i got giddy, i still am giddy!
yes a seismic change has come to America, swept away by that big green helicopter :drive: .
i got goosebumps seeing the millions of people cheering at the National Mall and beyond.
i got frightened when Mr. and Mrs. Obama got out of the armoured Cadillac to walk some lengths of Pennsylvania Avenue. what a relief everytime they climbed back in! did you see how thick those car doors were?

all the jubilation sure cheered us up after a weekend where six inches of snow fell Sunday, then after it was all cleared away, another six inches fell overnight and everyone went, “what the ????”

after what seemed like non-stop shoveling, husband still was determined to make this Portuguese fish stew he stumbled upon, a recipe from the hunky Tyler Florence via foodnetwork.

fortifyingly delicious! just what we need for this wicked snowy winter.

the stew had chorizos, potatoes, little neck clams, fish fillets; it was our first time to try kale, which we liked immensely in this stew. husband followed the recipe faithfully except for using dried herbs instead of freshly snipped; he took note that next time he’ll add the fish at the last possible moment so it won’t disintegrate and disappear into the stew, and i pleaded with him, less salt please Mr. T! my heart, my heart!

Portuguese Fish Stew, a la Tyler Florence (from foodnetwork)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound linguica or chorizo sausage, sliced in chunks
5 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
1 handful fresh oregano, hand torn
2 bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced
3 quarts chicken broth
1 pound kale, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 dozen Littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/2 pound perch, cod, or bass fillets, skin and pin bones removed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

heat the oil in a heavy 4 to 6-quart pot over medium flame. add the onions, garlic, and sausage; cook, stirring with wooden spoon, until the sausage renders out some of its fat and the onions are soft. toss in the herbs and then the potatoes, stir that around for a minute to coat in the oil. pour in the chicken broth and bring up to a simmer. add the kale, season with salt and pepper. cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender.

uncover the pot and add the clams; simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until the clams open. add the fish and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the fish is cooked. garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil. ladle the stew into shallow bowls. serve with rustic garlic bread or other crusty type bread for dunking.