A shared love of local cuisine

by COLLEEN THOMPSON

With turmoil and tariffs in the news and a climate of economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to seek out produce grown close to home.

Supporting local isn’t just a trendy hashtag; it’s a mindset and way of life. When we eat at restaurants where chefs collaborate with producers and home cooks become mindful of where our food comes from, it circulates money back into our communities, creates jobs, and minimizes environmental impact.

“It is so much more than just looking at local,” says Chef Gabrielle LeGuerrier of GourmetGab Private Dining and Events in Halifax. “It’s about sourcing from thoughtful, sustainable farmers and suppliers focused on producing small-scale delicious ingredients. You can taste the difference when you purchase ingredients grown and produced within a few miles of you. Small-scale also often means rare and exciting. It’s a win-win. Farmers are some of the hardest-working people I know. I’m so proud to tell their stories at the table at every single interactive GourmetGab event, and I feel it’s essential to give them credit for what they produce and grow for me on the plate.”

Chef Kim MacPherson’s vision for Lupin Dining in Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S., revolves around the art of cooking with hyper-local, seasonal ingredients of the highest quality. At Lupin, simplicity is key, allowing the ingredients to take centre stage. This approach requires refined skills and a commitment to getting ingredients from nearby farmers and growers.

“Sourcing locally has been my priority since I started working in kitchens,” says MacPherson. “I grew up in farm-to-table restaurants, where it was common for farmers to drop off fresh vegetables just hours after being harvested. That deep-rooted connection to fresh, seasonal ingredients has always been second nature, especially having grown up on a farm. Growing my produce for our menus allows me to experiment with new varieties and flavours.”

For MacPherson, the experience extends beyond just sourcing. It’s about building relationships with farmers, shopping at farmers markets and engaging with producers to discover what’s in season, what’s at its peak, and what’s new. It’s in these moments where she’s forged lasting connections with some of her favourite suppliers, like earthy lion’s mane mushrooms from Maritime Gourmet, delicate pink oyster mushrooms from Mushaboom, crisp, flavourful apples from Noggins Farm, Roma Cheese and its rich, creamy Taleggio, Oulton’s humanely and sustainably raised duck, and fresh sea asparagus from local foragers. Each ingredient tells the story of Nova Scotia’s diverse food scene.

Chef Michael Smith lives that mindset too. An advocate for P.E.I. seafood and produce, he showcases the region’s world-class oysters at his Fireworks Feast at the Inn at Bay Fortune. The ember-roasted oysters smothered in house-made butter and farm-grown lovage testify to the quality ingredients, the timeless tradition of Island cooking, and Smith’s commitment to elevating the authentic flavours of P.E.I.

“Sharing local food ingredients at your table has always been a powerful way to connect with the community around you. Your family’s flavours are another family story, too,” says Smith.

Chef and owner Chris Aerni of Rossmount Inn in Chamcook, N.B., says the essence of Rossmount’s food is rooted in a sense of place. “When we say local, we mean as close to our kitchen garden

Recipes

CHEF KIM MacPHERSON’S

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower Steak

Serves 4

This vibrant, flavourful dish features roasted cauliflower steaks, perfectly seasoned with cumin and a rich, borscht-style sauce. It is complemented by white wine-braised cabbage, tender wilted chard, and a creamy finish of crème fraîche. Earthy, tangy, and savoury, each component adds its own unique texture and taste. It’s perfect for a vegetarian main course or a hearty side.

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower Steaks

1 large cauliflower cut into 4 thick steaks

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Borscht-Style Sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 large beets, peeled and grated

½ cup (125 mL) cabbage, shredded

1 small apple, peeled and diced

½ tsp (2.5 mL) caraway seeds

1 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar

½ cup (125 mL) vegetable stock

½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt

¼ tsp (1.25 mL) black pepper

White Wine Braised Cabbage

1½ cups (375 mL) green or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced

½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine

½ cup (125 mL) vegetable stock

1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter

½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt

¼ tsp (1.25 mL) black pepper

Wilted Chard

1 bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil or butter

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Garnish

¼ cup (60 mL) crème fraîche (or plain Greek yogurt)

METHOD

Roast the cauliflower steaks

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Brush both sides of the cauliflower steaks with olive oil and season with ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the cauliflower steaks for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, transfer to the oven, and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender but firm.

Make the sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the grated beet, shredded cabbage, diced apple, and caraway seeds. Cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Blend for a smooth texture. Tip: Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil when blending to make a velvety finish.

Braise the cabbage

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced cabbage and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the cabbage is tender but not mushy.

Wilt the chard

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add chard and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just wilted and season with salt and pepper. Spread the borscht sauce on the plate in an artistic splatter. Place a small mound of braised cabbage in the centre. Add a spoonful of wilted chard over the cabbage, then a roasted cauliflower steak. Dot the plate with small dollops of crème fraîche or yogurt.

______

CHEF CHRIS AERNI’S

Fresh Uni Crudo

Serves 6

Exquisite and luxurious, this dish highlights the delicate flavours of fresh sea urchins (uni) and scallops. The creamy scrambled eggs, infused with the urchin’s briny liquid, provide a rich base, while the addition of caviar and fresh herbs brings elegance and freshness to the presentation. Served in the cleaned sea urchin shells, this dish is a sophisticated appetizer, perfect for seafood lovers and those looking to add a touch of the exotic.

INGREDIENTS

6 fresh whole sea urchins

3 fresh scallops, raw, thinly sliced

1 tbsp (15 mL) Acadian caviar

2 whole eggs

3 tbsp (45 mL) cream

2 tbsp (30 mL) of butter

Fresh chives or chervil for garnish

Black pepper to taste

METHOD

To clean the urchins, gently hold them upside down in the palm of your hand (they will not sting). Use small scissors and make a hole on the underside/soft side of the urchin. Cut a round hole a little larger than the size of a golf ball into the shell. Pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Keep some of the liquid. It will provide the dish with umami flavours. Remove all the black and brown particles from the uni. Use a small espresso spoon to remove the five orange gonads very gently and set aside. Wash the uni shells clean and let dry on a plate.

Crack the eggs into a bowl, add three tablespoons of the strained liquid and the cream, and beat it with a whisk or fork for half a minute and season with black pepper.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, scramble the eggs gently. Remove from heat when the eggs are still runny.

Fill the sea urchin shells with the scrambled eggs and evenly lay the scallop slices on top of the eggs and top them with the sea urchin pieces. Garnish with caviar and fresh chervil or chives.

If desired, add a tiny tip of a knife of wasabi to the dish for those who like it spicy.

Did you know?

Sea urchin harvesting in Atlantic Canada kicks off in late fall and continues to early spring. Suited-up divers hand-pick these spiky treasures from the ocean floor to ensure quality and sustainability. Most of the harvest heads straight to Japan, where it’s a sought-after delicacy and fetches a premium price on the market. Check with your local seafood market or grocery store seafood section for availability. Trying them for the first time? Tell us what you think at saltscapes.com/contact-us

______

CHEF GABRIELLE LeGUERRIER’S

Saint-Jacques à la Crème de Spinach et Récolte Locale

Serves 4

This French-style St Jacques recipe was created for a Parisian birthday celebration in Nova Scotia and highlights many local ingredients: seared Afishionado scallops, Snowyriver garlic, vibrant Taproot Farms spinach, lemony Abundant Acres Farm radish, butter from Cows Creamery, fresh cream from Knoydart, Coastal Grove Farms chive blossoms, and Halifax Greens pea shoots.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Afishionado scallops sea salt and pepper

2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

4 yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 tbsp (45 mL) Cow’s Creamery butter, cubed

1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy mustard

1 lemon

1 small bunch of Abundant Acres radishes

1 cup (250 mL) of Knoydart Farm cream

2 cloves Snowy River Farms garlic

1 bay leaf

1 small bag of Taproot Farms spinach Chive blossoms and pea shoots to garnish

METHOD

Place fresh scallops between two sheets of paper towel to remove any moisture.

Place a small pot on a low heat with cream, garlic and bay leaf.

Peel and halve the potatoes. Cover in water and put on the stove to boil. Cook until a knife inserted goes quickly through the potato. Drain and mash. Add the cubed butter, mustard, and juice from half a lemon, and season generously.

Place the garlic-infused cream in a blender, adding your thoroughly washed spinach. Blend on high until smooth. Season generously.

Pre-heat a cast iron pan to high and season scallops with sea salt. When the pan is smoking, place scallops in the pan with canola oil. Do not touch until a golden line is formed. Remove from the pan and onto a fresh paper towel. Thinly slice the radishes and mix with a touch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.

Plate your scallops and potatoes and add vibrant spinach cream. Lastly, garnish with pea shoots, radish, and chive flowers.