The McGillicuttys Try Another Julia

When cooking a Major Julia organization is essential. The McGillicuttys visited for our first Tuesday meeting again last week and Mrs. McG was still dieting. But Julia rose to the occasion and dinner was an all-thumbs-up extravaganza. The menu was Chicken Soup, Broiled Fish Steaks with Lemon Butter Sauce, Cole Slaw, Wild Rice with Mirapoix, Pots of Berries for dessert and many bottles of wine to encourage the creative juices.

The broiled fish steaks began a couple of months ago in northern California when my friend Pam bought a number of tunafish from a fisherman while he was still on the boat. She began canning, hundreds of cans later she was despairing, and eventually dragged several bags of fillets over to my house with the warning that they needed to be cooked or frozen that day. Cooking was out of the question so into the freezer they went until a week ago when she called to warn me that the freezing time was running out too, and I had better get to cooking.

Julia advocates trimming everything but the most pristine looking parts of the fish, which in this case, since the tuna had been frozen for a couple of months, was quite a bit. Then rub it with olive oil, salt lightly, and put it in a casserole with 1/8 inch of French vermouth. Broil it 2" below the element for 2 minutes, slather on some butter, and continue broiling for a few more minutes, being careful to remove it from the heat when it is cooked through but still springy and juicy.

To make the Lemon Butter Sauce add the juice of 1/2 lemon to the casserole after removing the fish. Scrape up all the fish bits that are stuck to the casserole, transfer the whole lot to a saucepan and boil it down until it is syrupy. Then begin adding cold unsalted butter, a tablespoon at time, and whisking them into the broth. When 4 tablespoons are incorporated into the broth remove from the heat, taste and season if necessary, pour over the fish and serve.

I made the mirepoix by frying 2 pieces of bacon, removing the meat and sauteing 1/2 cup each finely diced carrots, onion and celery (as always only the tender inner stalks) in the rendered fat, then dicing the reserved bacon and adding that too. I firmly believe that everything but ice cream is improved by adding a few pieces of bacon. Julia's recipe doesn't call for it, but I recommend you add it anyway.

While you are making the mirepoix simmer 1.5 cups wild rice in 3 cups of water for 15minutes and drain. One half hour before you are ready to serve add 1/3 cup French vermouth and the blanched wild rice to the mirepoix. Let it boil for a minute and then add enough chicken stock to cover the rice by 1/4" and simmer covered for about 15 minutes. As always, taste your product and if it needs a little more liquid to soften it, salt to season it, or butter to make it more heavenly, then add them.

The Pots of Berries is my own invention and an easier and more delightful dish would be hard to imagine. You may use any combination of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries and they may be either fresh or frozen. Begin by gently simmering the berries, uncovered, until they are reduced by about a third. Then add 1.5 T sugar (or to taste) and 1 T tapioca and continue to simmer for another minute or so. I then pour the mixture into 1/2 cup ramekins and chill. When serving I usually pass a can of spray whipped cream and everyone tries to see who can get the most impressive mound on their 'pot'. Whipped cream is like bacon and butter, they almost always improve whatever you add them to.

The Bottom Line
Broiled Fish Steaks-Thumbs Up
Wild Rice with Mirepoix-Thumbs Up
Pots of Berries-Thumbs Up
Chicken Soup-Thumbs Up (see 11/6/9 posting)
Cole Slaw-Thumbs Up (see 11/9/9 posting)