Smoky Eggplant-Mushroom Dip with Lentils

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.

Broccoli stems have a great crunchy texture and high nutritional value. It’s a shame they’re often wasted more than they’re used. This recipe uses primarily stems, but you can always add more florets. The vinaigrette is my go-to dressing at home and in the restaurants. It tastes great with almost anything. You’ll have extra dressing and it keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks. The secret ingredient is nutritional yeast, which my mom introduced me to as a popcorn topping when I was little. It works well as a substitute for grated parmesan in dressings and pesto. Important note: do not confuse nutritional yeast with baking yeast. They are quite different and cannot be interchanged.