The Big Fish

I know, I know, this is not a photo worthy of a food article. But I just wanted you all to have a small vision of this lovely eleven pound red snapper (snapper Veracruzana) we had for Christmas dinner. What you don't see is the four men it took to hoist this lovely thing from oven to table.
Years ago, I got the idea for this from my Chilean friend, Nidia. She described the green rice that should accompany it, and the dessert flan. I held this idea through those English dinners of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and plum pudding and all kinds of other puddings, most with sauces or gravies. Along the way I had become a 'half' vegetarian and ate no red meat. So, this year we went for the red snapper, the Mexican Christmas dinner. We did not have a platter wide enough for the green rice (made with cilantro, spinach and parsley) so it was served on the side. We also had collards and salad from the garden and the sinful chocolate pecan pie that Anne made. That dinner was just the best. All ten of us helped in some way and we loved the event.
Ten of us sat down for dinner. Our ages were from four to seventy. The four year old, my grandson Quincy, was excused early to watch a new video, and the rest of us truly enjoyed the fish and all the fixings and each other and the ideas swirling around the table. The college student who had just returned from some months in Cuba had stories to tell of his experiences, and the scientists among us talked of turtles and other environmental issues.
After dinner everyone pitched in to clean up the kitchen and get that first load into the dishwasher before going to sit on the screen porch with the armadillos rooting in the ferns and the five dogs alert, and continue the conversation.
I love these gatherings of friends and family. It's a good thing that I do because the next night, we had another and different ten guest dinner. This time it was a lot more ad hoc. I made Hoppin' John with the black eye peas and rice and everyone else brought stuff. Again, we had collards. And again, everyone loved them and they were all eaten.
Here's the recipe. You'll love it!
Take about 15 big collard leaves. Cut out the center ribs and roll up the remaining leaves and slice them thin and then cut those slices into small pieces. Leave those on the side. Now, in a large skillet or dutch oven put a medium sized diced onion and a LOT of minced garlic ( about five cloves) with a couple of spoonfuls of olive oil. Fry these until softened and beginning to brown, about two or three minutes. Add the collards gradually, and then about a cup of broth (chicken, or water or vegetarian). Add a little bit of salt now. Bring to a boil, cover, and stirring occasionally, cook for about 25 minutes on low 'til greens are tender. Remove the lid and turn heat to high and stir occasionally while the collards are cooking down. The pan will be almost dry. Take the collards off the heat and stir in some lemon juice, a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Your guests will rave!
Other than food.. So many wonderful friends have been here for the holidays. We have taken many great walks through the woods and fields. Our local sand hill cranes bugle noisily every morning (louder than parrots!), and we hear the deer barking at the edge of the fields. The cardinals devour the seeds in the feeders each day. We are all enjoying the warm weather after some days of frosts. The vegetable garden has been feeding the multitudes, and the orchids, hardy plants they are, are in great bloom. Even the rye grass we sowed under the clothesline looks perky and green.