SABROSA Y SIN ESPINAS (Tasty without bones!)

Thursday just flew by and since it is now Friday I really can't tell you what happened.  It was grey and melancholy.  Many emails were written.  Many arrangements were made.  Many streets were traversed.  Some fine empanadas were bought nearby at the Taberna del Diablo, and consumed for lunch.  Reid got home from teaching at 10 p.m.  A tormenta (much better word for a storm) blew up, pounded the coast, shrieked in at the windows, felt apocalyptic.  What a good time for -




Crispy Fish La Pedrera

The family first tried this fish at a beach vacation 13 years ago in La Pedrera, Uruguay, in a shabby but picturesque old hotel with a cavernous and fairly empty dining room.  Later in our stay we made it regularly, with a fish called "brotola" - which according to this fish translation website, is called "Greater Forkbeard" in English. Probably you won't find that, but you can really use any fish you like.  Should be kind of thick - red snapper is a nice choice.

And here I wrote out the entire recipe for the fish, forgetting that it is already on this blog, namely on Tuesday, January 15, 2013.  Yet another exertion that dissolves into nothingness - sort of like cooking, actually. Thank goodness the zucchini isn't here, too - at least there will be something to offer.

Zucchini in Tomato Sauce Sao Paulo (yes, first made chez Andrews/Werner on the Avenida Paulista in 1984, although probably a standard in many places.)  The cool thing here are these little spherical zucchini called zapallitos - perfect for juggling.

• 3 medium zapallitos, or zucchini, cut in 1" cubes
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cp. tomato puree
• 3/4 cp. water
• 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
• handful of fresh basil, chopped.

This is very simple.  In a deepish saucepan, saute the onion in olive oil on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to color.  Add the garlic and chopped tomato and stir for another few minutes, until the tomato starts to break up.  Pour in the tomato puree, water and half of a chicken bouillon cube or packet and bring to a simmer.  Stir to dissolve the bouillon, and simmer uncovered until the zucchini is soft and much of the liquid has boiled away (but there should still be some left, so if there's danger of it disappearing, add a little water.)  Taste to see if it needs salt - if so add some and pepper too.  Then throw in the basil - done!

NOTE: on the use of bouillon cubes/packets.  Latin Americans use these like crazy, and I can see why.  They make things taste good!  At home one is more leery of processed food and corporate additives - and I agree with all that - so go ahead and substitute that specially hand-harvested sea salt.