Tarek Fahmy: Cultural Critic

Fish is not only healthy for you, it is amazingly tasty. I always prefer whole fish as opposed to fish that has been pre-filleted or fish steaks becasue the flavor is stronger. When you cook the whole fish the bones, head, and skin’s juices give the fish a beautiful taste.

Tonight I opted for a whole Bronzini, which is Mediterranean Sea bass. I asked the fish monger to clean it, gut it, and leave the fish intact. For the novices out there, there are a couple of ways to make sure that the fish is fresh. The best way is to grab it in your hands and smell it. If you smell nothing then it’s fresh. If you smell fish or a fishy smell then it’s not fresh. Also look at the eyes and if they are foggy then it’s another sign that the fish has been dead for more then a day or two.

Cooking the Bronzini:
I am a purest in a sense and i love the taste of fresh food, especially fish. I opted to lemon and oil the Bronzini (Olive oil) then sea salt it and pepper it (fresh ground pepper). The key here is fresh ingredients, even the pepper should be freshly ground; makes a world of a difference.

I sliced an Idaho potato vertically with the skin on, oiled it (olive oil), salted it and finally peppered it as well. I placed the fish with the potatoes in the oven preheated at 475 degrees for 18-25 minutes.

While the fish is cooking I started to prepare the amazingly simple yet tasty sauce. It consists of cilantro (coriander), parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper. I cut the cilantro and parsley into very small pieces. Not exactly a paste, you want the herbs to retain a bit of consistency. Then I put some lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and a decent amount of olive oil.

The amount of each ingredient is subjective so start with little amounts and increase to taste. That’s always my motto. When the fish is cooked, take out and plate with the potatoes. Simply drizzle the sauce all over the fish and potatoes. Rustic bread is also key in this dish as that sauce is tailor made for dipping the bread into.

I am big on fish. Tonight I went to the local Chinese market and bought the freshest whole fish that the fish monger suggested. It’s called Croaker fish and it’s a cheap salt water bottom feeder.

As a side I planned to cook for the first time Taiwanese bean thread noodles with veggies. The following PICS narrate in detail this latest kitchen adventure.

Since June of 2009 I have made a concerted effort to change my lifestyle. I quit smoking cigarettes and started to change my diet. Simply put, I stopped eating processed food like Gyro, hot dogs, cold cuts (Sopressata, sausage) pizza, etc. I started to eat natural unprocessed lean proteins like fish (wide variety) and chicken, white meat only. I also increased my vegetable intake and made sure to eat veggies during breakfast (in my eggs), during lunch (on my tuna fish or turkey sandwich), and during dinner with a huge delicious salad.

I also cut egg yolks. For me it made sense since my cholesterol was high and I needed to cut my fat intake. The egg yolk is filled with goodness and also filled with fat and cholesterol. If you are in shape and your cholesterol is low go ahead and eat them. For me, eating one egg yolk with 3 whites for breakfast has done me wonders.

My meals also increased from 2-3 a a day to 4-6 small ones a day. It feals like I am always eating but never stuff my face sort of speak. The majority of my meals do not exceed 350-400 calories. My dinner is double that easily.

Finally, I am more physically active. I go to the gym consistently and play sports at every opportunity. I led a ‘processed’ life for 17+ years and had to make a change. I hope this could help you as well. I’ve shed close to 40 pounds and feel more energetic and more creative then ever.

Good luck and happy new year.