Cover Reveal, Snow, Big Fish

Having just done a cover reveal for Alex, I thought I would do one for my good friend, Australian Glenda Larke. This is a book which was originally published 14 years ago, but the publisher folded. I had the luck to have a copy given to me and had read it two or three times, it’s a good story. Then Glenda decided to publish it as an ebook through Smashwords. So naturally I got a copy of it for my Kindle. But now she has found an Australian publisher. Triconderoga, who are going to release it as a book again. I love Glenda’s work: she has three trilogies to her name and they are great reads but Havenstar is my favourite. I find her stories so very different from the usual run of spec fic books, of course, being a well travelled Australian she has a lot of different backgrounds to call on and her world building is excellent. As you can probably tell, I am a devoted fan.

We have snow, again. We are really getting a pasting this month, not sure how thick it is, there is no build up on our balcony wall which is usually a good indicator, but the road is white. Matt said something about 25 cm being forecast for later this week. That is a fairly hefty amount. I just hope its a day when we don’t have to go anywhere.

Couple of Québec ice fisherman pulled out what is being described as a monster cod. Matt was quick to point out that cod can be much bigger than that, but not when being caught through the ice. Apparently cod this big are rarely seen in that part of the Saguenay River. It was 1 metre long and weight 25 kilos. Looks like a pretty big fish to me. I assume they took it home although the only reference is the catch is perfectly legal apparently.

Having been dying over the weekend, of course I was, don’t be silly, anyway, I finally managed to catch up with some of the blogs I had missed. My apologies to everyone but I did feel pretty shitty. I still don’t know how Alex manages to visit so many people, write a blog, write books and go to a job as well. Way to go Ninja Captain.

This recipe made me think of Portuguese pork stews which I loved, its not quite the same, but…

Yucatán Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles and Lime Juice

Contributed byTia Harrison

SERVINGS:8

Butcher-chef Tia Harrison finds making stew a versatile way to use cuts like pork shoulder, shanks and belly. Here she cooks the stew with pleasantly bitter ancho chiles.

1. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
2. 4 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 2 large white onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5. 8 garlic cloves, smashed
6. 1 pound carrots, cut crosswise into 2-inch lengths
7. 3 ancho chiles, seeded and cut into very thin strips with scissors
8. 3 bay leaves
9. Pinch of ground cloves
10. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
11. 6 cups chicken stock
12. 6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
13. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
14. Steamed white rice and sliced jalapeños, for serving

1. In a very large enamelled cast-iron casserole, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Season the pork with salt and black pepper and add half of it to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the remaining pork.
2. Return all of the pork to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the onions, garlic, carrots, chiles, bay leaves, cloves, lime juice and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, nestling them into the liquid. Cover and cook over low heat until the pork is very tender and the carrots are cooked through, about 3 hours. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice and sliced jalapeños.

Make Ahead The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.

Suggested Pairing

This Mexican-influenced dish gets its earthiness from ancho chiles, a flavour that pairs well with Argentina's premier grape, Malbec. Originally from France, this dark-berried, spicy variety reaches its pinnacle in Mendoza, producing juicy, potent wines.

Have a great day