The children at our village are served Liberian dishes for noon meals everyday, and they eat a lot of fish. Garden Egg soup, Fried Potato Greens soup, Groundnut soup, Okra Stew, Pepper soup, Pam Butter Soup. These dishes all call for fish and are served over rice.We are fortunate to be living so close to the ocean to have wonderful, fresh red snapper available. The locals go out in dugout canoes. Yes, on the ocean! At night! Dave asked to fish with them, and they told him he was too wide for their boat. Thank goodness!
After a successful night of fishing, they bring their fish to the gate at daylight. Often around fifteen to twenty pounds, these fish are beauties. We can purchase them for less than market price as then the fisherman does not have to transport it to town. So we get very fresh fish at a great price, and the fishermen get to go to bed. It is a "win, win" for all!
Our cooks clean it, cut it up into steaks, and throw them into the freezer for a week of good eating. The cooks tell me that the head of the fish is the best part, and is a favorite in Pepper soup and Palm Butter soup. I personally avoid the kitchen on those days, as I find it disconcerting to have an eyeball looking at me while preparing a meal. Kind of creepy.
Above, you can see Dave pretending that he caught the big catch of the day.
Below, you can see two of the cooks cleaning a red snapper.
---Babs
