In Between

It is the middle of May and our search for summer on the island continues. Since my last visit here, Newfoundland has seen three glitter storms. It is not what we were supposed to wake up to, on Easter Sunday, but we did. The city was coated with ice – a clear glass-like coating on everything you see, as far as your eyes can go. It was not the ideal egg hunting on the lawn kind of an Easter Sunday but it was the most beautiful Easter Sunday morning I had ever seen.

The glitter storms kept up with their appearances, with one again last Monday. Last Monday, as I stood by the window overlooking the city of St. John’s,  glittering in diamonds, I wasn’t sure if I was taking in the beauty. It was beautiful, no doubt, but I, like many many others didn’t want to see it.

Yes, it is still cold outside here, comparatively, to some other parts of the Northern hemisphere. And yes, we are anxious for a change. We are as anxious as the trees that want to break out into young green fuzzy leaves. They say the next few days will see temperatures back in double digits. And a double digit in temperature is all we need – and of course, something good to eat, always.

If you haven’t ever tried ‘pesto di prezzemolo’ aka, parsley pesto with anchovies, it’s time you did. The quality of this pesto is far from subtle – it is briny, tangy and fresh. And if, by any chance you fancy the hot stuff, add a few fresh red chilies like I do- it makes the pesto very decisive, like the boss. Then throw in the pesto with just about anything. We love it on our tacos, our grilled steaks and especially with seafood.

Hot Anchovy Parsley Pesto

Ingredients:

• Parsley: 3 cups (washed leaves with less stem)
• Anchovy: 8 oil packed flat fillets
• Capers: 4 tbsp
• Red Chilli: 2 (for a hotter pesto add more)
• Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
• Olive Oil: 1/3 cup

Method:

• In a mini food processor add the anchovy along with a table spoon of the packing oil, and the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley.
• Give it a whiz and let the anchovies break down a bit. Then add the parsley and whiz until everything is well mixed.
• The consistency can be left very slightly chunky in nature if you prefer.

Grilled Seafood Tacos with Hot Anchovy Parsley Pesto

(serves 4, with 2 each)

Ingredients:

• Tilapia Fillets: 2 large thick fillets
• Squid: 2 large, cleaned.
• Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
• Salt: to taste
• Olive oiL: 3 tbsp
• Anchovy Parsley Pesto: 1 tbsp or more per serving
• Lime: 2 wedged
• Red Cabbage: 1/2 cup shredded
• Cucumber: 1/2 cup julienned
• Cherry Tomato: 1/2 cup sliced
• Tortilla: 8 medium sized
• Sour Cream: on the side (optional)

Method:

• Once the fish and squid has been cleaned and patted dry, add 1 tbsp lemon juice and salt to them and toss. Let this marinade for 1/2 hour.
• When ready to serve, dice the fish into small cubes and slice the squid only partially. Partially slicing squid before frying makes it easy and quicker to fry.
• Heat a grill pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the fish 1 and 1/2 minute per side. When fish is cooked, set it aside and cover with foil to keep ward.
• Grill the squid about 2 minutes per side.
• When done, take of heat and put them on a cutting board and run the knife to finish slicing.
• In a serving platter pace the fish and the squid and spoon over some of the anchovy pesto on top.
• Serve with veggies, lime wedges, warmed tortilla and sour cream.

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