Who knows what this week was?

Here are a few answers that are correct:

• The 41^st week of 2012
• The 41^st consecutive different meat in a row for me
• The week after the week before this one
• The first anniversary of my wonderful mum passing away
• The week I truly realised how annoying looking for a new place can be (or perhaps more accurately how annoying and unreliable rental agents can be)
• The week in which it would appear Lance Armstrong is most definitely guilty

I don’t keep really close tabs on all of you, just some, so I’m sure there were one or two other things of importance. However, for me there was one other pretty colossal event and that was the:

100% commitment from me to write a book!

 

Yep, I’m going to write a book. What do you think about that?

I will say that I am super f**ken excited about the idea and thanks to a new friend, can see pretty clearly (cloudy at this stage, let’s be honest) how it is going to pan out.

So quite the week for me!

It is hard to believe that it’s been a year since I lost my mother, mostly because she is never far from my thoughts. In fact I usually have some kind of self reflection each day where I try and focus on her amazing light and energy, whether it is for 10 seconds or 10 minutes.

This picture might give you an idea… Just heard some comedy gold from me no doubt…

 

Due partly to this reflection and inspiration from mum, I have now committed to writing a book.

What am I writing, or going to write about? Why? How? When? All the pertinent questions…. and none of which I’m going to answer even remotely accurately.

It’s certainly still very infantile, so that’s all I’ve got for you, but it’s unquestionably now out in the open, so feel free to hold me accountable.

And of course the other major from this week is that we entered and cruised through week number 41 of 2012.

That means five concrete certainties for me:

1. I will breath heaps
2. I will eat heaps
3. I will train some
4. I will sleep heaps
5. I will source, cook and eat a new meat

It’s just what I do…

But Mike, aren’t you getting sick of it by now?

Piiffffth, nooo…. don’t be so silly. This challenge is never tedious.

Ok, I lie. I can get over it from time to time. But that’s just me being naturally human and feeling the weary affects of 41 consecutive weeks of a single challenge. It does in no way mean I am through with it.

Hell no! In fact this week I went all Tony Hawk and got my skate on…

There were no wheels involved in this, however. I simply called Ross from Sydney Fresh Seafood and got him to get me in some actual Skate. The kind that you eat.

According to Wikipedia:

Skates are cartilaginous fishes belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays. More than 200 species have been described, in 27 genera. There are two subfamilies, Rajinae (hardnose skates) and Arhynchobatinae (softnose skates).

To quote Ricky Gervais when it comes to animal species, “That just sounds like scientists nit picking I think”. ‘Slightly longer nosed Skate’, ‘Chubby Skate’…

 

Either way, I got a Skate wing, and I ate it up.

I had been on a course all day, so my usual Friday afternoon of ‘working at home’ was none existent. Luckily all my research on cooking skate fundamentally showed a quick fry in a hot pan as the best way to cook said skate wing.

Ideal. I met NN and we watched Ross as he figured out the skinning and de-boning/cartilaging. (That’s a word, I’m pretty sure).

Once home we assessed the skate, decided on slicing into smaller portions and because of our joint hunger, were glad I had put some golden kumara in the oven to roast about 30 minutes prior. They were looking sweet… Get it? Sweet potato… ahhh…

 

I seasoned the skate wing and squeezed over some lemon juice then added butter to a heated pan and when ready, introduced the pieces of skate to the last bit of liquid it would see. Apart from my stomach acid. It would see that shortly.

If you’ve never had skate before, it has a weird texture. Very fibrous and thick.

 

It is delicate once cooking and doesn’t require much, so watch the flipping.

What did the skate wing turn out like?

Once cooked it rested for a few minutes, along with the kumara. I dished these up with a small wild rice and chick pea salad. A dash of lemon juice with a few capers and it was ready for its fateful last journey.

Which brings me to the tasting- it was definitely different to your run of the mill fish; it was mild in flavour, slightly more meaty in texture but without doubt very good. NN and I were both ravenous and devoured this in relative silence. Small hmmm’s and yep it’s good  were escaping our mouths in between bites which essentially summed it up. We were both fans of skate wing straight away.

A simple dish and meat to cook. Quick but still gentle and requiring care.  I would eat this again for sure. In fact I have just had the left over wing for breakfast. Still good! Its other benefits are hard to find to be honest. This is from the ocean, in case you never stepped foot into a fish & chip shop in New Zealand during the 80’s or 90’s.

It definitely has some beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, as well as being a great protein source and it also contains a variety of vital minerals and vitamins. Wanting to get a lean, healthy and sexy body? This is a great addition to a well rounded diet.

I would recommend anyone to try this quality meat, just don’t go into the ocean yourself trying to get it out. That could end badly…

So, that wraps up a monumental week for me.

Yes, you will be seeing a book from me at some stage in the future.

When? Let’s say inside a year.

What? Let’s call it suspense. Not the book, what I’m attempting to build…

Who’s excited about a book from Meat Mike Campbell..?? Yeahhhh….

Otherwise I’m off to spend the day bathed in the awesome memories I have of my mum.

Next week: Another meat…

I’m Meat Mike Campbell. Please indulge me and leave a comment below…