This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
For 15 years this year, the Fourchette bleue program has been promoting marine species of the St. Lawrence that are ignored and underexploited. Long-term work that is gradually bearing fruit since Quebecers are now aware that by purchasing Atlantic halibut, blue mussels or Atlantic nori seaweed, they are contributing to local and sustainable fishing. But they are still far from knowing and using the 45 types of fish, seafood, mammals and algae on the Fourchette bleue 2024 list. We asked the general director of Explorer, Sandra Gauthier, as well as Isabelle Dupuis, chef-owner of the Le Presbytère microbrewery, located in Saint-Stanislas-de-Champlain in Mauricie, and winner of the Promotion of Quebec marine products prize last February, to select five species from the list that we absolutely must discover and prepare. Come on, everyone in the kitchen!
1. Atlantic redfish
Extensively fished until the 1970s, this bottom fish is recognizable by its bright orange color, its prominent head and the peaks on its dorsal ridge. It was subject to a moratorium until this year, but it is once again permitted to be exploited.
“As it is smaller than in the past, you need to count on 1.5 to 2 redfish per person when you want to cook it. And this, especially since 55 to 60% of its body is not flesh,” indicates chef Isabelle Dupuis, who advises keeping the uneaten parts to make a broth.
Redfish still has several interesting advantages. It is inexpensive, it scales easily, and the fact that its flesh is white, tender, lean and has a fairly neutral taste makes it a good alternative to imported tilapia. Isabelle Dupuis suggests using it as a stuffing in a more noble fish, or putting it in the oven sprinkled with flaked seaweed and drizzled with olive oil or garnished with Appalachian truffles. For her part, Sandra Gauthier prepares it in the form of croquettes, ballottines or sausages.
2. The rock crab
We talk about snow crab all the time, but the rock crab, or beach crab, is, according to the two specialists, worth discovering. “It is smaller than the snow crab, it has refined, slightly sweet flesh whose texture is between that of snow crab and lobster,” explains Sandra Gauthier.
The only fault of this species? It is difficult to dissect, even for expert hands; it actually takes half an hour to extract 70 to 75 g of flesh from one of these crustaceans. We are therefore recommended to obtain it already peeled or crumbled.
“It is delicious in a risotto or an orgetto, salads, croquettes or Asian donuts,” says the chef. However, if you buy it whole, boil it for seven minutes in salted water. And don’t forget to keep the shell to make bisque. »
3. The green sea urchin
A big favorite of our two interlocutors, this seafood with a hemispherical body lined with long, slender spines owes its green color to the algae it consumes. Picked by hand from October to December and from April to June by divers, it has until now been mainly exported to Asia. But Sandra Gauthier believes that it represents the next great discovery for Quebecers.
“His gonads — yes, we are eating his reproductive organs here! — have a texture that is firm, delicate and creamy, with an iodized and slightly sweet taste. A real delight,” she says.
You should therefore not fear its appearance and, as Isabelle Dupuis explains, open it (as is or after steaming for five minutes). Then simply detach the five gonads it contains and prepare them in different ways.
“You can serve them as an accompaniment to halibut ceviche or gravlax, or cut them into pieces and put them in pasta. We can transform them into butter, ice cream or even panna cotta,” indicates Isabelle Dupuis, who also often combines them in dishes with small red fruits.
4. Stimpson’s surfclam
A mollusk covered with a shell resembling a large clam, the Stimpson surfclam (not to be confused with the Atlantic surfclam) is fished on the North Shore and the Magdalen Islands. It is found commercially in frozen, canned or brined form.
“Its texture is a little more elastic than that of the clam, but when cooked well, the surfclam melts in the mouth,” says the chef. Its iodized taste is delicate, without bitterness or acidity. I recommend incorporating it into all the dishes that you would usually make with clams, such as puff pastries, chowders, donuts, pastas. Personally, Stimpson surfclam in a salad with strawberries and truffle oil mayonnaise, I love it. »
5. Sweet kelp
This is the wild algae from the St. Lawrence that is undoubtedly the most successful among those appearing on the Fourchette bleue 2024 list. So much so that it is now cultivated near the coasts. Its fronds resemble large lasagna noodles, its taste is both salty and sweet, and its texture crunchy. In stores, it is offered in the form of strips, flakes or powder.
“It’s a healthy ingredient [la laminaire est riche en iode, en fer, en antioxydants et en minéraux], capable of replacing salt in soups and salads. Vegetarians and vegans love the marine aspect it brings to their dishes,” explains Sandra Gauthier.
Isabelle Dupuis, for her part, sees sweet kelp as a great gastronomic asset. “It is often used in smoothies, kimchi and relish. But it is also possible to incorporate it into a donut batter or an Asian salad. You can transform it into sea bacon by putting it in the oven with a little oil, or even coat pieces of fish with it. Guaranteed visual and tasty results! »
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.