This might seem weird, but yes, I cooked seal meatballs. The upsides: It's lean protein, high iron and totally sustainable (they're eating all the cod and these are not the cute baby ones). There are no antibiotics or grain in the feed since it's a wild meat. And it tastes … [Read more...] about Cooking With Seal, Part 1: Meatballs
Fish and Seafood
Slow-Braised Arctic Char Fillets with Gremolata (Dairy-Free)
The inspiration for this dish came from a dinner at Lili.Co in Montreal. From our table a few steps from the bar/open kitchen, we watched a chef spend more than five minutes slowly basting a fillet of fish in hot, seasoned oil, essentially poaching it in oil. He then topped it … [Read more...] about Slow-Braised Arctic Char Fillets with Gremolata (Dairy-Free)
Champagne and Caviar
When your wine importer friend whose company motto is "No shit in my wine" says "Let's have a Champagne and caviar night!" and offers to bring both the natural Champagne and the caviar, you don't say no. Only an idiot would say no. I'm occasionally not an idiot. And only a … [Read more...] about Champagne and Caviar
Pecorino, Potato and Anchovy Flatbread Pizza with Lemon Zest on a Gluten free Crust
I know, I know. I'm lactose intolerant. Why am I writing about a recipe with Italian sheep's milk cheese? Because life's too short. And just a little bit won't kill me. So what if my digestion was unhappy for a few days? Worth it. I could blame Yotam Ottolenghi and his … [Read more...] about Pecorino, Potato and Anchovy Flatbread Pizza with Lemon Zest on a Gluten free Crust
Butter Basted Sustainable Salmon with Hazelnut-Parsley Pesto
When you buy an absolutely giant whole sustainable salmon to filet for a food photographer, you end up with a lot of salmon. That's not a problem for me. It is a problem for my freezer, which lacks space because freezing a fresh batch of jam in ice cube trays is a heck of a lot … [Read more...] about Butter Basted Sustainable Salmon with Hazelnut-Parsley Pesto
Jiro Dreams of Sushi and So Do I: How to Make Nigiri, Sashimi and Aburi Torched Sushi
This sustainably farmed New Zealand salmon was the most beautiful fish I've ever had the privilege of filleting and eating. While famous sushi chef Jiro doesn't demo making salmon sashimi in his book Sushi Chef: Sukiyabashi Jiro, he does go in-depth on the virtues of marbled … [Read more...] about Jiro Dreams of Sushi and So Do I: How to Make Nigiri, Sashimi and Aburi Torched Sushi
How to (Most Ethically) Cook a Lobster (and a Recipe for BBQ’d Lobster and Seafood Pasta)
I wanted to call this "How to Kill a Lobster," but that just sounded awful, even though the blog post is about the most ethical way to do it. Ever since the first time I biked live lobster back to my university apartment and boiled them alive, I've been squeamish about cooking … [Read more...] about How to (Most Ethically) Cook a Lobster (and a Recipe for BBQ’d Lobster and Seafood Pasta)
Creamy Wild Mushroom and Shrimp Risotto (Dairy Free)
Lactose intolerant? Can't eat Parmesan? Not feeling like drowning yourself in dairy and suffering from a heavy-stomached post-risotto feeling of regret? I love the idea of slow-simmering rice in broth until the starch of the rice makes the dish creamy. The traditional cheese … [Read more...] about Creamy Wild Mushroom and Shrimp Risotto (Dairy Free)
Dived Scallops with Avocado and Pink Grapefruit Salsa
This recipe comes from Scottish Highland Hospitality, which you can read more about in my recipe post for dairy-free cod brandade. It was my favourite recipe from the book, mostly because of the salsa. The key is to buy really tasty avocados and grapefruit. I splurged on organic … [Read more...] about Dived Scallops with Avocado and Pink Grapefruit Salsa
Dairy Free Gluten Free Cod Brandade
I knew I could never eat cod brandade. For one, the salt cod was unsustainable. I come from Newfoundland, a Canadian province that knows all about the overfished cod. So I would never buy the giant sheets of the salted stuff from Portuguese markets in Toronto. I also knew that … [Read more...] about Dairy Free Gluten Free Cod Brandade