We received a sample pack of Skipper Otto’s canned fish and dehydrated sea vegetables. All of Skipper Otto’s fish are sustainably caught in the wild off the British Columbia coast and canned with their own nutritious oils. The seaweeds are harvested by hand in Haida Gwaii. We thought the products were excellent. Here are some of the ways we used them.
CANNED FISH
- Wild Pink Salmon. No salt added.
Canned it its own oil with skin and bone included. The calcium rich bones are so soft that they don’t need to be picked out, and if you don’t mind the dark colour of the skin, it too is full of nutrients. Without salt, the flavour of the fish really shines in kedgeree, an Anglo-Indian dish of rice and fish that is delicious hot or cold. Brits typically make kedgeree with kippers, which are smoked herrings, so Skipper Otto’s smoked chum salmon would also work beautifully here.
- Wild Smoked Chum Salmon
Skipper Otto catches all five species of salmon: coho, chinook, sockeye, chum and pink. Chum has a milder taste than other species but smoking it is really ramps up the flavour. We paired it with softly scrambled eggs and oven roasted cherry tomatoes.
- Wild Albacore Tuna
This was full flavoured but a little dry straight out of the can but mixed with a little sesame oil and a pinch of schichmi togarashi made a delicious filling for sushi.
- Wild Albacore Tuna. No Salt Added
Ditto for texture (a little dry) but full-flavoured enough to shine in a mayo-based filling for a Spanish-style stuffed tomato tapa that we finished with chive oil and tomato water.
- Wild Smoked Albacore Tuna
This product added delicious hints of woodsmoke to a Nicoise-style composed salad and stood up well to the bold flavours of black olives and a zingy lemon vinaigrette.
SEA VEGETABLES
- Wakame Flakes
It’s great to be able to buy high quality wakame that has been harvested locally instead of being shipped from Japan. It is fresh tasting and crunchy made into a Japanese-style salad.
- Giant Kelp Flakes
Homemade cream cheese slathered on toasted baguette and sprinkled with a confetti of kelp flakes. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or whenever you need a snack with a hit of umami.
- Kombu Flakes
Kombu is a natural source of msg and a flavour enhancing addition to vegetable ferments. We layered a few strips into a batch of kimchi that matured on the counter for 7 days, with excellent results.
Click here to learn how Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery supports Canadian fishing families and ensures the survival of precious ocean resources.
