Bon Appetit! WWF-Canada staff's favourite sustainable seafood recipes

In 2008, with support from WWF, Loblaw announced the most ambitious sustainable seafood policy we know of worldwide – by the end of 2013, all seafood in their stores across Canada would be on the track to sustainability.  This campaign, called Oceans for Tomorrow, includes fresh, frozen, canned and smoked; wild and farmed; fish and shellfish; freshwater and marine.  And not only seafood, but products containing fish ingredients, found in nearly every aisle of the supermarket.
Over 75 seafood products, for sale at stores across Canada, are now certified to the high environmental standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

MSC-certified salmon, on a shelf at Loblaw. (C) Loblaw Companies Limited.

I asked our staff here at WWF-Canada, along with our friends on Facebook and Twitter, what their favourite sustainable seafood recipes are. This week, why not pop by your local Loblaw, pick up some MSC-certified fish and try one of them tonight!
 
A few of our favourite recipes:

“My daughter-in-law turned me onto an easy and tasty way to bake wild caught salmon fillets. Simply, mix up equal parts fresh chopped dill with your favorite brand mayonnaise. Season with a squeeze of lemon and smother each fillet before baking 350 degrees until cooked, which depending upon the thickness of the pieces can take approximately 15 minutes. Enjoy!” -Bev Tornberg, Oceans Program Coordinator, WWF-Canada

“I can’t get enough salmon! My favorite ‘get-some-food-in-my-belly-I-just-got-home-from-work-and-the-gym’ meal is a quick and easy baked salmon – thanks to mom, plus my very own Canadian twist. Line a pan with tin foil and place a clean piece of salmon in the middle. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some dill, a few drops of fresh lemon juice, lay on a splash of Jack Daniels or Vermouth if you have it, and top with a drizzle of maple syrup. Play around with the amounts of each ingredient to make it to your own! Bake at 350 for approx 15 minutes. The rule is 10 minutes per inch (thickness) of fish, but it varies a bit. Pair with anything – I like cous cous. Bon appetite!” -Steph Morgan, Partnerships and Development Coordinator, WWF-Canada

“I used to broil fish in the oven, but it was always a bit tricky.  If I got distracted the fish would burn, setting off the smoke alarm and stinking up the kitchen.  Instead, I’ve learned that you can simply bake the fish at a low temperature of 250 degrees, but for thirty minutes.  Works every time, as long as the fish is fully thawed before you put it in the oven.  You can add whatever flavouring you like.  I take pieces of MSC-certified Pacific salmon and drizzle a bit of olive oil, a few coarse salt granules and a pinch of fennel seeds.  That’s all.  You don’t get the crisp finish that you get in the broiler, but the texture throughout the fish will be good, and the overall flavour is better.” – Martin von Mirbach, Director of the Canadian Arctic Program, WWF-Canada

“Cheesy Herring. This is one of my nearly-bare-cupboard-&-fridge recipes. Add some sliced potatoes(any kind) and ground black pepper to a large pan coated with an oil suitable for frying (e.g. canola). When the potatoes are nearly ready, stir in chopped spinach (fresh or frozen) &/or sundried tomatoes to taste. Then add a tin or two of boneless smoked herring fillets (including the oil in the tin) and some shredded part-skim mozzarella. Mix it all up and make sure the cheese has melted before serving as a one dish meal. Refrigerate what’s leftover and have it for lunch a day or two later.” – Deb Trefts, Senior Officer, Sustainable Seafood, WWF-Canada.

“One of my favourites is lemon parsley roasted fish. First mix chopped fresh parsley, lemon rind and juice, a dash of salt and hot pepper flakes and a couple of crushed cloves of garlic. Pat four white fish fillets (maybe tilapia or basa) dry and coat with the parsley mixture. Next, arrange the fish on a greased toaster oven pan and scrape any remaining parsley mixture on top. Roast in a 450 degree toaster oven until the fish flakes easily, about 10 minutes.” – Sara Oates, Vice President – Finance, WWF-Canada

“I make a Thai noodle salad with smoked tuna or tuna steak, depending on which I have in the house.”  – Cheryl Kinkaid, WWF-Canada Facebook fan.

(C) Loblaw Companies Limited.

“I love cedar-plank salmon (MSC certified of course).  It’s so easy.  You soak the cedar plank (which you can get in the fish section) in the sink for about 20 minutes.  Heat up the grill to medium.  Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and rub with salt, pepper, lime juice, and some herbs (whatever you fancy).  Stick the plank on the grill for a few minutes, so it starts to smoke, then slide on your salmon fillets (skin-side down).  Let them smoke in there for 5-7 minutes, until just flakey.  Serve with corn on the cob and a green salad and, yum, dinner is served!” —Jessie Sitnick, Head of Strategic Communications, WWF-Canada

Bon appetit!