Hail To the Chef
Magickal Recipes of Ron Miller
reprinted from the Compost NewsLetter
[These recipes appeared in the Compost NewsLetter during 1990-92, while Ron was the executive chef of the Ristorante Donatello in San Francisco. All Magickal interpretations and comments are by Valerie Walker.]
Rombo al forno con patate al rosmarino
Halibut filet encrusted with potatoes and rosemary
2 1/2 pounds halibut filet
2 medium russet potatoes
2 sprigs rosemary
red wine
12 oz. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Trim the halibut filet and cut into 6 oz. portions. Using a mandoline or electric slicer, slice the potatoes into translucently thin slices. Wash the potato slices twice and keep in water until ready to use. Coarsely chop the rosemary.
Lightly coat the bottom of an ovenproof baking dish with olive oil.Season the halibut filets and place them in the dish, being careful not to crowd the filets. Cover each portion of halibut with potato slices, slightly overlapping each slice. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the potato slices. Pour the wine into the baking dish and place in the upper third of the oven for 12 -15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. To finish the dish, put the fish under a broiler for a moment to lightly brown the upper edges of the potato slices.Place each filet on warm serving plates and pour over 1 1/2 to 2 oz. of olive oil. Garnish with crisply fried artichoke hearts and zucchine sauteed in olive oil.
Serves 6.
[What kind of Magick can you do with this dish? It's a marriage of the stability of Earth (potatoes) and the flow of Ocean (halibut), with rosemary for remembrance, protection, and concentration, and olive oil for love. This would be good for maintaining a good, loving, long-term relationship, or for celebrating the hopes for this relationship or its accomplishment over the years. Wedding feasts and anniversaries -- and also for a celebratory meal to salute the spirit of old friends who have passed to the Summerland. Share it with your family, the more generations the better. You know the words to say -- just tell them you love and honor them. --vw]
The Chef