Seabream for Supper

So, today I was feeling extravagant in a 'January student loan procrastinatey going to spend lots of money because I'd rather do that than study for exams' sort of way. So, ooooh, I bought some fish. Not that exciting for most but I've refused to buy it in Siena for the best part of oh god I don't know ( because I've spent most most of my time here enjoying myself with wine and mojitos not keeping track of time) lets just say many, months. I understand why it's expensive; it's hard to catch (slippery buggers), not exactly going through a boom period reproductively thanks to us and its come to Siena a long way from the sea. Also those that aren't students that live in Siena are pretty well endowed in the moneybags department so they can afford it; this is the logic of the traders I presume.

So when it comes down to it, I think 'mmmmm fish? Or mmmmm too many martinis? Or even mmmmmmmmmhmmmmmmmmm Italian leather?' And I'm sorry to say that the fish has rarely won.

But this time however, I'm feeling a little bit outrageous so fish it is, and alcohol it is also, to go with the fish. How perfect. So I turn to a certain book that I have and turn to the chapter fish, where I find.....a recipe for the fish that I have bought  with an ingredients list that I ALREADY have to hand!!!

And so I braaaaved our igloo of a stairwell to fetch some lemon-thyme that I am proud to say has survived unlike that pansy of an orchid I tried to sustain. I gutted and scaled the Sea bream with the help of my admirably un-squeamish friend Senem who is a darn sight handier with a knife and a scaly thing than me. I tried to balance one glass olive oil bottle on top of the other to eek out the last remnants but failed and subsequently smashed a nearby empty wine bottle everywah. I cowered as I flung the thyme in to the sizzling pan of seasoned garlic and it veritably exploded. And then to top it all off, I hung my nose over the pan for the rest of the cooking and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. Che odore di vino!! Surprisingly,  none of it was done under the influence of aforementioned Vernacccia di San Gimignano, however this blog was...

And so here it is, the finished thing, bit of salad too. Fabulous, and despite my pretensions of Bear Grylls style heroism it was easy as pie. All hail Katie Caldesi's REALLY GOOD recipes (that I actually followed to the letter this time) and the brilliance of Mr and Mrs Ockenden in giving me her book which also has sections in each chapter telling you how to do things such as kill lobsters, make tortellini, truss quails and joint a rabbit. This is perfect for me - if there is one thing I hate in a cookbook however mouthwatering it's recipes are, it's the poncy assumption that you were born with the knowledge of how to prepare an octopus.

#'The Italian Cookery Course' by Katie Caldesi