Perfect Sicilian

OK, no one's ever going to agree on the single platonic perfect for food.  But if you accept versions of perfection, I offer:  Sicilian style fish soup, which originated as an eight pound whole cod I picked up from the wholesaler down the street.  It was baked much like the haddock below, with root vegetables and heads of garlic for the soup.  I set the meat aside, and used the cod frame to make a fish stock that gelled like, well, jelly.  Rich mouthfeel from the collagen.  Let it sit 24 hours with oregano and thyme from the garden.  Fed to people chilly from a walk on the beach.  

Note the loaf of Virgilio's semolina bread ('bread of the fishermen'... I like the end piece best).  Food stylist credit to Eileen Fielding.  The chopsticks, meanwhile, are for eating the salad.  It feels more like using my fingers.