When we seek a way to capture what it is which unites our regional identity in Atlantic Canada, the heritage and culture of fishing serve as a lighthouse illuminating the heart of the adventurous spirit of Atlantic Canadians.
Historically, as the Europeans ventured across the Atlantic Ocean and made landfall in Atantic Canada, fishing became a primary food source for both the English and the French. It’s important to note the bounty of the ocean had been plentiful for millennia. According to the Government of Canada’s designation of National Historic Significance, scientific dating shows Indigenous peoples to have been living off of the land in our region for at least 10,500 years, as evidenced by the discovery of the Palaeo-Indian site in Derbert.
As our narrative progresses, the reliance on food that came from the ocean became an industry. Much of the fish that was caught along far reaches of the Canadian waters were destined for markets not only on our shores but that of European nations as well.
Likewise, as the fisheries grew, entire industries around fishing sprang up in all the Atlantic Canadian provinces, including lumber, shipbuilding, and canneries.
It is no wonder that today, we celebrate the rich fishery tradition that swells within all of us who live here.
As a chef in Prince Edward Island, I know September will usher in the annual celebration known as The Prince Edward Island Shellfish Festival. It's a time where P.E.I. plays host to locals and visitors alike to join in festivities while slurping back oysters, wolfing down lobster rolls and countless varieties of chowders, all while watching oyster shucking challenges and mussel sock tying contests and witnessing some of the best chefs from across the country compete in shellfish-themed cooking competitions. It’s a thrilling synergy of people from every part of the food chain in the fisheries here on the Island.
Another important seafood champion on P.E.I. is the MR Seafood team, located in Charlottetown. This fish monger’s shop gets fresh seafood to the public, processors, and restaurants. When general manager of MR Seafood, Reggie Jamieson, was asked how he thinks the fisheries have impacted Atlantic Canada, he said, “It has shaped our culinary landscape by creating a sense of community. Not just geographically but by creating a sense of community at our local pubs, restaurants, and kitchens.”
Follow MR Seafoods on Instagram: @mrseafoods, Facebook: MR Seafoods, and Twitter: @mrseafoods
New Brunswick
In Miramichi, New Brunswick, a vibrant and progressive chef, Dennis MacDonald, enjoys the thrill of experimenting with new ways of preparing both fin and shellfish. Tradition, though, is equally important to MacDonald.
“In the winter, smelts become pretty popular around New Brunswick. Churches and community centers become full-blown fry stations slinging mountains of smelts. 'Havin’ a feed of smelts' is a pretty common saying during these months," he says.
Chef MacDonald shares his recipe for a refined seafood dish perfect for an intimate dinner party.
Follow him on Instagram at Dennis.eats
Poached striped bass with vichyssoise, textures of carrot and herb oil
To prepare the bass or similar white fish, take the portions of fillet and salt them all over with sea salt. Place on plastic wrap and tightly wrap it into a cylinder. Place in the refrigerator for three to four hours. This quick cure will help the flesh to firm up slightly while seasoning the fish at the same time.
When finished curing, rinse under cold water and pat dry. Slice into discs and return the fish to the fridge, uncovered, to allow the surface of the flesh to dry up.
The vichyssoise:
3 Leeks thinly sliced
2 lbs Yukon gold potato diced
2 tbsp butter
olive oil
3 cups chicken stock or water
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
In a large pot on medium heat, sweat the leeks in the butter and a splash of olive oil until translucent. Add the stock and potatoes and continue to simmer until the potato is soft and cooked through. Add the cream and season to taste. While still warm, transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until silky smooth.
For the herb oil:
240g leafy garden herbs
120g neutral oil such as canola
Combine in a blender and process on high until the oil turns bright green and is warm to the touch.
Line a strainer with a coffee filter or a few sheets of paper towel and place over a bowl. Pour the mixture into the strainer and allow the oil to drip until completely passed.
Quick Pickled Carrots
Pickle liquid:
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
cup sugar
1tsp fennel seeds
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small pot. Prepare a few carrots by slicing thinly and placing into a separate, heat-proof bowl. Pour the pickle liquid over the carrots and cover and allow to sit for a few hours then store in the refrigerator.
To assemble the dish:
Bring a small pot of poaching liquid to a soft simmer. You can make a simple stock with one litre of water and one each of finely chopped carrot, onion, and celery. Add a handful of fresh herbs, a half of a lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the portions into the simmering stock and allow to gently cook until the fish turns white and is just cooked through. It should only take a few minutes.
Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, Helen Earley, a freelance and travel writer, explores surprising and enticing ways to enjoy seafood in her home province. The South Shore Lobster Crawl is a gastronomic festival where there are several experiences to take part in, such as feasting on lobster rolls at restaurants along the South Shore; waiting to see when Lucy, the prognosticating lobster, will predict the end of winter; or even trying your hand at a lobster sculpture competition. What makes this interesting is the medium the competitors use to construct their crustaceans: snow.
Earley says that the festival, which takes place in February, coincides with lobster being fished at that time. She believes it gives people in the community a reason to get out on those cold days to have some fun and to support the local economy.
Most importantly, Earley says, “It just shows how quirky we get once the tourists go home and the days become short!”
Newfoundland
In Newfoundland, Chef Mark McCrowe got involved with the Songs Stages and Seafood festival in Bay Roberts in its first year of creation. Chef McCrowe says he got hooked on, “All of the people involved in the festival, the hospitality of the town and the simple cooking of quality Newfoundland seafood every year since.”
Chef McCrowe shares his prize-winning recipe for salt cod cakes at Songs Stages and Seafood festival; including his mom’s mustard pickle style preserves.
Mark McCrowe’s salt cod cakes with Mudder's pickles
For the cakes:
1 lb salt cod (soaked in cold water overnight)
1 lb potatoes (peeled and halved)
1 tbsp dried savoury
1 large Spanish onion (diced)
2 tbsp salt pork fat scrunchions
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper
Boil potatoes and salt cod together gently until the potatoes are fork tender.
In a separate pan, sauté the onions together with the salted pork fat until lightly golden brown and add to drained potatoes and cod.
Add savoury, lemon, pepper and salt to taste, keeping in mind the cod offers lots of salt already.
Form mix into cakes, dust in flour and pan-fry over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan with a tablespoon of butter until golden and crispy.
For the pickles:
1/4 c salt
2 c sugar
1 c white vinegar
1 red pepper
2 c Spanish onion
2 English cucumbers
1 tbsp mustard powder
500 ml yellow mustard
1 tbsp cornstarch slurry
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 head green cabbage
1 green pepper
Roughly chop all vegetables and combine all ingredients into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick. Let cool and serve room temperature.
Leftovers can be stored in fridge for up to a week or bottled to last up to a year.
Regardless of the season,
Atlantic Canadians always find an opportunity to come together and celebrate the fishery tradition that has and continues to play a role in our cultural identity.
MORE FROM CHEF ILONA:
- Bake the most of blueberries
- More people looking for greater connection to locally produced food
- The difference between barbecue … and barbecue
- Atlantic Canada offers an abundance of creative meals in the summer
- Getting grilled
- A stacked Italian salad with fennel, chives, oranges, lemon, pancetta
- Traditional street food
Chef Ilona Daniel's food column, Food Seductress, runs on the first Friday of each month. She welcomes comments from readers by email at [email protected] or on twitter: Twitter.com/chef_ilona.
