Gone are the days when authentic Canadian food consisted of Stuffed Whale Breasts and Steamed Muskrat Legs. Canadian cuisine has grown and matured with the people who inhabit this place, and because the country is so vast and changing, there are a variety of local specialties.
Canada also has the largest amount of coastline in the world, with 202,080 kilometres, so it’s safe to say that seafood is a big part of many Canadian diets.
That said, your local recipe of the week is Fish Stew. It’s a versatile recipe, so it’s
easy to cater the stew to wherever you live.
Vegetable Base (the most important part!)
2 large yellow onions, chopped coarsely
6 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 cup fennel bulb (white part only), chopped
2 cups yellow potato (such as Yukon Gold), chopped and rinsed
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tbsp fennel seeds
Combine ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until onions become tender.
Soup’s On (give it a little umph!)
2 cups diced plum tomatoes (about eight)
1-2 cups white wine (something fresh and crisp)
2 bay leaves
4 cups fish stock (store bought is fine!)
2 tbsp fresh dill
Zest of one lemon (and a splash of the juice)
Salt and pepper to taste
Add ingredients to simmering mixture in pot. Stir well and let it cook for about half an hour.
The Finishing Fish (this adds the “Fish” to Fish Stew)
3 cups of seafood (it’s up to you! If going with fish, stick to a cold water fish such as halibut, cod, salmon, or haddock. Throw in lobster, crab, scallops – even shrimp! Whatever you prefer.)
Add the seafood and cook just until cooked through.
On Saturday we’ll be moving south to find out what goodies the United States has to offer – do you know of anything special? What areas offer exquisite culinary delights? Do you have a truly American recipe? Let me know!