The Whole Fish

All this talk about bouncy  butts got me motivated to tighten mine.  Forget the bra.  When I was in college, I gained an unsightly 30 pounds in the first semester.  One of my classmates, a high school track star, made me her project.  She would run me around the track, shouting, "Jiggle it right off!" She's right.  I got my arse on the strand for an hour and alternated jiggling and walking.  I figured anything over 20 minutes is "gravy."  At 20 minutes, a great song came on my ipod (and the endorphins must have kicked in, because I started having fantasies about singing and ice skating), so I thought I'd run 10 minutes longer.  Then I hit a long down-hill stretch, which kept me going for another 15 minutes past my home.  Now I feel like a MILLION bucks!!!  

What I love about whole fish is that it's small and swims not that deep, so it doesn't accumulate mercury like the huge low-swimming varieties.  Also, I can look in its eyes and examine its gills to make sure it's fresh.  Then the fish monger does his magic, and all I have to do is season it, stuff it and cook it.  Salt-crusting is my favorite way to cook whole fish, because it's the best way to keep the moisture in the flesh (as opposed to let it evaporate and perfume the house).  However tonight is super-

Tuesday-two.  Not only we have popcorn and election returns on the schedule, but I work tomorrow.  No fussing with egg whites and messing up the stand mixer.  We're opening all the windows and turning on the kitchen grill.

1 whole Branzino, Thai snapper or other 1-pound fish (2 if you're including kids)

Juice of half lemon

1/4 bunch parsley

1 clove garlic, sliced

salt, pepper

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

While the grill is heating to medium, rub the lemon all over the fish and squeeze it inside the belly. Sprinkle the fish all over with salt and pepper, and then stuff the garlic slices, parsley and what's left of the lemon-half (you may need to cut it up a bit).  Allow the fish to sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors, and then grill on medium heat for about 15 minutes on each side.  Since "medium" is open to interpretation by each individual grill, please keep an eye on the fish so as not to overcook and dry it out.  

Meanwhile, you may steam some broccoli spears or baby squash, or cut-up zucchini or whatever steamable green you may have in your fridge.  

Toss some romaine lettuce (on the list of veggies in the fat flush book) together with parsley (you'll have some left over from stuffing the fish) and green onions or regular onions or shallot and dress it with flax seed oil and lemon juice.