FISH

Large bag with free machine quilting on pieced background, and appliqued fish on front and back, embellished with hand made yo yos and couched yarn. Zoom in...

I love fish - I mean I like to eat fish, very much so, baked, broiled, grilled. I can get fresh fish at the local market any time I want. I'll give you a recipe of cooked fish at the end of this post.

I admiringly look at the little fish swimming in the aquarium at my dentist, and - what a treat - at those fantastic ones in all sizes, shapes, textures and colors in the huge underwater aquarium in Eilat - this is a must see for everyone visiting Israel!

But now I want to talk about fish on fabric. Many times I have used fish applique on bags and boxes, and I go back to this motive again and again.

Sturdy boxes made from scratch with cardboard and hand dyed fabric, appliqued with fish.

Whenever I see fabric with fish printed on it, preferably those wonderful colored ones from the coral reefs, I will happily buy it - it feels like finding a treasure. (I like butterflies too, but that is another story!) I cut them out, use fuse-able web to iron it onto my base fabric and machine applique it with a very narrow satin stitch.

Messenger bag - appliqued fish, swimming in a sea of scrap pieced background.

Pieced fish on a little colorful Korak Quilt - the Fish Tree. The German says: "Who looks at the sky in the water, finds fish on the trees." "Wer den Himmel im Wasser betrachtet findet Fische auf den Baeumen." I made this in 2005 as a present for my husband, it graced a wall in his office for a long time.

These days I am working on another bag and I hope to finish it today. Here is a little preview. It is a tote, roomy and colorful - and pretty! 

Now to the recipe, which is typically Moroccan, and was given to me by a friend. She lives in Jerusalem and she cooks this for Passover Seder meal - and for some years already I do the same, but it is delicious all year round!

1 kg Princess of the Nile fish (Nile Perch - Tilapia - Barsch)

1 can chickpeas

1 big tomato, cubed

1 big red pepper, cubed

1 big carrot, sliced

Sauce:

1 teasp. sweet paprika powder

1 teasp. hot paprika powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

Salt

1 teasp. turmeric

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 hot water

Marinade:

lemon juice

vinegar

salt

Cut the fish into junks, mix the marinade and let the fish sit in it for some hours. Take it out, wash and dry with kitchen paper. Rinse the chick peas and drain. Place the fish in a big pot and top with the vegetable and chick peas. Mix the sauce together and pour it over the fish, bring to a boil once and then cook over low heat for half an hour or until the fish is tender. Sprinkle with a big heap of fresh chopped parsley and coriander. Serve with rice or with white bread.