Read this blog post (the oceans will thank you)

On the heels of another great event put on by the Vancouver Aquarium -- this one the Ocean Wise Tides of Change taster at Luma restaurant in Toronto, I got to thinking, as I do whenever the Ocean Wise crew comes to town, that we should all really be doing more.
For starters, I should be eating only sustainable fish and seafood, and in turn, should be developing more recipes to share with you that put tasty sustainable heroes at the centre of the plate. I’ve also put the Chatelaine test kitchen on notice, and going ahead we’re going to develop dishes using responsibly sourced fish and seafood products as much as possible.

I’ve been a longtime admirer of the cause. Having an Unsung Heroes dinner with David Suzuki a few years back was a great example of highlighting both the importance and the deliciousness of some virtually ignored species. After all, change has got to taste great or there will be no change. 

So, whether I’m bloodworming in Yarmouth or trying to understand what sustainable certification really means, or am taking the plunge in the icy waters of Norway, I’m always on the hunt for new and exciting oceanic treats.

The good news is, so far, the news is good: There are innovators out there bringing new species back from the brink and raising them in new, smart ways. 

Leafing through the handout from the Ocean Wise event at Luma, I learned that an estimated 90% of all large, predatory fish are gone from the world’s oceans and that we’re eating more seafood than ever before. At the same time, it’s heartening to know that 91% of Canadians want their seafood to be sustainable, and that Canada-wide purveyors are answering the call (sort of like Aquaman?) 

In Toronto there’s Hooked, Fishbar, The One that Got Away, and Off the Hook, while Vancouver has Blue Water Café (which gets top marks for its annual special Unsung Heroes menu), and Go Fish, while Victoria has Red Fish, Blue Fish – to name just a few. Ocean Wise has over 450 Canada-wide partners, so finding good eats shouldn’t be difficult: Just download the free Ocean Wise app to start making smart buying choices (or go to oceanwise.ca), and you’ll see that there’s much to learn and eat. 

And right now, that’s exactly what enjoying great fish and seafood boils down to. Education is key to successful sustainable cooking and eating.

This just in: Unsung Heroes Festival

Last year I had the pleasure of tucking into a sustainable seafood feast with the renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki at a white-linened table at the Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar in Vancouver’s Yaletown. Before long our waitress was sounding off the parade of creatures and creations on the icy three-tiered dinner before us. “Here we have jellyfish salad and a two-pound Dungeness crab,” she began. “This is a sockeye salmon roll, there are prawns with cocktail sauce, here is albacore tuna, this is some lovely sea urchin and we also have a bay scallop ceviche – local scallops done with a bit of pink grapefruit.” She took a deep breath and continued to point out the Kusshi oysters in the middle and Fanny Bay oysters below. The halibut tataki and some lovely honey mussels.

But once a year the Blue Water Café’s executive chef Frank Pabst takes sustainable dining a step further, by creating a special Unsung Heroes menu. This year it runs for the month of January.

A champion of B.C.'s coastal fisheries, chef Pabst created the Unsung Heroes six years ago, the concept? “Avoid species that are over-fished, or fished in ways that damage ocean beds or cause unnecessary by-catch, by introducing diners to new experiences and flavours using species found in abundance.” Ten percent of the Unsung Heroes menu proceeds will be donated to the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program of which Blue Water Cafe is a founding member.

Here’s what’s on the menu. Let me know if anything is particularly good and I’ll try it when I’m back in Vancouver for the Olympics next month.

TASTING PLATES

Red Sea Urchin: taglierini with red sea urchin sauce and broccoli flowers

Herring Roe: kombu seaweed, bonito flakes, dashi, soy

Mackerel: beetroot, walnuts and golden raisins, aged balsamic vinegar

Octopus: ceviche with avocado, cilantro, lime and jalapeno, bell pepper salad

Humboldt Squid: braised in tomato red wine sauce with potatoes, black olives and parsley

Sardine: stuffed with green chard, artichokes and pine nuts, garlic citrus caramel

Mirugai Ubuki: geoduck sashimi with tama miso sauce

Herring: smoked with pickled honeycrisp apples, coleslaw, cucumber aquavit sauce

Sea Cucumber: stir-fry with fresh vegetables, shiitake mushrooms and hoisin sauce

Jellyfish: marinated with sesame oil and togarashi, cucumber daikon salad

Periwinkles: cooked in a court bouillon, served with aioli

Wakame: seaweed salad with leeks and radishes, soy, dijon and olive oil dressing

A sustainable podcast

Melanie Coates is the coolest chick you'll ever meet. She's the top PR gal at the Fairmont Royal York, where I bumped into her yesterday at an event heralding the launch of the Ocean Wise seafood program -- a big, smart sustainable hit out west -- in Ontario. I'll write more about it in a future Dish column. 

I like the Canadian-owned Fairmont chain. They do good work (bees on the rooftop, excellent greening programs at most of their hotels), much of it behind the scenes. 

They've also got their own radio station, called Radio Royal York. Isn't that cheeky? Even better, Melanie is its host. And, judging by her radio voice, if she ever gave up her day job, Mel could make a killing as a sex phone operator. This week's podcast is on Ocean Wise. Listen in.

In other news, while we're on the topic of the historic Royal York hotel, I'd like to point out that while the National Nosh's next Recipe Monday will likely feature a delicious Passover dish, I'm well aware that there's another big holiday on the horizon. 

And to show that I'm an inclusive Jewess, here is some info all of you Toronto-based Easter celebrating friends can use in the week or so ahead...

The Fairmont Royal York is bringing back their Easter to Go dinner. Straight from their kitchens, the culinary brigade is set to prepare traditional Easter dinners with all the trimmings. Dinners include:

Starter

Cream of spring asparagus soup with sun-dried tomatoes and chives

Main

Roast leg of spring lamb, rosemary pinot noir sauce, mint jelly, roast potatoes and caramelized root vegetable medley

OR

Boneless honey-glazed ham, roast potatoes, tomato apricot chutney and caramelized root vegetable medley. 

Dessert

Chocolate easter eggs filled with while chocolate Grand Marnier mousse 

Meals can be prepared for 4-18 people, starting at $115 for the ham supper for 4. Call 416-860-5050 for more info or to place your orders. 

And enjoy your lamb while I'm choking down matzo.