Recipes

Growing up on the west coast of Canada was amazing. The volume of public markets to get fresh ingredients was awe inspiring as well.

When you grow up on the west coast along with the ultimate Canadian tradition of Hockey Night In Canada, you also find a love and desire for fresh seafood.

The abundance of fresh seafood in the pacific northwest into western Canada is mind blowing.

I love mussels steamed in white wine and halibut - the ground round of the sea.  There is so much you can do to it.  My absolute favorite food in the whole world is salmon.  It would be my last meal for sure!




The recipes below are all things I have made and know are delicious.  I know there are fancier recipes with rich sauces and lots of ingredients but I learned from an early age and the best cook I know (my mom) that less is more and salmon needs a light touch so you can taste the rich flesh.

To get us started. I found an interesting website published by The Alaska Seafood Chefs Alliance
The site has a very impressive list of chefs and lots and lots of seafood recipes.

Take a look :)


Preparing the Grill:

• Fish cooks best over a medium-hot fire; shellfish require a hot grill.
• Make sure the grill is hot before you start cooking.
• Liberally brush oil on the grill just prior to cooking
• Cut large steaks or fillets into meal-size portions before grilling.
• Use a grill basket or perforated grill rack to keep flaky fish or smaller shellfish from falling through the grill bars.
• Oil fish/shellfish very lightly just before cooking.
• Always start fish with the skin side up. If the skin has been removed, the skin side will appear slightly darker. This allows the natural fat carried beneath the skin to be drawn into the fillet, keeping it rich and moist.
• Turn seafood only once. For easy turning, use a two prong kitchen fork inserted between the grill bars to slightly lift the fish, then slide a metal spatula under the fish and turn.
• Cook fish approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Seafood continues to cook after it’s removed from the heat so take it off the heat just as soon as it is opaque throughout. . To check for doneness, slide a sharp knife tip into the center of the thickest part of a cooking seafood portion, checking for color. Remove from the heat just as soon as it turns from translucent to opaque throughout.

Grilled Salmon: With Mayonnaise Lemon and Dill
 
What you need:

•  1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon fillet. (Leave skin on )
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise     ( Can use light or non-fat)
• 2 tablespoons fresh-lemon juice
• Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste                     
• Fresh Dill
•  1/4 to 1/3-inch - 3 to 4 minutes 
• 1/2 to 3/4-inch - 4 to 6 minutes 
• 1 to 1 1/2-inch - 8 to 12 minutes

How to make:  I lay the salmon fillets on a piece of tin foil that I have folded up at the edges to make a disposable baking sheet. (easy clean up)
Mix mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spread over salmon
Add one or two fresh sprigs of dill to each piece of salmon




Salmon Cook in News Paper:

Photo Courtesy " Bridget Davis" The Internet Chef

What you need :

• 1 x 3½lb/1.5kg Salmon or other whole fish
• 1 newspaper (not the coloured supplement!)
• 2 thinly sliced lemons
• 4 tbsp chopped spring onions (scallions)
• 4 handfuls of fresh herbs such as flat leaf parsley, basil & dill
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Ground black pepper

How to Make :

Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry. Brush with olive oil.
Season inside and out with the salt and pepper and put half the herbs inside the cavity.
Get your newspaper and open it out in the center.
Spread some of the herbs and other ingredients in the middle and place the salmon on top of them. Sprinkle the remainder of the ingredients over the fish, drizzle with some more olive oil.
Wrap your fish up tightly, remembering to tuck in the sides of the newspaper and tie up well.
Wet the parcel really well (dunk it in a basin or bucket of cold water) and place it on the rack on your barbecue or over an open fire for about 20-30 minutes each side (depending how fierce the fire is)
The paper with blacken but don't worry.
When you’re ready to serve the roast salmon, just cut the string and paper off, unwrap the salmon and serve.
  

Grilled Salmon on a Wooden Plank : 

What you need:

• 7oz salmon fillet or salmon steaks
• 8 oz orange juice
• 2 table spoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• Salt and pepper
• 1 x untreated cedar plank

How to Make:

Mix all the ingredients except for the salmon and cedar plank together and pour into a zip lock bag (or similar)
Add the salmon fillets or steaks and marinate in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes turning once or twice to make sure that the marinade penetrates the salmon.
While the salmon is marinating, soak the cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour, weighting it down to keep it submerged.


Grill- Preheat the BBQ to medium heat. Place the previously soaked planks on the grate. Once the boards start to smoke and crackle, you’re ready to put the salmon on the grill
 Put the salmon, skin side down on top of the cedar plank.
Cover and grill or barbecue for 10 minutes or until the salmon flesh turns opaque in the middle (check by poking a knife into the center of the salmon fillet, the flesh should still be moist and slightly underdone. Remember that the salmon will continue to cook from the residual heat after taking it off the cedar plank.



Fresh Salmon Marinade :




                                                                                                    What you need :

• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds salmon fillets1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. vinegar (malt)
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

How to make:
Marinate four hours or more, in a tightly sealed container.
Make a tin foil pan by folding the edges of a good size sheet of tin foil to resemble a baking sheet.
place on pre-heated grill :

1.      1/4 to 1/3-inch - 3 to 4 minutes
2.      1/2 to 3/4-inch - 4 to 6 minutes
3.      1 to 1 1/2-inch - 8 to 12 minutes

Okay, I know what I am making for dinner this weekend :) Now all I need to do is find a fishmonger who delivers overnight :)

My house is football crazy! Particularly on the weekends. We play, we watch, we join fantasy leagues and come the second week of September, we are all about football from Saturday morning straight through until Monday night. Adding to the heights of our benign weekend football fanaticism are good food and spirits. Burgers and hot-dogs are wonderful and easy for the grill but, lets face it, when your hosting a gathering you want to be a bit more creative. Creativity is not synonymous with complexity and you can still serve easy to make foods that don't require a great deal of preparation. After all, missing the "must see" game because your stuck in the kitchen, grinding away on an overly ornate culinary creation is no fun at all!

So let's see what you do to add that extra spice on the weekend doing whatever it is you love to do. I've found a few recipes that are awesome tasting and fairly easy (and quick) to cook on the grill:

This recipe is based on one from Michael Psilakis, the chef at Anthos, a New York City restaurant.
 
Lamb Burgers
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. minced yellow onion
12 oz. ground lamb & 4 oz. ground pork
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. each finely chopped parsley,
mint, and dill
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1⁄2 tsp. ground coriander & 1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
1⁄3 cup crumbled feta cheese

10 leaves baby arugula
8 black olives in oil, drained, pitted,
and roughly chopped
8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
and roughly chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 2 hamburger buns, toasted

Instructions:

• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in an 8" skillet over high heat.
• Add onions; cook until browned, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer onions to a plate; let cool.
• In a bowl, mix onions, lamb, pork, mustard, herbs, spices, garlic, scallions, and salt and pepper.
• Form meat into two 1"-thick patties; set aside.
• Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high (or heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat).
• Grill burgers, flipping once, until browned and cooked, about 10 minutes for medium rare. 
• In a small bowl, combine feta, arugula, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes
• Toss with the remaining oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
• Place each burger on the bottom half of a bun and top each with the vegetables and bun top.

Here is a great recipe created by Chef Terry Conlan at Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas.

 



Rosemary Pom Frets

INGREDIENTS

4 small russet potatoes
2 tablespoons, plus ¼ teaspoon,
olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1⁄4-inch wide strips. Blot dry with paper towels. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are golden and crisp.
• Warm rosemary with 1⁄4 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Toss with potatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Serves 6.
  

 

Spicy Buffalo Burgers

INGREDIENTS 2 pounds ground buffalo
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Chile Spice Blend for Burgers
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 small onion, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
Shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese (optional)
6 hamburger buns
Mayonnaise, for serving
Sliced pickles, for serving
Red-leaf lettuce, for serving
Tomato slices, for serving

Instructions:

• Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil or waxed paper, and set aside.
• Place meat in large mixing bowl.
• Add Worcestershire and Chile Spice Blend, and mix gently but thoroughly with hands until all ingredients are well incorporated. 
• Form meat into 6 equal patties, placing them on prepared baking sheet when formed.
• Preheat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil grate with some oil.
• Brush onion slices with remaining oil.
• Grill onion slices, turning occasionally, until lightly caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set aside until ready to serve the burgers.
• Place buffalo patties on grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Turn burgers over, place cheese on patties (if using) and top patties with bun top.
• Cook on second side for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place bun bottoms, cut side down, on grill briefly to toast.
• Arrange bun bottoms on large platter, cut side up.
• Top with desired condiments.
• Slide patties and bun tops onto bun bottoms.
• Serve with grilled onions.