I ran into my friend, Tim Paluch, at Starbuck’s last week, and I had to apologize. At the end of the season finale last year, he commented on how ridiculous the Night King looked riding the dragon at the end of Season 7. At the time, I thought he was being a pretty big hater, and I think I said as much. But after re-watching, he was definitely right. Last season was too jam-packed with “stuff” and some of the biggest moments were distracted by special effects that didn’t quite land. I’m hoping that this last season answers all of our burning questions (will Hot Pie come back??) and leaves us satisfied–but at this point the expectations might just be too high. Tim feels like it’s time to take all the special effects out of GoT and really just get back to dialogue. He’s never had a popular opinion in his life, but he isn’t always wrong, either.
I don’t know what the series is going to do with Arya’s character: before, I thought she’s too reckless (like Jon) and is going to go out in a blaze of glory. But, the girl is a sponge and she is getting stronger and smarter every day. She would make an excellent hand to the king (queen?). The dynamic between Brienne and Arya hasn’t been developed much yet, and it needs to. They are too much alike, and there’s something important there. Brienne swore and oath, and she’s not going to break it. I think Jamie has to kill Arya, and Brienne steps in and dies for her.
The big questions this season are, who is going to get chopped–and who will win the Game of Thrones? I decided to make a cioppino this week (chop-ino) both in honor of my Arya almost gets chopped but doesn’t theory (cioppino is a fisherman’s stew made out of white fish and whatever shellfish you feel like–so why not oyster’s, clams, and cockles?). For sure, though, Cersei will die–but she’ll make us hate her more first. The Mountain will die. Sam will live. Varys will die. Tyrian will live. The Hound will be probably be okay.
Lots of people think Dany is going to sit on the Iron Throne, but I don’t agree. It will come out that she’s too volatile or is secretly crazy or that power will corrupt her or that she didn’t use the correct server. Why? This how every female leader is portrayed in the media. I almost wrote about this idea in Grad school, but instead, I wrote about Harry Potter.
I asked my coworkers to share their bold predictions as to who lives and who dies. their bold predictions weren’t so bold, but that’s what we’re working with this week.
Tony: Jamie will kill Cersei in about episode 5 because Cersei did something to kill Brienne in episode 4.I also think Jon will die saving Dany (and their unborn child) in episode 6.
Chris: Jamie dies helping Arya kill Cersei during episode 5. The Hound kills of the Mountain while aiding Jamie and Arya but is also mortally wounded and dies episode 4. Episode 6 Jon dies saving Dany and Sansa, which solidifies the truce between the two factions.
Jon: Everyone dies. I mean everyone.
Jon is an optimist.
Well, chop chop. Let’s get to the recipe. Full disclosure: my execution this week is flawed, but it’s only mostly my fault for not planning ahead. The whole oysters, clams, and cockles bit is only conceptual. I live in a land-locked state, and the one real seafood market is closed on Sundays. So, while there will be clams, there will be no oysters and cockles. Let’s just pretend.
Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew)
Yellow potatoes, cubed
4+ tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
½ bulb fennel, thinly slice & minced
2 teaspoons salt
4 tbsp. butter
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 c chicken broth
2 – 8 oz. jars of clam juice
1 bay leaf
7 sprigs thyme
Dried Oregano
1+ pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound scallops
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
+1 pound Whatever other shellfish you feel like (oysters, cockles, mussels, crab, whatever!)
1 1/2 pounds assorted firm-fleshed fish fillets (I used walleye, hand-caught by Dave Holt, and cod) cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions:
-Roast potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees. Remove and set to the side. Leave the oven on.
-Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil
-In a stew pot, heat oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Do not brown.
-Turn up the heat and add wine. Let the wine reduce.
-Add the crushed tomatoes, clam juice, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme sprigs, bay leafs, and 1 cup of broth. Bring to a boil; reduce..
-Season & oil the fish to taste. Place fish on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cover and keep warm. .
-Remove and throw away the thyme sprigs and bay leafs and stir in the butter. Add the shellfish and bring the stew back to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, until the clams have mostly opened. Gently stir in the shrimp and bring the stew back to a simmer; cover and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through and the clams are completely opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Add the chopped thyme, then taste the stew and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
-Divide the warm fish and potatoes into serving bowls. Ladle the stew over top, dividing the shellfish and shrimp evenly amongst the bowls. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve with a baguette or focaccia.
That is all! Happy Thronesies, everyone.
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