Sea Food, and Eat It!

Beautiful North Rustico Harbor in Prince Edward Island (PEI) has long been home to a thriving lobster industry; Amanda and I were lucky to call this place home for one magical week.

Lobster boats line the harbor shore, each one with a corresponding shack.  Lobster traps are neatly stacked on the docks in the wake of  lobster season, which runs from April to June.  The fishmongers hold lobsters in tanks during the off-season to sell throughout the year and our Uncle Stephen scored some of the local catch for us to crack into.

The lobsters that hail from the waters North of PEI are considered some of the sweetest around and we found that they have a lovely firm and flavorful meat as well.  It is well-known among the fishermen and locals that the smaller lobsters, no larger than two pounds, yield the sweetest and most tender meat.

When it came to cooking the lobsters, Stephen enthusiastically plunged our lobsters into the pot and boiled  them according to the local method which we put to the test.  It is officially foolproof!   Add 1½ pound lobsters to plenty of boiling salted water, cover, and wait until the water regains its boil.  Then set the timer for 10 minutes (add an extra 1 minute per pound of lobster). When the lobsters emerge from the pot bright red and steaming, allow them to rest on their back for 10 minutes to help retain their juiciness.

After a little effort with a pair of lobster crackers, the meat was very juicy indeed.  The texture was wonderfully sweet and firm from claw-to-tail and flavored with a cool, deep-ocean freshness.  With a dip in melted butter and lemon juice, the eating was superb!

We accompanied this lobster feast with fluffy egg fritatta filled with beautifully fresh and local PEI potatoes and garlic scapes.  Garlic scapes are the green tops from young garlic plants.  Gardeners are obliged to clip them so that the the garlic bulb is able to develop.  They also taste great and can be used just like scallions.

Any assortment of vegetables can be substituted or added to this fritatta.  Ham, bacon, or salmon makes a nice addition, just make sure all the ingredients are cooked to your liking before adding the eggs and baking in the oven.  Fritattas are wonderfully diverse and taste great hot from the oven, room temperature, or even cold; they can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Potato and Garlic Scape Frittata (Feeds: 4 people)
1 Tbsp	Butter
1/2 ea	Spanish onion, sliced
2 cups	Potatoes, large dice
1 cup	Garlic scapes, sliced (or scallions)
8 ea	Eggs, beaten
1 tsp	Salt
1/2 tsp	Black pepper
-Melt butter in a 10 inch skillet. -Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring on medium heat until potatoes and onions are lightly browned and potatoes are cooked through. -Stir in the garlic scapes (or scallions if using) and cook for 1 minute until just softened. -Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese onto the vegetables. -Season beaten eggs with salt and pepper and pour into the pan over the cheesy vegetables and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. -Place the whole pan into 350d F. oven and bake until puffy and the top is lightly browned (about 25-30 minutes). -Run a spatula round the edge of the pan to loosen fritatta, flip into cutting board, and slice.
Source: ChefsOnTheRoad.com

Freshness of produce and seafood on PEI is paramount and the islanders are passionate about producing and procuring the best of both.

PEI freshness was abound in the meal Aunt Karen cooked for us our first night on the island.  She baked a delicious tray of  hake–a firm and flaky white fish that is shipped in daily from Nova Scotia, with plenty of local butter.

Mashed potatoes made from fresh PEI’s hand-dug spuds have an inherent sweetness and rich, earthy flavor that needs little embellishment. As an accompaniment, she quickly sautéed fresh vegetables retaining their sweet and satisfying snap.

Using fresh ingredients make cooking easy because the food already tastes great from the start!  Here in PEI, where farming and fishing is a way of life, you never have to go far to find the best land and sea has to offer!