Friday, May 08, 2009

Fish Friday

Corinthians 1:27 But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

Polly Protestant:
Hey, Katie, do you want to go out for dinner tonight? I'm feeling like I want a good, juicy steak! I'd love for you to come with me.

Katie Catholic: Um, sure, but can we go somewhere where they serve fish? It's Friday, and I can't eat meat on Fridays.

Polly Protestant: Why is it exactly that Catholics don't eat meat on Friday's anyway? What's up with that?

Katie Catholic: Um, I'm not really sure of the particulars - I just know that abstaining from meat on Friday's is something we are asked by the Church to do. (yes, I know the curernt regulations allow one to substitue a penance or prayer)

Would you be able to answer that question appropriately? From the dawn of Christianity, Friday has been signalized as an abstinence day, in order to do homage to the memory of Christ suffering and dying on that day of the week. The Baltimore Catechism teaches us that all flesh meat, including meat soup and gravies are forbidden on days of abstinence. Flesh meat is the meat of all warm-blooded land animals, including birds and fowls, so unless one is excused or dispensed, they are obliged to observe the abstinence days of the Church.

The Church, in her wisdom, commands Catholics to abstain from meat in order to control the desires of the flesh, to raise our minds more freely to God, and to make satisfaction for sin. We are to deny ourselves, not because meat is evil, but for the glory of God and the good of our souls. It is a good practice to meditate on the Passion of Christ when we are fasting or abstaining, so that we can best induce in ourselves a proper contrition for our sins. The Baltimore Catechism teaches that fast and abstinence are pleasing to God only when we also refrain from sin and engage in good works.


Here is an absolutely fantastic, easy to prepare recipe from Chatelaine Magazine that is now my favourite fish dinner. It is so good that I wonder if it really is penance to eat fish on Fridays. I am making it tonight because we have company over, but usually I try to make a really plain meal on Fridays.

Caramelized Salmon


Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 salmon steaks , at least 1 in. (2.5 cm) thick
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp (20 mL) maple syrup
  • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) water
  • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce
  • 3/4 tsp (4 mL) hot red-pepper flakes
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) cracked black pepper
  • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) fried shallots
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped cilantro
  • 1 green onion , thinly sliced
Directions:
  1. Pat salmon steaks dry with paper towels. Place fish on a plate or in a dish. Evenly sprinkle with 1½ tsp (7 mL) granulated sugar. Turn fish and sprinkle opposite side with another 1½ tsp (7 mL) sugar. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 30 min.
  2. When ready to cook, stir remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar with maple syrup and water in a large frying pan (not non-stick) set over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to bubble, stir in oil, fish sauce, pepper flakes and garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar-coated salmon. Sprinkle half of cracked black pepper over fish. Turn fish, then sprinkle with remaining black pepper. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, turning fish halfway through and stirring sauce often, until caramelized, 25 to 30 min.
  3. Remove salmon steaks to warm plates (or to a hotpot dish) and sprinkle with fried shallots, cilantro and green onion. Delicious served with jasmine rice.

6 comments:

Smiley said...

I usually anwser protestants like this especially when they are being rude.
I eat fish on fir day (repalce with make the sign of the cross, say rosary etc) because i am obedient to the one true church founded by Christ butil on St Peter. As the bible says it is not ever one who says Lord Lord who is saved but he who does the will of my Father.

This usually shuts up the prot quickly. I am getting tired of their questioning ways.

paramedicgirl said...

Smiley, I hope "Polly Protestant" in my post didn't come across as rude. I didn't intend it that way. It's just another apolegetics post so Catholics can understand their faith better.

Michele said...

iam going to have to try your recipe! your right, it is neurological. i have to go back to the doc and get that cat scan i asked for! why on earth they didn't give it to me is beyond me! they sent me to an eye specialist instead! duh! i've been having bad visions probs in right eye for sometime, but not usually in my good eye, my left eye. it really worries me:( especially considering the doc at foothills didn't order a cat scan. not happy about that.

paramedicgirl said...

Marilena, dinner was great! The recipe is fantastic!

About your vision - yes, you would first be sent to an opthamologist prior to getting a CT scan. Docs have to cover all the bases, and go through the proper steps. They can't just send everyone for a CT scan if the problem can be diagnosed with a simpler (and less costly) procedure. A CT scan runs about $1,800 and even though we don't pay for it ourselves, that is what it costs the health care system - read tax payer.

Therese said...

I have to try this sometime pmg. I love salmon but it is so expensive here.

Anita Moore said...

This is where being a Dominican comes in handy. Abstaining from meat is one of our disciplines. So since abstaining from meat is no longer mandatory for all Catholics all the time, I can just say: "Because I'm a Dominican!" :)