Fish on Saturdays - Anchova

One of the main colateral effects of this boatbuilding project is the steep increase of fish consumption. After the weekly visit at the building shed, I head to the Itaipú Beach, where I take a swim among the turtles, and go buy some fish with one of the local fishermen.

Turtles? Yes,... some 15 sea turtles live in front of the beach, and are regular company when I go take a dip. It's nice and somehow conforting to see their heads pop out of the smal surf close to the sandy beach.

But my prefered company on the way home is some fresh fish, for the late afternoon or dinner feast. On this occasion the fish is the main figure. Today I've bought 3 "Anchovas" and some Tuna filets. Each one of the Anchovas weights around 1,5 kg, and therefore one makes two hungry eaters happy.

My preferred form of preparing:

0. Heat the oven.

1. I slice a couple of potatoes, and two tomatoes. I usually give them potatoes some cooking first, and therefore cook them in salt water with folha de louro, garlik, onion and tomato - for some taste. I also cut the head of the fish off, and put it to the soup. Other vegetables can be used also.

2. Prepare a souce of smashed garlik, olive oil, salt, lemon, coentro and salsinha, and cream in and all around the fish

3. At this point the potatoe is just good. I take it out of the soup and put it all on an terracota form (panela de barro). The fish on top. Putting lots of the potaote cooking soup into the form, makes the whole thing tasty and moisty. The head is now ready for snacking. Afterall, one needs to test, wheather the fish is good enough to go to the table. Like a newly opened bottle of wine.

4. Now, the form with fish and vegetables must be closely covered with aluminum foil.

5. The fish generally stays for 30-40 minutes in the oven.