This is how I have to buy my vegetables at Publix. Already chosen for me, already wrapped in Styrofoam and plastic wrap. While I like to believe this is really where my meat comes from, it is not how I like to shop for veggies. I like to touch my veggies. I like to pick them up and examine them for defects or perfection (even if sometimes I have no idea really what I am looking for). But the Publix here in West Palm has decided they will choose our veggies for us. Well, not all of them. I can pick my own tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cucumbers; but when it comes to things you actually want to examine.... tough beans buddy (yeah, they're wrapped up, too).
Anyway, I am there to gather the ingredients for my next adventure in Marthaland——Herb-Crusted Snapper. Now, I had already had trouble with this recipe before I even entered the store. It calls for 1/2 cup of finely chopped assorted herbs. That's you ingredient Martha? ASSORTED HERBS. Helpful. Really. So that lead to last minute phone calls and emails to my two cooking gurus——Chris and Paige. Both said tarragon. Chris actually said tarragon, chives, Italian parsley. Paige said tarragon... then thyme and parsley. Since this is about trying new things, and I had never used tarragon before, I went with Chris and grabbed some tarragon and chives. Of course you have to buy the organic kind in the plastic bubble that costs three times as much as a loose bunch. Sigh.
Italian parsley... Italian parsley... Oh, here it is.... one limp, sad bunch of it. Again, wrapped in plastic and Styrofoam. Except this packet was already torn open. I snagged my weird neighbor (who also is a Publix employee and happened to be walking by) asking him, "Is this all there is??" He brought me the produce manager (NOT the fun little man that always sings as he restocks the lettuce), who went to "check in the back." Some other guy brought me out a tightly wrapped bunch of Italian parsley (he did specify what I wanted before he went to check) and I said, "Oh, I'll trade you this sad one." Which he promptly put right back on the shelf. Ah, Publix....
Right. Snapper. Off to the fish "area." I can't really call it a department. Snapper? Nope. No snapper. Well, three small, cloudy eyed whole snappers that the "fish guy" offered to fillet for me. OR, we have frozen fillets. My time in the produce department had already chapped my ass, so fine, I took his frozen fillets, and stalked off to get the rest of the random things I needed (yes, definitely wine).
Here are my sad little snapper fillets, defrosting in the sink. No skin side... Martha does mention a skin side...
And this is the voddy tonic I made to try and calm down from the whole Publix experience (I've been a little on edge lately). Made in a pint glass I stole from a sports bar in Myrtle Beach where Jan, Dick, my Aunt Kathy and I came in second in trivia.
So, obviously I by-passed Martha's idea of couscous, and chose zucchini squash as a side, which I chopped up and tossed it in my steamer with some dill and a quartered garlic clove in the flavor thing-a-ma-bob. This is my dill house. I got it at Boscov's. I used to have a whole set. Now I just have the dill.
The bonus of using fresh garlic in the flavor thing-a-ma-bob is that when all is steamed and done... you have chunks of soft, steamed yummy garlic!!
So I chopped all my zucchini and tossed it in the steamer, sprinkled with some more dill, to sit. I would turn it on when I put the fish in the oven. Then I tackled my ASSORTED HERBS.
I was pulling off tarragon leaves when a strange scent hit me...is that...licorice? Yes, Chris neglected to tell me that tarragon, which, again, I had never used, has the essence of black licorice. As an aside, there are a couple flavors I can't tolerate. Horseradish is the first one. Black licorice is the second one. BUT, this is about doing new things, and it wasn't like I was making fish with black jelly beans, so I pressed on. I coated my fish on one side with Dijon mustard and stuck it in my herb pile, to coat evenly, just like Martha says.
Then in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes, and POW! Herb-crusted Snapper. Now, there really isn't a "crust." And, again, like I said, tarragon/black licorice...still iffy. Plus, I do prefer a lighter fish——tilapia, flounder, halibut——BUT, this was good. The herbs and mustard gave it a nice flavor. I think I would like to try it on a lighter fish. One more down! Take that, Martha!!!
Now, lately, the shuffle option on my iPod has me convinced that Steve Jobs has a satellite somewhere that zones in to your brainwaves and makes your iPod play songs that you really don't want/need to hear. But tonight, it was OK. So here is the I Hate Publix, But Like Herb-Crusted Snapper playlist.
Jealousy Natalie Merchant (oh crap, damn you Steve Jobs!)
Summer of Love The B-52s (MUCH BETTER!!!!)
Hot Stuff Donna Summer (oh yeah, baby!)
This is Where it Ends Barenaked Ladies
Does Your Mother Know ABBA
Who Needs Sleep Barenaked Ladies (I think they take up the most iPod space)
Honky Tonk Woman The Rolling Stones
Homeward Bound Simon & Garfunkel
Pleasant Valley Sunday The Monkees (oh yeah)
Don't Let It Go Bryan Adams and Sarah McLaughlin (I honestly have no idea how this song ended up on my iPod, but it was so BAD, I had to fast forward it.)
All About Soul Billy Joel (love this song)
I Think I Love You The Partridge Family (If you are surprised I have this song on my iPod, then you don't know me as well as you thought you did.)
Mouth Bush (oooo..... Gavin........)
Witness Sarah McLaughlin
Never Gonna Get It En Vogue
Sandy John Travolta (again, come on. You know me...)
What if You Joshua Radin (ah, there you are Steve Jobs, you bastard.)
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