This wonderful hearty bread packs a wallop of flavour and sustenance to a one-dish dinner such as stew or soup.
Can be tightly wrapped in foil and overwrapped in plastic, then frozen for a couple of weeks. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Cut round of parchment paper to loosely line bottom of Dutch oven or deep 10 in (25 cm) cast iron pan with a domed lid.
In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, and thyme. Whisk to fully blend. Stir in buttermilk and egg with wooden spoon until almost blended. Do not overmix or dough will be rather dense. Dough should be quite loose and shaggy.
Transfer to lightly floured surface and lightly knead, adding a little more flour, if required, to form smooth but slightly sticky dough. Shape dough into large round boule and place in Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Slash top in a couple of places and sprinkle with a few extra oatmeal flakes and a light dusting of flour.
Cover and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until well risen and lightly browned. Remove lid and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped and internal temperature reads about 200 F (95 C). Remove to rack to cool.
Delicious thinly sliced and served with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and fresh dill. Alternatively, serve with shaved non-medicated sliced beef and horseradish with pickles.
Best served the same day it is made (see Storage tip). Excellent toasted.
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.
Steaming fish in parchment-paper packets, also known as cooking en papillote , is a classic technique that allows you to cook all your vegetables and fish at the same time in a quick, easy, and convenient way. Flavours of lemon, garlic, and spicy dried chili make this a simple, yet showstopping meal. Sustainability status Wild-caught Pacific halibut has Ocean Wise and Marine Stewardship Council certifications and is fished using longlines, which is a more selective method of fishing that results in less bycatch. Prep party Involve family or guests in the prep and have everyone make their own packet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s easy to change up the ingredients. Make sure you select vegetables that will cook at the same rate as the fish.