Porgy with Sorrel

Last Friday I went to the Union Square Greenmarket and bought ingredients to make myself a healthy and delicious lunch for a total of $6.45. Crazy, right? Can you believe that the fish cost me $1.00?

Many people often tell me they do not feel comfortable buying meat, poultry, or fish for just one person. It is hard sometimes at supermarkets, where everything is pre-packaged for a family of 4. But at the farmers market you have much more freedom at buying your fish and meat in appropriate quantities for your living situation. When buying fish, I usually look at the prices and try and find the most eco-friendly within my budget. I found porgy from Porta Vida, which is $4.50 or so a pound. I bought one filet, and it came out to $1.00! I can believe it, because I have bought fish there before, but I want you all to realize this. Shopping at the Greenmarket for quality ingredients does not have to be as expensive as you might think it is.

So how did I prepare the fish? I made a paste of sorrel, scallions, garlic, a wee bit of parsley, and shallot in my mini blender, moistened with a lug or so of olive oil. I lay a piece of wax paper on my baking sheet, spread some of the paste over the paper, placed the fish on top, and then spread it all over the fish, completely covering it. I baked it at 375ºF for 15 minutes and it came out perfectly. Meanwhile, I boiled 1 pink Adirondack potato, 1 mutsu apple, and 1 parsnip that had been roughly chopped in pot of water. I seasoned with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. When they were cooked through, I drained them of their cooking liquid, returned them to the pot, and fork mashed them. To tell you the truth, I was not so fond of my side dish and thought the mixture was too sweet for the fish. You can spare yourself the work and just roast some potatoes as an accompaniment.

Ingredients:
1 filet porgy
2 cups loose French sorrel
2 scallions
1 T shallot, minced
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons parsley
Lug of olive oil

Make a paste by blending the sorrel with the scallions, minced shallot, garlic clove, parsley, and olive oil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or wax paper. Place a dollop of the paste underneath the fish, then use it to cover with the filet entirely. Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with roasted potatoes.