What do we call a politician out on the campaign trail who frequently changes his/her stance on important issues? A flip-flopper, of course.
More times than not, that’s usually what causes someone to lose an election. Voters might be undecided, but politicos need to draw a line in the sand and stick to their guns.
Without revealing which side of the aisle I was on for the 2012 U.S. presidential election, I think it’s pretty safe to say that flip-flopping dashed away any hope Mitt Romney might’ve had in changing his mailing address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
After spending millions of dollars and many months out on the campaign trail without bringing home the W (win, not No. 43), Mitt and his entourage probably felt almost as bad as the Corleone family did when they received that “anonymous” bulletproof vest-wrapped “gift” notifying them that the Godfather’s trusted and feared personal “emissary” Luca Brasi was now “sleeping with the fishes.”
And that, my fellow foodies, brings us full circle and begs the following two-part question: What type of flip-flopping fish was Mitt Romney imitating in his failed campaign bid; and, did Don Corleone’s henchmen bake, fry or grill the gill-bearing aquatic craniate that symbolized Brasi’s demise? Assuming it was FLOUNDER and it was FRIED, we’re in business.
Tucked away for months in my freezer compartment, with many more months still left before the expiration date, is a small box of fresh-frozen FLOUNDER filets, and it will serve as the “victim” in the following LAZY PERSON’s quick-n-easy recipe.
Flounder is a great “catch of the day” to work with, much like Fillet of Sole or Tilapia. Fished out of the northeastern part of the dark-blue Atlantic, these flat-white fillets fry up well, taste delish, and go together with a nice, crispy mound of shoestring-style French fried potatoes — a.k.a. chips as they are commonly known around the British Commonwealth and christened as such at Tommyfield Market of Oldham, England back in 1860.
Now, if you’ll cast aside your political persuasion for just a moment, let’s head into the galley and get this Maurio Puzo drama underway. I promise it will be a recipe that you cannot refuse.
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LAZY PERSON’S FLIP-FLOPPIN’ FLOUNDER ‘n’ CHIPS
Ingredients (per person)
150g Fresh or frozen Flounder fillets (3-4 pieces, thawed)
100g Frozen French Fried Potatoes/Chips
1 squeezed Lemon
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Virgin Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder (optional) to season
Enriched White Flour to coat fish
1 handful of fresh Parsley
Prep & Cooking Time: 20-min
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Step-1: Preheat oven to 200 °C
Step-2: Cover oven pan with parchment paper and spread out frozen French Fries/Chips
Step-3: Season Fries/Chips with Salt and optional Garlic Powder, place pan in oven at 200 °C , bake for 16 min. or until golden brown
Step-4: Rinse and pat dry thawed Flouder fillets, season with Salt & Pepper
Step-5: Lightly dust both sides in Enriched Flour
Step-6: In a large skillet add Virgin Olive Oil and Butter, raise heat to MEDIUM, stir well to merge
Step-7: Lay the Flounder fillets in the skillet, cook for 5-min until golden brown
Step-8: While fillets cook, cut and squeeze the Lemon
Step-9: At 5 min mark turn the Flounder fillets over, add the Lemon juice and continue frying for an additional 5 min
Step-10: While the fillets fry, chop the Parsley
Step-11: Remove Flounder fillets from heat and French Fries/Chips from oven
Step-12: Plate the Flounder fillets, sprinkle around the chopped Parsley, top with a mound of French Fries/Chips, garnish with lemon wedges and serve
BUON APPETITO!
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Recommended Wine Pairing: Vespaiolo Bianco Frizzante IGT – Cantina Beato Bartolomeo, Breganze (VI), Italy — Nestled in the rolling hills to the north of Vicenza is the wine growing town of Breganze, respected for its fertile land and its ever-popular native grape, Vespaiolo.
A relatively new, light sparkling white, Vespaiolo Bianco Frizzante IGT is a varietal wine made solely from its namesake grape. A fresh floral bouquet with hints of sweet forest berries, its acidity is quite agreeable from the first to last sip.
Perfect as an aperitivo, Vespaiolo Bianco Frizzante IGT marries well with a variety of fish-based dishes and other lighter fare. At 11% alcohol by volume, this dry sparkling white is best served chilled between 8-10 °C.
©The Palladian Traveler | ©Tom Palladio Images
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