Fisherman’s Stew

I enjoy preparing this sort of meal but I was shocked to see that the shrimp were imported from Thailand!  Surely with the Atlantic ocean on our doorstep I could find it locally.  The Nova Scotia Fisheries and Acquaculture site show that shrimp fishing is alive and well in Nova Scotia.  “The Scotian Shelf shrimp fishery takes place in waters off eastern Cape Breton, primarily in the Louisbourg, Canso and Misaine holes.  The season is open year round, however, most fishing occurs from mid-March to July. The TAC is expected to be 5000 tonnes in 2006 and may increase to 6-7000 tonnes in 2007/08. The estimated value of the fishery is $4-6 million.”  Even though this statistic is 3 years old, I don’t understand why the local grocery stores don’t buy from the local fishermen.  There is a Fisherman’s Market in Bedford which carries an assortment of fish and seafood (wholesale and retail) but why should it be that consumers have to travel 30 minutes to buy locally? This makes the seafood purchase a special one and not one that you can do on a regular basis. I just found out that there’s a new ( I should say new to me) place called Local Source Market.  Local Source Market works with local food producers to bring Halifax healthy, real food.  Still, Nova Scotia pretty much is fish yet I’m having a deuce of a time trying to find a daily fishmonger on the peninsula. Is it because local fisheries are busy selling to international markets and that the small boutique market isn’t another area worth thinking about?  Is this wrong to want this, where one doesn’t have to travel a distance, where its nutritional content helps my family stay healthy and at the same time allowing for a small business to remain open?  Perhaps we need to take stock of the 100 Mile Diet (local eating for global change) and bring that local food consciousness to seafood!


Serves 4 to 6
recipe from The Food Magazine (Katie Lee’s Kitchen)
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3 tablespoons olive oil
2 anchovy fillets
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
28oz. can whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsely
500g (1 lb.) firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or mahi-mahi), cut into large pieces
6-8 little neck clams (rinsed well)
6-8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6-8 sea scallops
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil.  Add anchovies, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until anchovies begin to dissolve (about 2 minutes).  Add the garlic, onions, salt and pepper.  Saute until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes).  Stir in tomatoes and parsely.  Use a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes into bit-size pieces.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.  Return heat to medium.  Season fish with salt and pepper.  Add the fish and clams and gently stir to combine.  Cover and cook 4-5 minutes.  Add the shrimp and scallops and gently stir to combine.  Cover and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and serve immediately.


The Culinary Chase’s Note:  These flavors tickled my taste buds and I loved how the seafood wasn’t overshadowed by the tomato sauce.  Yum!