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Chapon de Mer Farci
A Simple or Complicated Recipe
There is a perception in cooking that some recipes are more complicated to prepare than others. Usually, recipes with more steps or ingredients are deemed complicated, while those calling for a mere quintet of ingredients are simple.
Less is more. — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Yet, this dichotomy oversimplifies the art of cooking, for sometimes it is the minimalist recipe that requires much more finesse, each element demanding to be perfectly balanced, while the so-called ‘complex’ dishes offer a generous margin for personal interpretation and error.
Today I invite you to explore a classic of Provence, Chapon de Mer Farci, or stuffed scorpionfish. A dish that anyone with an adventurist mindset can prepare. I am inviting even the most novice of cooks to don an apron and wield a wooden spoon with utmost confidence.
Chapon de Mer, Rascasse, Scorpionfish
The term “chapon de mer” might confuse some because “chapon” generally describes a capon, a castrated rooster renowned for its tender, succulent flesh. However, in Provence, scorpionfish is often called “chapon” due to its large, meaty texture reminiscent of a capon.
