Friday 15 August 2014
6:57 PM
The Isle of Rousay, Scotland, UK
It’s almost
7:00 now and so I should start thinking about dinner. As it would happen, there are two brown trout
in the fridge. Sean, my hostel-mate from last night, caught them for me in
Peerie Loch. Trouble is, I only kind of know what to do with them… I remember
dad fileting the fish when Tom and I were little. I know we watched him do it
loads of times, but I’ve never actually done it and it’s been years since I’ve
seen it done…
The Kitchen in the Rousay Hostel was actually quite nice for a hostel.
Right, so what do I need? Cutting board, plastic bag, knife... well that's not very sharp... brilliant. I pull out the bag with the fish and remove the first one. Umm, I think I'm supposed to chop off the head.
This proves more difficult than I had anticipated... Now I have to figure out the best way to get rid of the organs. I was given a B in high school biology; I've got this.
I've just sliced through something I shouldn't when a couple walks in. They're from Switzerland, the French speaking part. I say I would shake their hand, but I'm covered in fish. I admit I have no idea what I'm doing, and they assure me that I seem to be doing the right thing.
I start trying to work out what to do about the ribs and the spine while they start cooking their dinner. It's a struggle, and I manage to ruin the first of the two fillets but this is marginally a success.
I begin working on the second fish, and I seem to be getting the hang of this because it goes much faster. I still manage to destroy the first of the two fillets but it's at least recognizable. Now all I have to do is skin them... (or maybe de-scale them would be more accurate)...
The Swiss couple has just sat down for dinner when I begin work on the first and most damaged of my fillets. It doesn't go well. By the second fillet, the couple is wrapping up dinner and is talking about tea and board games.
Fillet two is good, fillet three is not, and by fillet four I "know what I'm doing" to the point where it actually resembles something real people would eat.
I've just begun to prep the veg when the couple says they're going to bed. They tell me they hope I have the best meal ever, and that I've earned it... Covered in fish bits and staring at un-peppered potatoes I couldn't agree more.
The veg goes smoothly. Chopped potatoes in the microwave with butter and salt, Minnesota style. Sautéed red bell peppers and green beans with a hint of garlic, pepper, and teriyaki. When the potatoes are out of the microwave, I begin to fry them. Now it's time for the fish. Maybe this isn't a good time to mention that I don't even really like fish...
However there is nothing an obscene amount of butter can't fix.
By the time I sit down at the table, it's just past 10:00. I can't remember the last time I spent three hours cooking a meal, and it was the best meal I've made in years.
