When I was in Tucson, Arizona over Christmas I cooked my way through a handful of recipes in a local cookbook called Savvy Southwest Cooking. The book has a lot of seafood options, despite heralding from a landlocked state. No problem, because Whole Foods and Sprouts both have … [Read more...] about Chipotle Scallop and Halibut Chowder (dairy-free)
Fish and Seafood
Cheater’s Paella, or Fake and Cheap Rice and Mussels
Spanish people are going to hate me. I accept that. In fact, I deserve their shaken heads and disapproving frowns, because this paella is not paella. It's basically spiced rice with mussels. It's more like Peruvian arroz con mariscos, but cooked so that you get a bit of a … [Read more...] about Cheater’s Paella, or Fake and Cheap Rice and Mussels
Blackened Sea Bass with Scotch Bonnet Sauce
I'm about to do a month-long detox, with the goal of tidying things up in my stomach. Kind of like spring cleaning, but bigger. So before that happens, I'm getting all my vices out. I'm currently in the airport leaving Barbados, where I was for 10 days of work (yes, work). But … [Read more...] about Blackened Sea Bass with Scotch Bonnet Sauce
Sustainable BBQ Smelt with Grilled Vegetables and Lemon
When it's hot and muggy like it's been recently in Montreal, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven. BBQ-ing is something I've only gotten into since a friend of mine helped me break down his giant beast of a cooker to get it off his third floor balcony by carrying it … [Read more...] about Sustainable BBQ Smelt with Grilled Vegetables and Lemon
Wild Blueberry Poke Bowl with Nordic Shrimp and Roast Chicken
I used to cut a lot of recipes out of newspapers. I know, I know. Nobody under the age of 50 does that anymore. And to be fair, I don't do it anymore either. I've actually never had a subscription in my name to an actual, physical newspaper. I think the last one I clipped was for … [Read more...] about Wild Blueberry Poke Bowl with Nordic Shrimp and Roast Chicken
Spring! A Conversation with the Weather and a Recipe for Orange-Braised Fish Fillets from La Mer
This is the internal conversation I've been having with the weather lately: Me: "Why is it still so cold here in Montreal? I just got back from Tucson and you weren't cold there. It feels very unfair." Weather: "You chose to live in Montreal." Me: "Are you telling me I … [Read more...] about Spring! A Conversation with the Weather and a Recipe for Orange-Braised Fish Fillets from La Mer
Shrimp and Cod Chowder (Dairy-Free)
Facts: My dad loves seafood chowder and I wanted to make it for him. Problem: It contains gluten and dairy. Goal: Create a gluten free, dairy free seafood chowder recipe that's as good as the original. Challenge: I didn't want to use coconut milk because it makes … [Read more...] about Shrimp and Cod Chowder (Dairy-Free)
Tender Pressure Cooker Calamari with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce (aka a Messy Sunset and How to Clean Squid)
I'm standing at my kitchen counter. Late afternoon light is streaming in through the windows as I take my uncleaned squid tubes and tentacles from the fridge. It was $1 less a pound to buy them uncleaned, with the inky skin, entrails and plastic-like clean quills (it's actually … [Read more...] about Tender Pressure Cooker Calamari with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce (aka a Messy Sunset and How to Clean Squid)
Cooking with Seal, Part 3: Rogan Josh
Alright, last kick at the can, I thought as I stared at the cubes of defrosted seal meat in front of me. I'd bought pounds of it at The Fish Depot in downtown St. John's over Christmas and brought this last pound of meat home with me in my luggage. Direct flight with good … [Read more...] about Cooking with Seal, Part 3: Rogan Josh
Cooking with Seal, Part 2: Ribs
For Part 2 in my 'How to cook seal' adventure, I decided to make ribs. It wasn't that hard a decision since the guy at The Fish Depot in downtown St. John's, NL only had seal cubes and seal ribs. I'd used the cubes to make meatballs, so now it was time to make ribs. I used a BBQ … [Read more...] about Cooking with Seal, Part 2: Ribs