Crocodiles, sharks, animal life - a Blue Shark dish that will have your tastebuds singing away for days
If you were to ask me what my favourite creature in wildlife is, I would always reply that it's either crocodiles or sharks. I am fascinated by both, by the cool, apparent calm of the pacient crocodile, and the sinuous beauty and speed of the shark. When I was pregnant I used to spend hours lost watching National Geographic shows about crocodiles or sharks. I would hunto those shows down. I especially loved the ones that told about the pre-historic versions of both creatures. I mean, those huge crocs, those gigantic sharks, what's not to love?
I think there's a lot of beauty to both creatures, they're so magnificent and regal, and they both come up when you least expect them, quick as a flash, taking you by surprise. Unexpected.They're fearsome and fearful, forces of nature, not to be taken lightly. But made of such beauty, such perfection in their lines and their every inch, I find them quite, quite fascinating. No lion, tiger, wolf or panther speaks to me in the same way sharks and crocs do. They're the ones that make my heart speed when watching nature shows.
I have never eaten crocodile, but I'm sure I would like to try some. In the days of yore there were people who believed that if they ate a certain animal - their hearts, more specifically - they would encapsulate within themselves that animal's characteristics. I won't go that far, but like snake, I would eventually like to try croc. Or frog legs even. Duck eggs, too. It's a question of gastronomic curiosity. Sue me for it - I have no money, so it's a mote thing! I never thought of eating shark, though, and was quite surprised when I realised I had been eating it for years!!
Tintureira is a fish I began buying a few years ago, for its quite affordable value, at first. When I had tried it and satisfied myself it was not gross, I became a huge fan of it. There's something quite lemony about it, it's fresh and firm fleshed, it's tasty and it has this hint of wild seas that simply drives me mad. See, I'm already salivating at the mere thought of it. But it was quite a surprise when I tried to find out more about this fish and came face to face with the fact that it is really a blue shark!
It's quite easily one of my favourite fish, and the way I like it the most is simply cooked in good olive oil, garlic, chilli and lemon. A hint of dill, a hint of chives and it's done. Perfection on a platter, if you add some shrimp to it, it enhances the sea in the fish, it brings it all together perfectly well. Pair it up with a round grained rice cooked in turmeric and sundried tomato and you have a dish fit for the gods! Well, the sea gods, at least, I guess!!
So here it is, my recipe for blue shark in lemon:
- 2 large pieces of blue shark
- 150 gr medium sized shrimp -either fresh of frozen, but shelled and clean
- one sweet onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 fresh or dried chilli
- fish sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, dill and chives, to taste
For the rice you'll need:
- 1/2 a cup of sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 cup round grained rice (I used paella rice, but carolino rice is fine)
- 2 cups water
- olive oil, salt, turmeric
Miranda,
ReplyDeleteEmbora não sejam os meus animais preferidos, respeito-os muito, cada um na sua categoria e acho-os super enigmáticos.
Nunca comi tubarão, mas já ouvi dizer maravilhas e por isso, só pelo aspecto deste teu prato, já provava acredita.
Um beijinho,
Lia
Pois, eu cá andei anos sem saber que comia tubarão, e é sem dúvida dos meus peixes preferidos, o sabor alimonado é qq coisa do outro mundo!!
DeleteE ursos? Eu é ursos... No National Geographic mm mais criança, eram horas a ve-los. Já comi tubarão e tb acho q ja comi croc!! Not sure, mas quase d certeza. Na verdade, p mim comer tubarão é o mm que comer um salmão pois sao ambos animais, mas tu estás fartinha d saber q faz 3 mil anos q não como animal algum, p isso vou-me calar lol
ReplyDeleteNunca tive grande cena com os ursos, durante a gravidez fartei-me de ver programas do Nat Geo e do Odissey, sobre a vida animal, ainda vi uns quantos sobre ursos e lobos, insectos, mas a grande obsessão eram mesmo os tubarões e os crocodilos, jacarés, aligators. E um bocadinho os dragões de Komodo também, são fascinantes. A minha gravidez foi muito marada porque n conseguia ver outros programas, só vida animal, how weird???
Deletepor incrível que pareça nunca comi tubarão, mas o parto está com um aspeto divinal! Já a National Geographic é um vício/ obsessão desde pequenita!!!
ReplyDeletequando era miúda gostava era dos programas do Vaitembóro!!! LOOOL, lembras-te disso?
Delete