Gutted: A fish story.

I gutted my first fish this week, a task I don't think I will be repeating again.

My boyfriend and I decided to try something new, since neither of us have had access to a stove for the past six months. Heading down to our local Fiesta we picked up a lovely whole Mackerel and headed home. Neither of us thought about asking the kind gentleman behind the counter to gut it for us.

Alas, home we went to a bloody mess. I have never had to know how to gut a fish before, thank heavens for YouTube. I watched a video, and got down to business. I think I actually did a really good job despite the fact that I had fish blood all over me and was about ready to faint. Thankfully my man swooped in to save me and cut the head off and cleaned it all up. After the blood was washed away, and Ben stopped playing with the fish head. We were ready to prep and cook this lovely Mackerel.

-B&Ks Divine Mackerel Recipe-

1. Slice the fish so it splays out like a butterfly.


2. Slice one lemon and put the slices into the fish cavity, along with lots of butter.



3. Add fresh rosemary, parsley, Oregano, and a little thyme.


4. Fold the fish back together and wrap with foil. (Form a totally sealed parcel)


5. Throw in the oven at 400 and cook until the fish flakes easily.




I hope that you guys enjoy this as much as we did. Pair it with rice and a lovely salad for a nice light meal.

Happy eating.

The Battle of the Chestnut Puree

Well I am currently on a cooking binge. After being in a dorm room with only a microwave I am a little eager to play around with 'real' food again.

I found this recipe for Chestnut Stuffing I wanted to make for Christmas, but alas its too late to try and order Chestnut Puree... so I borrowed a recipe online and tried to make it.

Th adventure started two days ago, when I began roasting chestnuts in the oven. A word to the wise, make sure that incision you make to let steam escape is large enough. Exploded chestnut pieces are not fun to try and dig out of the bottom of the oven.

Once roasted, I shelled the nuts, which was an adventure in itself. I am not patient or delicate enough for that task. Several cuts and an hour later, I finally had a bowl of shelled chestnuts ready for puree.

Well it was my first day off of work in forever, so I got lazy and hung out on the couch for a while. Then decided I better move on to the next step and simmer the chestnuts in the milk and water mixture the recipe called for. After about five minutes of simmering I realized that I didn't have enough time to puree it before having to head to work. So I plopped everything in the fridge and swore I would continue as soon as I got home.

I got back from work at midnight....chestnut puree didn't happen.

Alas today, I finally simmered the chestnuts and am currently letting them cool. Next I am supposed to throw them in a food processor and then freeze all the excess. (I kinda made a lot more than I wanted to)

Cross your fingers for me. This better work!