In the next 62 weeks, invariably there will be recipes that we make that we are not very fond of. I am going to make this one, mine. I am not someone who loves fish though. I try to, because it is good for me and everyone else loves it, but my nose tells me that it isn’t happening. I look at the gray, scaled little thing and it doesn’t scream “Eat me!” at all. I have had every kind of fish, every way possible and still, nothing.
I seriously enjoyed the hunt though. It wasn’t easy to find fish with heads and tails in the corrupt food world that we live in. I called numerous local stores and none of them could accommodate me. I heard the same thing time and again, “There just isn’t any demand for them.” That tells me something, that people are getting lazy! Just like the chicken breasts that have lost bone and skin. Fish are now only acceptable completely stripped down and ready to go. Unfortunately, that means losing flavor and freshness! So, I began my search. I found a super friendly Fish guy at Whole Foods who was more than willing to help me out. He had my fish ready to go when I arrived, scaled them right in front of me and wished me the best. He is my new “go to guy” for seafood. So, after I drove 50 miles round trip and lost my debit card in the process….but happily retrieved it from the gas station where I lost it , I began cooking my little headed darlings.

They appeard so fresh and beautiful before I cooked them. They didn’t even smell have that fishy smell that I hate, which is a sign of a fresh fish. Their color was wonderful, eyes still bright not glazed over with the effect of days in a cooler. Yes, these were my perfect little fish. I hated to cook them with their innocent little eyes watching me as I prepared the flour to dredge them in.
The recipe itself was easy to follow. The marinade process took some time but that is what adds the flavor to the dish. The house smelled wonderful and I was really thinking I would finally love a fish dish! The orange peel added an extra nuance to the flavor and everything was going “swimmingly” (no pun intended).
I let my little fish marinade for about 3 hours and then moved them to the refrigerator fearing food poisoning if they rested at room temperature any longer. They remained in the fridge until lunch time the next day, as the recipe recommended.

I was really excited about my lunch. It looked pretty interesting once plated. One bite revealed differently to me though, “no, I still am not a fish person and definitely not a cold fish person.” So, once again I am more of a chicken or beef type of gal. I can definitely hang with the veggie crowd, but no-you won’t see me at the sushi bar anytime soon. I really do apologize to Marcella for this because I know it is a wonderful recipe, I could smell that and see that from the beginning. It is more my palate’s problem than the recipe’s, this I am sure! So it does have my recommendation for everyone else to try!