Fresh hook & line caught haddock from Nova Scotia
When I went into work this week, I didn’t expect to find a real farmers’ market set up in our office building lobby. Nevertheless, that’s just what I found this Wednesday afternoon: vendors selling organic farm produce, fruit, eggs, local cheeses and honey, traditionally raised pastured meats, and fresh fish. Apparently, my employer has arranged for an on-site weekly farmers’ market during the summer months and I think it’s one of the best and forward-thinking perks I’ve seen to date! This is ultra-convenience in a busy world. I’m planning to come armed weekly with cloth bags, a cooler bag lined with ice, and enough cash to stock up.
One of the items I picked up last Wednesday was some fresh hook and line-caught haddock from Nova Scotia. Having just returned from a trip to Halifax in that very province, my taste buds were already missing the incredible pan-fried haddock that was available in most of the better downtown pubs (imbibing on Keiths beer as a treat probably helped the whole taste experience). Goldwater Seafoods was the fish vendor, a company that specializes in Nova Scotia shellfish and cold-water groundfish. Their haddock is purchased from local fishermen who use traditional methods of hook and line for their catch – ensuring sustainability and environmental responsibility. These fishers use smaller fishing vessels and make day trips (max 2 days), allowing the fresh fish to be stored in seawater and ice in special slush tanks right on the boat. The haddock is then hand cut into fillets.
The resulting product bears no resemblance to the fish I find at my supermarket (most of which comes from China’s fish farms, whose waterways are highly polluted). Knowing the dangers of contaminated and unhealthy seafood that comes out of the factories of Asia has made me a much more discerning consumer, so I still can’t believe my luck in having access to safe and sustainable fish right at my office door!
Here’s what I did with my first set of haddock fillets:
Poached Haddock over Greens
Marinade Ingredients: 2 T lemon juice 2 T orange juice Fresh ginger, grated 2 t sesame oil 1 T olive oil 1 T Tamari wheat-free soy sauce2 fresh haddock or halibut fillets 1 bunch of fresh black kale, rinsed 2 carrots, sliced 1/4 c onion, finely chopped 1 ripe tomato, chopped black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced olive oil
i. In a glass dish, mix the marinade ingredients of lemon and orange juice, sesame oil, olive oil, Tamari soy and grated ginger. Add the fish fillets and marinate for at least 20 minutes in the fridge.
ii. Wash the kale well and remove the tough stems (fold each leaf over lengthwise and cut out the stem with a sharp knife.) I used black kale in this recipe that I obtained from the market, but any kale will do. Chop the kale, onions and carrots to prepare them for stir-frying.
ii. In a large flat-bottom pan, saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the carrots and some fresh minced garlic and stir-fry until the flavors start to mix and the carrots have begun to heat. Next, add the freshly-chopped kale and stir all the ingredients together.
iii. Add some water to the bottom of the pan and allow steam to rise. Finally, arrange the fillets carefully on top of the kale, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes (do not overcook).
Any white fish will work with this recipe, including halibut or cod.
That sounds great! Send a shipment! love me some fish!