New Sauce

Last night I broiled the two fillets from a bluefish, skin on and on the bottom, with just a slick of olive oil on both sides. They took a mere six minutes. Together they weighed about two pounds. I had gotten the head and bones from the fish store and made a light stock by covering them with water, bringing them to a boil and then simmering for about an hour. In the meantime, I cut a red onion in quarters and thinly sliced it and sauteed it slowly in 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the addition of two teaspoons of anise seeds and five crushed cardamom pods as well as five sprigs of thyme. I added two cups of the fish broth to the onions and simmered this for about an hour and then I forced it through a fine seive to get out as much juice as possible. Just before serving, I added the juice of two blood oranges and that of two pomegranates also juiced on the electric juicer. I heated, added a half cup of very small Nice olives and salted and peppered. It was very good and made an ample quantity of sauce for four people with the fish and over rice. The sweetness, acidity and the slight mystery of the herbs and spices was a good counterpoint to the fish and it was a beautiful color.

Of course, it was laden with health. The fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and if you search the internet for pomegranates, you'll find their excellent health profile. the oranges, of course had vitamin C.

Sometimes experiments work out well. I will try to do a more exact recipe for the sauce and put it on Recipe of the Week. Made with chicken stock it would do well with chicken poached, steamed or microwaved.