Cooking Creations: Italian Waxman's Way, My Way

 As mentioned in my last post, I had the amazing opportunity to attend an evening with Jonathan Waxman at the Cornell Club.  I got to meet Chef Waxman, hear about the inspiration behind his new book Italian My Way, and taste the food.  All guests went home with a copy of the book that he came around and personally signed.  He also signed my beloved chef's jacket (which is accumulating quite an impressive list of names!)  Because I'm a culinary dork who cannot contain her enthusiasm, I cracked into the book as soon as I got home from the event and picked out some recipes.  Last night (Wednesday) I sprung into action.  I chose 3 recipes: turnip and radish salad with garlic dressing, cherry tomatoes with basil, and pompano in a bag.

Pompano is a type of fish more common in Florida; Waxman himself encountered it while in the Florida Keys.  I do not want to publish the recipe itself in the hopes that you will purchase the book, but I will describe the overall premise.  Waxan takes a whole pompano, stuffs it with tarragon branches and lemon, and places it in a paper bag.  He then folds up the bag, places it on a baking sheet, and bakes it in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Once time is up, you take out the bag, cut it open, and ta-da... a cooked fish awaits!  I chose the pompano in a bag with my injury in mind.  I figured fish to bag to oven was a good strategy for a one-legged chef :).

Since I live in Connecticut, pompano was not readily available.  I did google possible substitutions, though.  Websites generally agreed that yellowfin, grouper, or snapper were viable alternatives.  Whole Foods had some beautiful red snapper filets (with crystal clear eyes- always check the eyes!) so I bought 2 of those.  The two whole fish together came to about 2 2/3 pounds.  The men cleaned and gutted it for me.  I was practically falling over the counter trying to watch though.  I am on a constant quest to learn about food preparation, and I love watching people break down fish, chicken, and meat.  One time at Whole Foods, a HUGE mahi-mahi had been delivered to the store.  The fish department was so excited that they had a "seafood circus" where they cleaned, gutted, and cut the fish in the middle of the store.  I was riveted; they talked me through what they were doing and even let me make a cut.  Meanwhile, housewives, small children, and my own mother fled in horror.  This time was no different.  "Is it weird and gross that I think this is super-cool?" I asked the guy as he gutted my fish.  "Probably," he said.  "But I think it's super-cool too."

I was pretty convinced that the paper bag was going to go up in flames... not because I don't trust Chef Waxman, but because I totally don't trust my oven.  We have lived in our condo for 24 years and that oven has not been replaced or redone.  It goes through phases; sometimes it's great, but other times parts of it inexplicably get warm, smoke comes out of weird places, or burners malafunction.  I started smelling charred paper, so I opened my oven and kept an eye on the bag while it cooked for the first few minutes.  I ultimately closed it again and the oven cooperated.  I kept the fish in about 25 minutes though to make up for the heat that escaped at the beginning.  It may have been a touch too long, but the fish was good overall. 

The cooked fish in the bag and out of the oven

I enjoyed the subtle notes of tarragon.  I usually use rosemary or thyme on my fish, but I liked the sweet herbal taste the tarragon imparted.  Despite my rapt attention at Whole Foods, I wasn't really sure how to filet my fully cooked fish.  That turned out not to be a problem though.  In the spirit of simple, rustic cooking, Jonathan Waxman says to "spoon the filet" off the fish and onto a plate.  So that's what I did!

The tomatoes were simple, but a wonderful compliment.  I used tomatoes on the vine rather than cherry tomatoes because the selection at the store was especially beautiful.  I followed the same recipe, but with tomato wedges rather than the tiny cherry tomatoes.

Tomatoes with basil

The fish spooned out onto the plate

The best part of the night, though, was getting to cook in my chef's jacket!  Maybe if I wear it often enough, I can get a mere iota of their genius via osmosis :P.

The newest addition to my jacket

So that is Italian Jonathan Waxman's way, my way.  I definitly recommend getting the book.  Whatever you do though, remember to "keep it simple."