You can depend on independence
Today is July 4th. In the USA, that means something. In other countries it’s just another day. Of course, most people don’t know what it really means. Like Memorial day and labor day, it’s just an excuse for having a barbecue and a long weekend. But, the actual purpose is to memorialize a risky event. In 1776, a bunch of wealthy settlers of the colonies in these united states put pen to paper to send a dear John letter to their soon to be former king and the parliament of England. But, as in most divorces, this wasn’t a single episode. The break with England spanned decades before it finally succeeded. The declaration of independence was merely a rhetorical message stating the obvious. And, even though they were cutting off ties to a well funded source of security, the founding fathers believed you can depend on independence.
The truth of the matter is that July 4 is actually an inaccurate date for us to celebrate. The committee drawing up the declaration started in June of 1776. Thomas Jefferson acted as stenographer, and wrote down the resolutions of the group. On July 4th, the final draft was signed by one man: John Hancock. By the time they were done, there were 56 signatories. The last delegate from New Hampshire didn’t sign until November 4, 1776. And, Britain didn’t even get a copy of the document. They received word that it existed on August 10, 1776. At that time, only Hancock and Charles Thompson signed what the Brits saw. The other signers were left anonymous to avoid sentencing for treason. So, really, on July 4, we celebrate the finishing of a homework assignment, not the actual handing in of the assignment.
Table of Contents
It’s crazy to think you can depend on independence
So, Can you depend on independence? When that declaration came out, the states were about a year into the actual war. April 19, 1775: the colonists and British army exchanged gunfire at the battle of Lexington and Concord, known as the shot heard ’round the world. And the fighting continued until 1783. But, it wasn’t a clear cut victory. And, despite calling themselves independent, the patriots needed help from outside. Several of the “founding fathers” had ties to France. They enlisted the help of the French government in their battle against the British. It started secretly. But, in 1778, the French declared they were officially with the rebels in this fight. It twas a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
The French and Indian war contributed to the rebellion in the first place. In 1754, Britain and France got into a dispute that would become the 7 years war in Europe. The first skirmishes happened here in the states where French Settlers from the Canadian area moved south with the help of several Indigenous tribes. The British controlled American Colonists fought back and started a counter offensive. In the end, the British monarchy ended up expelling the French settlers and indigenous tribes from the eastern provinces of what is now Canada. This gave Britain dominion over the Canadian provinces. Of course, between this incursion and the 7 years war at home, cost a lot for the British. So, they decided to try to recoup some of that cost by levying more taxes on the American colonists.
A spot of tea
This, led to the stamp act and extra taxes on tea in the colonies. As one may expect, this didn’t sit to well with people who did not enjoy the benefits of all the amenities of the British empire. The colonies were developing, but, were still vast areas of wilderness. It was not a very hospitable place outside the major cities. So, we ended up with the Boston tea party in protest. A group of drunken colonists disguised themselves as Indians (poorly). And, threw something like 134 chests of tea off a British ship into Boston harbor. You can see similar rowdiness from Boston Celtic Fans to this day. It was a culmination of frustration leading up too this. And, don’t forget the Boston Massacre a couple years prior.
The general mood throughout the colonies was a groundswell toward secession. There was a blatant lack of representation in parliament for the colonists. And, that spurred them to try their own form of government without a bloated regency. The colonists were a mix of hardened frontiersmen and educated elites who knew their terrain better than some pencil pusher an entire ocean away. Thus, the clamor for independence was inevitable.
Meanwhile tensions in France were growing over their bloated monarchy. And, they saw an opportunity to help give the Brits a black eye and reign in the empire by helping the colonists break free from its control. So, General Lafayette and George Washington sat down and had a spot of tea while discussing how they could defeat the lumbering giant known as the British Empire. Maybe not. But, they did help each other.
Independence depended on sustenance
We already know that the guys who did the Ta party thing were a little drunk. And, according to the Smithsonian, most of the founding fathers were fond of the drink as well. But, that doesn’t mean they were alcoholics. At the time, potable water was scarce. And, much of the water available caused disease like cholera, lock jaw, and the aptly named “black vomit”. Alcohol was sterilized by the brewing process. So, it was safer to drink. That means, guess what we are giving recipes for today. That’s right: vegetables. Oh, and maybe some seafood too.
These recipes may not evoke the barbecues usually associated with the fourth. But, remember, the fourth was only the dress rehearsal. We could celebrate August 10 instead. Or, how about November 4th when the last of the colonies signed on. So, eat your seafood and have a couple drams of booze. We’re getting divorced and not in an MTG national divorce way.
Corn Crusted Sea Bass with White Wine Spring Pea Puree and Sauteed fiddleheads
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 Lbs Sea Bass (Striped bass or chilean. Other substitutions re fine, too.)
- 1 cup corn meal
- salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil to cook
- For peas:
- 1 cup sweet green peas (preferably fresh)
- 1/2 cup Sweet onion (Diced)
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Fresh green Parsley
- garnish:
- 1 cup Fresh fiddleheads
Instructions
- Clean the fiddleheads. Soak in water, change the water a couple times to remove all dirt.
- Make Pea Puree: Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add in onion and ginger. Cook until translucent. Then add in the wine. Reduce by half. Add in peas. Cook until soft, and most of the liquid is gone. Do not overcook. Season withlemon juice, salt, and pepper. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The consistency should be spreadable, not too thin. Adjust seasoning if need be.
- Mix Salt and pepper in corn meal. Cut fish into portions. Since we are doing a buffet with other items I would go with a 3 to 4 ounce portion. If this is for a main course you could do 6 or 8 ounces.
- Heat olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal and place in the pan, I usually start with the top side of the fish, then flip. Cook about 2 minutes per side to get a nice caramel color. Turn down the heat to medium, and, finish cooking. How long it takes to cook through depends on the thickness of the cut of fish. Generally, it should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Saute the fiddleheads in olive oil over medium heat. You just want to bring out the color and cook to al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the fish with pea puree either as a base or drizzled on top. garnish with fiddleheads. You can also garnish with corn if you have it.
Notes
Herb Seared Monkfish with White Wine, Leek, and Bacon Beurre Blanc accompanied by Cauliflower and Golden Potato Puree, and Lemon Scented Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 Lb Monkfish Filet
- 1 cup Chopped fresh herbs, Parsley, dill, chive, Basil, Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1/4 cup Jullienne fresh leeks
- 1 Cup White Wine
- 1/4 cup diced raw bacon Use Slab bacon if available or thick cut
- 1/4 cup Chicken Broth or fish stock
- 1/4 Lb Sweet Unsalted butter cut into slices
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 whole lemon, Just the juice
- For the Cauliflower Potato Puree
- 4 Cups Raw cauliflower cut into smaller florets so the moisture can cook out.
- 2 Cups Raw peeled potato, preferably golden
- 4 Tbsp Sweet unsalted butter
- Sea salt and Ground white pepper to taste, plus oil to coat cauliflower
- For Brussel Sprouts
- 1 Lb Brussel Spouts, trim bottoms and split in 1/2
- Oil to saute
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 cup Lemon juice
- A little water if needed
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish the plate with lemons and herbs
Instructions
- Trim the tough skin and membrane from the monkfish and cut into 4 equal portions. If you can get your fishmonger to do this for you, even better.
- Combine, the garlic, herbs, and a little salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss the fish in the herb mixture to coat evenly.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Put in a good amount of olive oil. Place the fish in the pan when hot. Sear one side until lightly browned, then turn over and sear the other for about a minute.
- Transfer the fish to a flat pan sprayed with pan spray, place in 350 degree oven to finish, about 10 minutes. You can check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should be 145 to 155 degrees.
- Start the sauce before putting the fish in the oven and make it while the fish is roasting. You can use the same pan as the fish if there aren't too many stray herbs that will burn in the pan. Or you can wipe it out and start fresh.
- Heat a saute pan and add in the bacon pieces, render until it becomes brown and the fat is liquid. Drain off some of the fat if it looks like too much. Add in the leeks and stir occasionally. Cook until they become translucent. Then add the wine and cook it down by 1/2 volume. Add in the stock and reduce that by 1/2. Before you serve, whisk in the butter a little at a time so it blends in, but doesn't separate. It will create a creamy sauce. You don't want it to melt and separate.
- Continue whisking and add in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Make the sauce as close to service as possible. If you try to reheat it could "break" and separate into liquid and melted butter. This is why the butter is added last (with the seasoning and lemon juice).
- For the Puree: Boil potatoes in lightly salted water.
- When they are fully boiled, soft to the touch, but not falling apart, strain them.
- Toss the cauliflower in a little oil, salt, and pepper and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. They should be soft to the touch.
- Put the cauliflower into a food processor while still hot. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add in the potatoes and follow the same procedure. Be careful how long you puree for. The potatoes can become gummy.
- With the machine running, add in the butter, continue pureeing. Add in salt and pepper to finish and transfer to a bowl (or pan if it needs to be reheated) and test to make sure the seasoning is good and it's not too thin.
- For the brussel sprouts, heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add in the brussels and allow them to get some color on one side, Then toss or stir to get color on both sides. Stir often to keep from over cooking. They should still be firm. Add sugar and stir. Allow the sugar to melt. Then add the lemon juice and cook down. If the brussels are still undercooked you may add a little water. The liquid should be mostly gone except for a light glaze. Add salt and pepper. Stir that in.
- To Plate: Spoon the Cauliflower puree unto the plate and drag it a bit to make a trough to put the fish on. Alternatively, you could mound the puree to give the dish height. Place the fish atop the puree. Arrange the Brussels around the puree. Spoon the sauce over the fish and then garnish with lemons and herbs or microgreens. Enjoy with a lighter ale, like Harp or Smithwicks or a nice white wine.