Warm and tender mushroom “scallops,” sharp and tangy grapefruit, earthy sumac, and sweet basil all play together harmoniously in this first-course salad.
Revive any wilted salad greens by dunking them in a bowl of ice water for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and either spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Per serving:
Trim tops and woody bottoms of mushrooms leaving the solid part of stems. Save tops for Vegetable Bourguignon recipe or another use. Cut mushroom stems into medallions about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick and set aside. You should have about 12 u201cscallops.u201d
In large bowl, stir together hot water and vinegars. Add mushroom u201cscallopsu201d to vinegar mixture and place small bowl or plate over mushrooms to ensure they stay submerged. Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Meanwhile, using a paring knife, peel 2 grapefruits, removing skin and white pith. Place fine-mesh sieve over bowl. Cut between membranes of grapefruit flesh to make individual segments and let them fall into sieve, allowing bowl to catch any excess juice. Squeeze any remaining juices through sieve. Juice remaining grapefruit through sieve as well. Remove and discard any pits, transfer grapefruit segments to large bowl, and pour grapefruit juice into small saucepan.
Place saucepan containing grapefruit juice over medium heat. Add maple syrup and chili and bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Allow sauce to simmer and reduce until it has thickened and there is about 1/3 cup (80 mL) left. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Whisk in oil, lemon juice, sumac, and salt.
Heat grapeseed oil and thyme in large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pat mushrooms dry with paper towel before adding to skillet. Cook until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Just before turning over, season with fresh ground pepper. Continue cooking until second side is golden brown, about another 4 to 6 minutes. Season again with pepper and remove to plate and keep warm while preparing the salad.
To bowl with grapefruit segments, add onion, radicchio, watercress or arugula, spinach, and basil. Pour half of the dressing overtop and toss very gently. Save remaining dressing for another use. Divide salad among serving plates. Top with warm mushroom u201cscallopsu201d and garnish with pistachios. Serve immediately.
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.