Celebrate and savour spring
Seeking solace from isolation has in great part been through food. It provides a sense of warmth and comfort and is evident in the amount of people who have taken to baking while flattening the curve.
Nourishment can also be taken from nature through walks and breathing fresh air where we can bask in the verdant and colourful explosions of spring, bringing with it a great sense of hope for brighter days ahead.
I’m snipping first-of-the-season herbs from my garden, and my peas are finally peeking through the soil. Planning out this year’s garden with an eye on future nourishment is a meaningful distraction right now.
And judging by the empty shelves where seed packets once stood, it would appear we are taking to gardening like we have making sourdough. Around the world, spring has always been a time of celebration and even though we cannot get physically together with friends and extended family, we should not lose sight of marking its passage.
It can be a simple drive to bask in the Okanagan orchards in full bloom, or walking through one’s neighbourhood to see what’s flowering. It can also extend to the table.
Out of the starting gate of seasonality in the marketplace, we’re seeing a lot of asparagus. The thinner they are the less time they need to cook, and the bigger varieties take well to the grill with nothing but a squeeze of lemon juice, an anointing of olive oil and sea salt.
The wild foragers among us are finding wild varieties in our region, along with nettles and morel mushrooms, and hopefully we’ll see some available through the Penticton Farmers' Market soon.
From our ocean, now is the season for halibut. Normally, beginning in March, a fervour would descend through marketing, driven home by restaurants with celebratory menus and features heralding the world’s biggest flatfish.
With restaurants, many of them small and independently run, trying to stay afloat through take-out and meal kits, it’s understandable that celebrating halibut is rather a low priority at the moment. But the halibut fisheries are also small and independently run and while it’s important to still support our restaurants, we can also partake in the fisherman’s livelihood by cooking a meal of it.
Flown in direct from the deep sea off Haida Gwaii, sustainable and Ocean Wise halibut filet and cheeks are available through Buy The Sea, a reputable, independent seafood purveyor serving
Penticton since 1992.
Owners Mike and Samantha Stokes are respectful of their products, displaying their fish and seafood on ice, not sitting in a pool of water, and will cut to order, debone or remove the skin free, along with packing your fish to-go along with ice to keep it cold. If you’re at a loss for cooking inspiration, Buy The Sea also keeps a handy roster of free recipes for customers to kickstart cooking fun.
Halibut is a lean, white fish with a mild, sweet taste, low in sodium, fat and calories, and freezes well. It lends itself to all sorts of treatments from curries to teriyaki, and yes, it is dear in price, but a little can go a long way.
For example, you can pair it with clams in a simple lemon and white wine broth, or ginger and orange, or a splash of cream with mustard and chives. For burgers, you can use trim mixed with the extra heft of bread crumbs, egg, green onion or shallots and herbs. And the bones, when available get your dibs in early - make a wonderful fish stock.
When cooked, the halibut flesh loses its translucency and becomes opaque. A good rule of thumb is, when ready, it will feel slightly firm – not hard (a sign it's overcooked) and not soft (not cooked enough). The cheeks, somewhat like scallops in texture and shape, are lovely grilled or panfried, and cook quickly.
Another valuable source for halibut information and fantastic recipes is through the website, wildpacifichalibut.com. You can choose from a vast array of sophisticated recipes from some of B.C.’s top chefs including Ned Bell.
A long-time advocate and ambassador for sustainable seafood, chef Bell is also breathing new life into the historic
Naramata Inn as co-owner. This exciting change is also worth celebrating, so in honor of both the Inn and his talents at the stove, I chose his recipe from the website for halibut paired with the springtime bounty of baby spinach and peas.
Seared halibut nestles on top of a puree of peas and spinach with a bit of cream with sautéed peas, alongside my choice of lightly steamed asparagus with lemon. To make it more festive, I dusted off the good plates and cutlery, ironed some linen napkins and used herbs from my garden as garnish.
Now is the season, dive in and celebrate spring the best way you can.
With fork and pen in hand, and a passion for culinary adventure, Shelora Sheldan, a Penticton writer, cook and traveller, goes in search of the delectable.