Enjoy a local seafood celebration

April is here, which means its time to rejoice, reconnect and revive our favourite springtime creations. With our abundance of local seafood, creating light, fresh, sustainable and local springtime cuisine is easy.

Why not invite friends and family over for cocktails, local wines and a feed of seafood appetizers? The long-winded multi-course dinner parties of decades gone by are passé, and informal gatherings featuring small bites are in.

MARINATED MUSSELS

4 to 6 Servings

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 shallots

1 lb mussels, scrubbed, debearded 1/4 cup salted water

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 unpeeled garlic cloves

Sprig rosemary

2-3 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tsp peppercorn

Half lemon, zest, juice

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions: Place a large pot over medium-low heat. Add vegetable oil and shallots. Sauté until shallots are soft and translucent, about three to four minutes. Add the mussels and water, raise heat to medium and cover pot. Steam until mussels open (about eight minutes). Discard mussels that do not open. Drain, let mussels cool. When mussels are cool, remove meat from shells and place in a bowl. Discard half the shells. Wash, then wrap the rest in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Return pot to heat and add the olive oil, garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorn and lemon zest. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add paprika, lemon juice, vinegar and salt to pot. Warm. Pour warm liquid over the mussels, cover and refrigerate overnight. To serve, bring mixture back to room temperature, then spoon a mussel, with some of the liquid onto a reserved shell.

EASY SHRIMP DIP

6 to 8 Servings

8-oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cocktail sauce*

1 lb cooked local coldwater shrimp 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Directions: Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and cocktail sauce. Mix well to combine. Place in a serving dish and top with shrimp. Serve with crackers or slices of toasted baguette.

*Make your own by combining 1/3 cup ketchup, one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons prepared horseradish, dash Worcestershire sauce, and a dash, or two, of hot sauce.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BACON JAM AND MUSHROOM DUXELLES

6 to 8 Servings

24 large Digby scallops, adductor muscle removed, patted dry with paper towel

Sea salt

Freshly cracked pepper

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Fresh greens, optional, for garnish Bacon jam*

Mushroom duxelles**

Directions: Season scallops with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil. When butter is melted add half the scallops. Sear for two to three minutes on one side. They should be golden brown on top. Flip and sear for another minute. Remove scallops from pan. Repeat process. Place scallops on plate or serving platter, spoon a little bacon jam on half and mushroom duxelles on the other half. Garnish with fresh local microgreens.

*To make bacon jam, place two cups diced bacon in a pan and cook over medium heat until browned and fat is rendered. Reduce heat to mediumlow, one small onion (diced), and continue to cook until onions are soft and translucent Pour off a little of the fat. Add one cup brown sugar and one tablespoon apple cider vinegar and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Let cool. Note: you will have leftovers.

**Place a sauté pan set over medium-low heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil. When olive oil is warm, add the one finely diced shallot or half of a small onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add one clove minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (30 seconds).

Add the eight ounces chopped mushrooms and the leaves of two sprigs of thyme (or one teaspoon dried thyme). Cook until mushrooms have released liquid. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Add a splash of white wine and cook until liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a blender. Add a 1/4 cup grated hard, salty cheese such as Parmesan. Purée until smooth. Note: you may have leftovers.

TUNA AND PEA TACOS

4 Servings

1 cup peas, cooked (use frozen, if

fresh are unavailable)

1 clove garlic

1/4 cilantro, roughly chopped 1/2 lemon, juice, zest

2 dashes Tabasco

8 oz local tuna fillet 1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp ginger, minced

1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper 1 3/4 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 tbsp sesame oil

8 corn tortillas

Bramble Hill Farm Pea shoots or

any local microgreens

Lime wedges, to serve

Sea salt, to serve

Directions: Make the pea guacamole by placing peas, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro and Tabasco in a blender. Puree until smooth. Mix sesame seeds, ginger and pepper. Place on a plate. Press tuna onto the sesame seed mixture on both sides to crust. Place a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil. When oil is hot, add the tuna and sear on all sides (30 seconds per side). Remove from heat and thinly slice. Fry corn tortillas until puffy. Serve tortillas topped with a spoonful of pea guacamole, slices of tuna and top with pea shoots. Accompany with lime wedges and sea salt.

FISH CAKES

WITH BASIL AIOLI

6 to 8 Servings

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped green

onion

1 1/2 cups very finely chopped red

pepper

1/2 lb crabmeat

1/2 lb haddock, cut in small chunks 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, plus

additional for garnish

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

2 2/3 cups breadcrumbs

1/2 cup home-made mayonnaise Salt & pepper to taste

3 large eggs

6 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Basil aioli*

Directions (fish cakes): Heat the olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and sauté until the peppers are soft. Let the onion and peppers cool. In a large bowl combine the crab, haddock, chives, basil, 2/3 cup breadcrumbs and mayonnaise. Add the sautéed peppers and onions. Mix thoroughly by hand to keep the fish pieces from breaking up too much. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Measure out 1/3 cup portions of the fish mixture and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet; flatten the portions so they become two-inch in diameter discs. Place the baking sheet in fridge for an hour to chill. In a bowl whisk the eggs. In separate bowls place the remaining breadcrumbs and flour. Dredge the fish cakes in flour, then dip into the egg mixture and finally in the breadcrumbs. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat; add the vegetable oil. Place the fish cakes in the pan and cook for approximately three minutes per side. The cakes should be golden brown. Reduce the heat if the cakes begin to burn. Cook in batches until complete. To serve add a dollop of basil aioli and garnish with fresh chives.

*To make the basil aioli, place two egg yolks, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk together until the ingredients are well combined. Add 1/2 cup olive oil a drop or two at a time to the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves to the aioli and mix to combine.

Mark DeWolf is currently the creative director of food and drink at the SaltWire Network, director of marketing and communications of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and pastpresident of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS). He enjoys drinking, eating, writing and talking about wine, beer and food.