Dinner with Barefoot, Part 2: Mustard-Roasted Fish

July 28, 2009  { }  

If this is your first time joining me for Dinner with Barefoot, you might want to catch up here:

Part 1: Salmon & Lentils

This series is about becoming more than what we already are, about reaching, about looking honestly at ourselves and deciding where we can grow. It’s about admitting imperfections and releasing their hold on us, about being willing to simply say, “Yes, I can let you see who I am, in all my humanness. I may author this cooking blog but I don’t know everything. Let’s learn together.”

As such, I confess that I still need help with fish. And dinners that I’d be proud to serve at a dinner party. Here’s my latest adventure.

My husband was out of town last week for work. All he ever wants upon his return home is a good meal. When he found out I was making one of Barefoot’s recipes for his welcome home meal, he got a little pep in his step. He loves this series already.

Last week’s salmon was so good that I decided to make Barefoot’s Mustard-Roasted Fish. The ingredients are simply:

• fish
• crème fraiche
• dijon mustard
• stone-ground mustard
• shallots
• capers

I am not big on cream sauces. I think it’s an old, irrational idea I have from being overweight, that an occasional cream sauce will tip the scale. I decided to grow in more than one way – to let go of this silly idea I have around food and beef up my seafood culinary repertoire.

I went by my favorite place to buy fish, carefully considered my options, and decided on a beautiful halibut. Barefoot calls for a fish such as red snapper. I figured this was close enough.

The fish was ready to put in the oven in less than 10 minutes, baked for about 18 (it was thick), and we were eating right after I took pictures. This might bother some men but my husband likes to have every possible dish washed before he sits down to eat. It used to really upset me because he’d wash dishes while I worried about the food getting cold. Now, when I’m off taking pictures and hear the water running I just smile.

I must say that my photography skills fall way short when it comes to yellows and browns. (I’ve been studying food photography at Strobist. My pictures have improved but are still a work in progress…) This fish is delicious. The sauce is actually very light, the mustard flavors perfectly married with the slight saltiness of the capers. The elegance of this dish makes it perfect to serve to guests and simple enough to prepare on a busy weeknight.

Watching Joe devour every last bite, rub his sugar snap peas in the cream sauce, and then go back in the kitchen for seconds not only made all my previous fish disasters melt away but brought a new level of confidence.

What did I learn?

• Crème fraiche makes a much more elegant sauce than sour cream.
• Cream sauces are not scary. (This cream sauce actually brings joy!)
• There is so much more to eating fish than a good squeeze of lemon.
• Do not put two brown foods together on a plate. It just looks bad.
• I am no longer afraid to cook fish. In fact, I’m darn good at it.

I get an unexplainable feeling of connectedness as I spend hours alone in my kitchen, cooking Barefoot’s recipes, implementing her tips, learning from her. Sometimes it almost feels as if she’s standing right next to me, reminding me to look for inspiration, to think about how the food wants to taste.

It must be the legacy of a great teacher, one who feels so passionately about her subject matter that she makes a deep, indelible impression upon the psyche of those she touches.

Have you made a commitment to stretch yet, to look at where you’re just skating by? Maybe it has nothing to do with cooking – maybe it’s some other area of your life. I can guarantee you that looking at those places and then taking action will bring you more joy than you could ever imagine.

Enjoy!

Much Love,

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