This frittata keeps your palate guessing with plenty of flavour and textural contrasts. Farro is an ancient grain with Mediterranean roots and a wonderful chewy texture. However, you could also use spelt or wheat berries. Traditionally made from sheeps’ milk and goats’ milk, halloumi is a firm and salty cheese originally hailing from Cyprus. If unavailable, feta can be substituted.
1/2 cup (125 mL) farro
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 cups (1 L) baby spinach
8 large free-range eggs
1/3 cup (80 mL) milk or unflavoured rice milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped kalamata olives
4 oz (125 g) halloumi or feta cheese, chopped
4 to 6 anchovies, rinsed and chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped oregano
1 tsp (5 mL) sweet smoked paprika
Bring 2 cups (500 mL) water to boil in medium-sized saucepan. Add farro and simmer until tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes. Drain any excess water.
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Heat oil in 10 in (25 cm) ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add red pepper and shallots; heat until pepper has softened. Stir in spinach and heat just until slightly wilted.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in farro, artichoke hearts, olives, cheese, anchovies if using, oregano, and smoked paprika. Carefully pour egg mixture into skillet and cook for 3 minutes, without stirring. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until knife inserted into centre leaves a clean cut into eggs and liquid does not fill cut.
Use heatproof spatula to loosen frittata from skillet. Slice into wedges and serve.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 301 calories; 17 g protein; 18 g total fat (7 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 18 g total carbohydrates (5 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 466 mg sodium
source: "30-Minute Meals", alive #384, October 2014
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.