Family-Friendly Sweet Potato Soup

Wild salmon is by far the best salmon you can get — it is sustainable and is more healthful than farm raised. Over-fishing, pollution, and the damming of rivers have depleted populations of wild salmon around the world, but in the Pacific Northwest locals are fiercely active in their efforts to protect the wild salmon population. A few years ago my sister surprised me with a chartered fishing trip out of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, which was a great opportunity to learn about the native species of fish in the area, including salmon. Sadly, the salmon evaded us that day, but we did accidentally catch a bald eagle that snatched a cod we were reeling in. The bird got tangled in the line and for a minute we were really concerned we would have to remove the line from an angry bald eagle. Lucky for everyone it managed to free itself and we were all spared.

Many of us have heard stories of bygone days when lobster was considered poor man’s food. Now the price of lobster makes it a special occasion treat, no longer something fishermen use as bait or garden fertilizer, which is all the more reason to avoid waste and use it entirely — antenna to tail. Ask your fishmonger to choose females for this recipe, only the female lobsters will have the roe (eggs) needed to flavor the butter for the sauce. (Raw lobster eggs are dark green and called roe, when the eggs are cooked they turn red and are called coral.) Making fresh pasta is easier than you think. If you’re not ready to take the leap, substituting your favorite dried pasta will still yield delicious results. This recipe requires you to work with live lobsters in order to get the roe and extract the maximum flavor from the shellfish. If this is something you object to, I encourage you to skip this recipe.

Many factors influence the taste and texture of oysters; from the farming methods and geography of where they’re raised, to water salinity, temperature, diet, and of course the length of time they’ve been out of the ocean before they’re on your plate. It’s not surprising that my favorite oyster farm happens to be where I’m from, D’Eon Oyster Company in Nova Scotia. There are hundreds of oyster varieties in the United States alone and I recommend visiting an oyster farm if you have an opportunity. Many farms host summer events and there’s nothing like a freshly shucked oyster with a glass of bubbly on a hot day. Oysters are versatile and can be eaten raw, pickled, fried, grilled, or even poached. Eating them raw with just a little bit of mignonette on top is classic. The vinegar mixes with the oyster’s brine and together it’s a perfect combination.

Hodge Podge is a traditional Nova Scotian soup and a staple at summer potlucks. It’s made with seasonal whole baby vegetables from the garden so feel free to change things up to make your own variation depending on what is in season. Adding smoked trout gives it hardiness and complexity. Sometimes I include a version of this on the menu at Halifax or Coast Kitchen using smaller vegetables and finishing the soup with a creamier broth. To avoid disappointing guests at the restaurant who are looking for the traditional Nova Scotian dish, the name is changed to Smoked Trout Chowder. This recipe is very forgiving. It’s equally delicious whether made directly over an open fire or on a kitchen stove.