Fresh fish with chile verde sauce

Two steaks fresh fish, or thawed Mahi Mahi etc.
Its difficult to buy fresh fish in Belmont even though fishing is a major part of the economy in Half Moon Bay 12 miles over the hill. The problem is consumption and its related claw of distribution. Buyers at restaurants, grocery stores etc are locked out of "consumers want" like Alaskan Salmon, Chilean Sea Bass, Thai prawns etc if they buy local fish and don't take everything that the distributor has to offer. We can go to Half Moon Bay and buy off the boats but other buyers don't have the same option nearby- and this certainly needs definition.

Place in 5” oval pot. Salt and dust with hot new mexico chile.
Cook for 35 minutes uncovered in the winter position.
Top with thin layer of chile verde sauce and cook for 15 minutes more uncovered.
Top with chopped cilantro and serve with tortillas and beans. Beans are back at the market.

Chile verde sauce made earlier.
Twelve tomatillos. Calderon Markets has them right now. Peel and toss in pot.
Two cloves garlic peeled.
One small yellow onion peeled (optional)
One or two jalapenos or to taste.
Salt.
Cook in the 5” round pot for one hour.
Remove, add a fist full of cilantro, two table spoons olive oil and blend.
Bottle for later use, let cool, and refrigerate.

Beets and swiss chard

Its late February and the days are just beginning to lengthen. Rain brings clouds to try and shorted the day. Most mornings are sunny till about noon, then the clouds roll in and lock out the day. At the farmers market there are lots of winter greens. I use the solar sport oven in its winter upright position with a 6” wide oval roaster and 5” small pot.

One bunch swiss chard and one bunch beets with leaves. Raymond, from Calderon Farms, a organic table from Hollister, about 70 miles to the south, sells them for $2 each.

Rinse well. If you let them soak in cold water the gritty soil will come off. Scoop the water from the sink and use it on the plants.

Trim the stalks then cut the bigger ones off the leaf. Chop the leaves into half inch strips. Chop the stalks fine.

Peel the beets carefully with a potato peeler. Then cut into 1/4 inch strips.

Mix leaves stalks and beets in a roaster. Salt and mix. Place in the oven in the winter position with the reflector for one hour. Check to see if the top is steaming. If not go another fifteen minutes. If you use a thermometer make sure the oven gets over 230 for one hour. Use your kitchen timer because the reflector can warp the oven if left unattended.

The leaves will have wilted.

In a bowl mix two tablespoons olive oil, two tablespoons white wine vinegar, one crushed clove garlic optional, two teaspoons cumin plus two tablespoons hot New Mexico chili powder optional, one cup chopped cilantro or parsley optional. Add to roaster, mix, taste for salt and serve. Big Paw brings olive oil and vinegar from the north bay as far away as Calistoga about 100 miles from Belmont.