‘Beautiful, fitting legacy’
John Bil shared his passion for and knowledge about fish in a posthumously published book, ‘Ship to Shore,’ available at The Bookmark
John Bil had a passion for seafood.
The late Canadian restauranteur took every opportunity he could to share it with others.
Whether he was convincing a guest to try a raw oyster for the first time at Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto or to sample P.E.I. mussels cooked in vermouth, shallots and garlic at his former restaurant, Ship to Shore in Darnley, P.E.I, his enthusiasm for seafood inspired people to try new varieties and discover how delicious they could be.
“I love the stuff and I want you to, as well,” he once said.
Bil died this past January, but his passion for the delicacies lives on in a new book, “Ship to Shore: Straight Talk from the Seafood Counter.”
Available this month from the Bookmark in Charlottetown, the book is chock-full of knowledge about worldwide seafood and helpful information on how to make smart and formed decisions about buying and consuming it.
“I want you to get excited about the vast amount of amazing fish that’s out there,” writes Bil in the introduction of the 305-page book, which was published posthumously by House of Anansi Press in Toronto.
“My goal is to demystify fish, to give you the confidence to branch out, to convince you to buy fish that you may not have considered.”
Featuring colour photographs by Rick O’Brien and Sheila Flaherty (Bil’s wife) as well as an introduction by chef/author Frédéric Morin, “Ship to Shore: Straight Talk from the Seafood Counter,” is a labour of love, says the author’s longtime friend, John Petcoff.
“John was very thoughtful, intense and dedicated to this work. And the book is a beautiful, fitting legacy to a person who made his mark in the seafood industry, not only in Canada but in the U.S., as well,” says Petcoff, co-owner of Oyster Boy in Toronto.
The book includes some delicious recipes — 50 in all — from Bil’s own kitchen. They range from East Coast favourites like fried steamer clams to an Italian staple like whole baby octopus with tomatillo salsa.
If you take a few minutes to read between the lines, the book offers so much more.
“It’s also a book about the seafood industry. It contains valuable information on how to buy, care for and prepare food. It could almost be a textbook for household (use) or people aspiring to work in the industry.”
Here are two recipes to try:
Fried Steamer Clams
1 clams, kg (2 purged lb) live steamer thoroughly (soft-shell)
150 mL (²/3 cup) all-purpose flour 150 mL (²/3 cup) fine corn flour 7 mL (1½ tsp) baking powder 5 mL (1 tsp) salt
200 mL (¾ cup + 5 tsp) light-flavoured beer or soda water
15 g (0.5 oz) picked fresh thyme leaves 3 L (12 cups) vegetable oil
Fill a large pot with a tight-fitting lid with ½ inch of water. Cover with the lid and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water starts to boil, carefully place all clams in the pot. Cover and cook until clams have opened widely and firmed up a bit, about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that didn’t open. Strain cooking liquid, let cool, and save for another day; it will keep for at least 4 days in the fridge (steamer “clam juice” is the most versatile and delicious clam juice — perfect for chowders and pasta dishes). Using your fingers, pluck out the clam meat. Pull off the “socks” (the black skin covering the siphons) and discard. Place clams on a baking sheet lined with paper towel and set aside to dry until ready to use.
In a shallow bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Slowly whisk in beer or soda and mix just until smooth (don’t overmix, as you want to retain some of the fizziness). Stir in thyme. Set aside.
In a medium pot, heat vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F).
Using a fork, dip clams, one by one, first into the batter and then into the hot oil. Work in small batches, perhaps 6 clams at a time. Fry each batch for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer fried clams to a platter lined in paper towel. Repeat until all clams have been cooked.
Serve hot, with lemon.
Serves 4 as an appetizer
Source: “Ship to Shore: Straight Talk from the Seafood Counter” by John Bil
Oysters with Leeks and Bacon
12 large East Coast oysters, rinsed 22 mL (1½ tbsp) butter 1 large or 2 small leeks, finely minced
100 g (3.5 oz) slab double-smoked bacon, cut into small cubes
45 mL (3 tbsp) dry white wine 45 mL (3 tbsp) beef stock
45 mL (3 tbsp) heavy or whipping (35 per cent) cream
15 g (0.5 oz) finely chopped fresh thyme leaves (1 or 2 sprigs, picked)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F).
Over a bowl (to collect “liquor” or juice), shuck oysters and set aside. Wash the rounded halves of the shells and arrange, shucked-side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven, to warm.
In a skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks and bacon, and cook for about 8 minutes, until onion is softened but not browned and bacon is cooked through. Add wine and beef stock and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in cream. Cook for about 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Add the oyster meat and thyme and remove from heat. Remove pan from oven and spoon an oyster and some of the cream mixture into each shell. Return to oven and heat for an additional 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your oysters. You want the edges of the oyster to “frill” up, and the sauce to bubble in the shells. Remove the pan from the oven and serve hot. Serves 2 as an appetizer
Source: “Ship to Shore: Straight Talk from the Seafood Counter” by John Bil