Shark

I don't really like shark since it tastes like shark, but a dare is a dare. We hit all the usual spots: Trader Joe's, The Whole Foods Market, The Essex Street Market, and of course various sidewalk mongers in Chinatown with their aquariums of live shark. After an afternoon of wielding our lasers I finally had enough nicely-charred meat to make a good stew. Shark is notoriously tough, only lasers will adequately zap the stuff enough to even think of eating it. Several times I thought Chams was going to beat me to the kill but I'm faster and had more incentive: a bottle of Carmenere from Chile I've been saving for just such an occasion (rich, peppery and meaty!) Besides, I've been using fish lasers for over 10 years now.* He was really dragging low when he wandered off and left it. I imagine he headed to the veggie market for dinner to feed his kids tonight. Hah!

After combing the Web for recipe inspiration, I combined celery and onions, threw them in a sauce pan with some olive oil, stirring over medium-high heat until the veggies softened and started sticking to the pan, then added tomatoes with a handful of coarsely chopped cilantro, bringing it all to a full boil over high heat while pushing pieces of shark down into the veggies, finally turning down to a simmer on low heat until the shark turned opaque but still moist in the center. The charred bits flaked off nicely at this point, giving the whole stew that savory "just lasered" flavor.

I served the stew ladled into bowls over plain white rice, more freshly chopped cilantro, table spoon of yogurt for each bowl, juice from lime wedges, salt and lots of freshly ground five-pepper variety. I like pepper. The cilantro, yogurt and lime really did the trick, hardly tasted like shark. .

As usual, Cat turned up her nose at the fishy offering though she gave it one lick; I could see she really wanted some - just didn't want to spoil her record.

The supermarket is out of jello chocolate pudding, dammit; jello chocolate vanilla swirls pudding simply doesn't hack it.

*Into The Deep

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