W
hile out walking one morning, I came across a half-dozen lobster traps stacked by the side of the road. That fact alone (well, that and the daydreams of cracked crimson claws and butter-brushed meat which inevitably ensued) is nearly all that’s needed to sum up Nova Scotia’s relationship with seafood. It’s not just a local delicacy or provincial export; ever-abundant and wildly varied, it’s a ubiquitous passion for those locals versed in eating for pleasure. According to Luis Clavel — the NSCCeducated chef who helms the kitchen at Seasons by Atlantica — seafood is seasonal. Now that warmer weather has arrived, “fin fish” and a number of shellfish are once again in season. “We try to utilize what’s seasonally available,” Clavel notes. Seafood is capable of highlighting the strengths of both Nova Scotia itself and its chefs — not only in the case of home kitchen gourmands, but also for professionals, Clavel points out. “A lot of our products are used in some of the best restaurants in the world,” he says, listing haddock, halibut, lobster and scallops as regional heavyweights. In fact, says Clavel, “We just did a [culinary] competition in Switzerland, and the lobster that we took — it was from Nova Scotia.” Those looking to treat themselves, or their guests, to seafood should bear in mind Clavel’s advice as far as heat exposure. “The best way to eat seafood… is at a mediumrare doneness,” he maintains. “That’s the only way to cook seafood, really.” Clavel is flexible in other respects, including cooking methods and flavour pairings. Some of his suggestions for the
latter seem nearly intuitive — bacon or maple, for instance. Another of Clavel’s preferred accents, however, is more unusual. “One of my favourite things to cook with is coconut and blueberries,” he says. “It’s a beautiful marriage, and it works well with arctic char, with scallops.” (If you enjoy exploring unfamiliar avenues in the kitchen, you may also be interested in trying your luck with sable fish or red snapper, which Clavel notes aren’t seen quite as often on Nova Scotian tables.) Clavel can even propose novel ways to lend fish and chips a new edge: “You could marinate [the fish],” he muses. “You could use a lighter approach, where you can actually bread the fish in bread crumbs, rather than a batter; you could easily also use a tempura.” Looking to raise the bar on lobster? “My favourite way to cook lobster is [… to] poach it in butter,” Clavel says. “You’re enhancing the flavour profile of the lobster, and not only that, but it also adds more fat to it… [lobster] tends to be a bit lean.” When it comes to the prototypical lobster boil, “you don’t have to cook lobster in just boiling water,” he notes. “You can use things like onion, and carrot, and garlic, and ginger.” The simple process rounds out the dish’s dimensions, Clavel explains. “If you create a boiling liquid that has beautiful flavour [… you’re] achieving a higher flavour profile.” Fish and chips shops sprinkling the city, a dozen beaches within driving distance, lobster traps stacked on the side of the road — Nova Scotia is positively immersed in seafood culture, and participating in that culture is a simple matter of enjoying a delicious meal.
FineLifestyles
HRM
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