Small is Beautiful

Well, Tenafly, I've got news for you: We're going to have to start substituting chicken for fish. (See "Betty Crocker's Unwritten Rules," http://cookwithlaynie.blogspot.com/2009/09/betty-crockers-unwritten-rules.html.)

This, according to a "Fresh Air" program I heard the other day.

In case you missed it, here's the short version: If you love "Charlie"*,
let him swim.

No fish?

"But I really, really like fish," you say.

Me, too. And according to "Aquacalypse Now," Daniel Pauly's article in The New Republic, fish are in deep trouble.

Here's the story:

http://www.tnr.com/article/environment-energy/aquacalypse-now

In the meantime, please keep in mind that science is always discovering things. A few years ago (and again this past week), someone discovered what women have known for years: Chocolate** is good for you. Now we learn that if we want to save the oceans, one of the best things we can do is . . .

. . . Eat herring.

Herring! So let's experiment with herring. I love cream sauce and wine sauce as much as you do (you being the people who have not left the room, muttering, "Herring. Noooooooo."). But we can do better than that. Look for herring recipes on the horizon.

Sardines are also fine. Add them to your pasta sauce.

Last, but not least, is the humble anchovy. Which takes us back to the Garrone family.

Ian Garrone is the man you see most often at the Far West Fungi store on Saturdays. He may seem quite serious, but spend two minutes with him and you will discover that he has the same warmth and warped sense of humor as the rest of the family. With his folks, he has expanded the definition of fungi to include marsh dwellers, such as the fabulous sea bean (which doesn't start in the marsh, but that's another story). The sea bean is a skinny, salty, crunchy item that is not a true bean and not originally from the sea but is positively addictive. It makes an appearance (and an equally quick disappearance, especially at potlucks) with its friend, the anchovy, here:

C-Carrot, Sea Bean Salad:

For the dressing:

3 parts mayonnaise
1 part dijon mustard
Smidgen anchovy paste
Pinch fresh or dried dill
Freshly-ground black pepper

For the salad:

Carrots
Sea beans

Blanch sea beans, or rinse well (lots of sodium here and in the anchovies). Chop into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Scrub carrots, rinse, and slice into half-coins. While the carrots are steaming, combine the dressing ingredients.

Add cooked carrots and sea beans to dressing and toss. Serve immediately.

*"Charlie" (not his real name) is a tuna to whom many of us were introduced by his relatives at StarKist (which doesn't sound like a real name, either, now that you mention it).

**Dark chocolate, to be specific. Milk, a bit less so. White chocolate did not enter the discussion, for obvious reasons.
©2009 Laynie Tzena.