parmesan

Tuesday: Tuna Bolognese

Wednesday: Rendezvous.  This is a very good restaurant in Central Square where I am being taken to dinner by a dude with deep pockets: DDP.

Thursday: Turkey chili

Friday: Penne amatriciana.  Found some guanciale at Russo’s at Sunday.  Oh, yeah!

This is what the pasta on Friday will look like: