SMOKED BUTTER SEAL RECIPE

SMOKED BUTTER SEAL

RECIPE CREDIT – SIMON MATHYS, EXECUTIVE CHEF: MANITOBA

In the first episode of “The Chef’s Seal” we introduced you to Executive Chef Simon Mathys of Restaurant Manitoba and his delicious “Smoked Butter Seal” (Price : $16.00). Now we want to show you how to make this recipe at home (or at least give it the ol’ college try)!

Although the recipe does require a little effort to find the accompanying herbs and plants, it does not have a lot of cooking and is fairly easy to prepare for the whole family.

One seal loin is equal to about 5-6 portion.

INGREDIENTS – SEAL FILLET:

50 g of seal fillet (each fillet should make two-three servings depending on size)
3 tbsp. of butter
A pinch of fleur de sel

INGREDIENTS FOR DRY “DIP”:

3 tbsp. Roasted buckwheat
A pinch of Oxalis
A pinch of daylily buds
A pinch of dried sagebrush
A pinch of dried calendula flowers

SMOKED BUTTER:

If you have a smoker, you can make smoked butter yourself. Just put the butter in a dish and put in the smoker for about 1 hour. Make sure the butter is melted before you add it to the seal fillet. If you do not own a smoker, you can simply melt the butter in the microwave.

PREPARATION:

Sear the seal fillet in a very hot pan. Add oil before cooking the filet. It needs to be served very rare, similar to a “blue” cook on a steak. Sear the outside very well for about two minutes on each side. Let rest for 4-5 minutes. Click here for our Seal Loin Tataki Recipe and for the Recipe Video!
Slice the seal fillet into very thin slices.
Place the sliced seal fillet on a plate, arrange them as you see in the above photo.
Place the roasted buckwheat next to the seal, followed by the remaining ingredients in the “dry dip.”
Add about two tablespoons of the smoked butter over the seal meat.
Finish with a pinch of fleur de sel.
Serve and enjoy! At Restaurant Manitoba, Chef Simon Mathys encourages patrons to enjoy this meal with your hands, paying homage to how seal is traditionally enjoyed here in Canada. Simply grab a slice of seal with your fingers and run it through the “dry dip.” Deliciousness follows.

Where to find:

SeaDNA Seal Loin (*Recommended to call ahead to ensure availability)

Montreal:
Poissonnerie la Mer
1840 René-Lévesque Blvd East
Montreal, QC
(514) 522-3003 (ext. 231)

Quebec City:
Poisson d’Or
960 Cartier Avenue
Quebec, QC
(581) 300-1510

Other stores where to buy seal meat.

Dry Dip Ingredients
(These could be a little harder to find. Feel free to experiment with herbs that have similar flavour profiles)

Roasted Buckwheat:

Can be found at many specialty and normal supermarkets. Examples in Montreal: AVRIL SUPERMARKET SANTÉ or at ALIMENTS TRIGONE.

Oxalis:

You can find this flowering plant in many forests across North America. The edible herb has an acidic flavour profile. This can be harder to find but is available via foraging or contacting local plant stores.

Daylily:

This wild flower is both delicious and fragrant. Available at many local plant and flower stores

Sagebrush (Wormwood or mugwort):

This plant brings an earthy, herbal boost to the dish. This is the plant that can create Absinthe. Can be found at local plant and flower stores.

Calendula (Marigold):

Known for a similar taste to saffron, the flowers bring a unique color and taste. A common garden staple, it can also be found at specialty markets and local plant and flower stores.

JERKY BETTER WITH SEADNA SEAL JERKY

Posted On August 7, 2018 By Ingrid Vaugeois In SEAL MEAT / No Comments

We all jerky for different reasons.

Some of us jerky because we need a quick energy boost to get us through the day.

Some of us jerky because our activities take us to places where jerky becomes a critical nutrition source where few others are available.

Some of us jerky because it is an amazing source of protein and nutrition.

Some of us jerky because…well…we just love jerky!

But no matter why you jerky – it’s time to upgrade your snack game with SeaDNA Seal Jerky.

The NORTH JERKY isn’t just a truly Canadian product, it’s a true superfood that destroys the competition when it comes to nutrition. Don’t just take our word for it though, compare these values to what you can find in your favourite jerky:

It isn’t just about protein. It’s about the nutrients you find alongside it as well. Iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc are all elements most of us need more of in our diet to help us perform at our best. Many even turn to supplements to find them, which are far less efficient than food-based sources like SeaDNA Seal Jerky.

Our country’s best athletes know these facts when choosing their jerky. And the nutrition and great smoky taste of chipotle, maple and pepper has them turning to SeaDNA Seal Jerky.

Among those who have gone NORTH:

Sebastien (SEB TOOTS) Toutant – Olympic Snowboarding Champion

Patrice Bernier – Montreal Impact Legend

Jean Pascal – World Boxing Champion

Olivier Aubin-Mercier – UFC Superstar

Patrick Cote – UFC Legend

Even we have to admit – that’s a pretty darn impressive crop of Canadians who know exactly what they are looking for when it comes to nutrition of the highest order.

SEADNA SEAL JERKY IS:

	PROTEIN PACKED: With a 50% protein content you get one of the highest natural levels of protein currently available in a jerky product.
	HIGH IN IRON: Each bar contains 64% of your daily iron needs: a huge boost for people struggling with iron deficiency.
	LEAN POWER: Low in fat naturally, SeaDNA Seal Jerky has just 0.5g of unsaturated fat per serving and 60 calories.
	NUTRIENT RICH: Along with protein and iron, SeaDNA has naturally high levels of Magnesium, Zinc and Phosphorus.
	SAFE AND HEALTHY: SeaDNA Seal Meat has been tested and meets all safety requirements pertaining to heavy metals as defined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. All SeaDNA products are processed in facilities approved by government agencies.
	GLUTEN FREE: SeaDNA Seal Jerky is prepared without the use of gluten.
	SUSTAINABLE, SECURE & CANADIAN: With a population of over 7-million, the North Atlantic harp seal herd is very strong. The quota for the annual harvest is set and strictly monitored by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

For more information and to order SeaDNA Seal Jerky: CLICK HERE.

GOLD MEDAL SEAL

Posted On November 17, 2017 By Ingrid Vaugeois In SEAL MEAT / No Comments

When chef Walid El-Tawel, the force behind Ottawa’s brilliant Fairouz, started his preparation for the prestigious Gold Medal Plates competition in the capital his plan was clear.

“At Fairouz our philosophy and vision has been to marry great Canadian ingredients with Middle Eastern flavours and nuances. So, we embarked on a mission to find what demonstrates Canadian heritage and pays respect to Middle Eastern food culture,” El-Tawel said.

This mission brought El-Tawel to one protein in particular: SeaDNA seal meat, a unique Canadian canvas on which he was able to put his own creative spin.

“Seal came on to my radar a few months ago when Louis Diament brought in a guest from Montreal who did a demonstration at the restaurant for us. It stayed in the back of my mind and followed up that day with lots of research and found that seal is just as a part of Canadian history as maple syrup and foie gras.”

El-Tawel continues: “I embraced the opportunity to celebrate Canada’s rich culinary heritage by celebrating lesser known protein sources because as Chefs it is our job to be educators. Canada 150 played a huge role in how we approached the dish philosophy. I believe we embodied what it is to be a modern Middle Eastern in Canada and what Fairouz food culture is.”

Gold Medal Plates means hundreds of discerning palates to impress and taste-buds to blow away and El-Tawel was able to fuse his heritages in a way that showcased both his skills and remarkable culinary imagination.

“The dish was Ras al Hanout crusted seal with rose & hibiscus fluid gel and pickled lentils. The Ras al Hanout 21 ingredient spice blend was a marriage between middle eastern ingredients and Canadian ingredients. We used seaweed from the Haida Gwaii, dulse from the East coast to add some nice underlying saltiness to the spice blend.”

Visually stunning and utterly delicious, El-Tawel’s Gold Medal offering earned rave reviews from those in attendance including foodies, Olympians, and critics.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Chef Walid is creating some amazing hometown fare with his Fairouz earning nods such as: Best New Restaurant In Canada – Top 30 (EnRoute), Best Restaurant in Ottawa – Top 10 (Ottawa Magazine) and is listed at #46 in Canada’s top 100 restaurants.

We congratulate Walid for the honour of competing in Gold Medal Plates and salute him for helping showcase one of Canada’s truly great products.

For reservations and more info on Fairouz in Ottawa: https://www.fairouz.ca/

For more information on SeaDNA Seal Meat: http://www.seadna.ca

Go Wild With Seal

Posted On November 15, 2017 By Ingrid Vaugeois In SEAL MEAT / 2 2 Comments

We realize that at first wild game can seem a little intimidating. But each different game has its own flavour characteristics and can be a very rewarding meal. If you have never tried seal, it is similar to beef but carries its own unique and inviting taste.

The hunt to eat healthy has led to more and more Canadians adding wild game to their diet. There are many factors that consumers weight before making this decision. Here are a couple reasons why SeaDNA Seal Meat is a great, healthy choice:

Benefits Of Wild Game Vs. Farm Meats

1. LEANER:

Most farm-raised animals live a much more sedentary lifestyle and often have a higher fat diet designed to increase bulk. Wild game eat a natural diet and are generally much more active. Seal is incredibly lean (2% fat) as the fat layer is separate from the meat of the mammal.

2. NATURALLY RAISED:

SeaDNA Seal Meat is wild caught in the icy waters off the coast of Atlantic Canada. It is free of added hormones or antibiotics.

3. CONTAINS OMEGA-3:

Wild game meat has Omega-3 running through it and seal is no different. Omega-3’s have been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease and can aid in the battle against arthritis among other benefits.

4. MORE NUTRITIOUS:

Game is known for its great nutritional value and seal certainly fits the bill. It is packed with protein, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B-12.

5. LOW IN FAT AND CALORIES:

When compared to farmed animals such as cows and chickens, SeaDNA seal meat has an average of 2% fat while their domesticated competitors typically have a fat content of 25-30%. Not just any fat either. We’re talking a lot less saturated fat (the bad fat). Compared to other wild game meat, it is the lowest in calories (100 Kcal/100g).

SEAL MEAT (per portion of 100 g)

CALORIES: 1oo

PROTEIN: 23g

FAT: 1g

HARP SEAL LOIN

HARP SEAL FLIPPER

Seal Meat Cuts

If you’re wondering about the variety of cuts available, seal steaks, seal shoulders (flipper), sausages, merguez, burger are the most common options, and seal sausages is a surprisingly lean choice.

Click here for more information on our seal cuts and seal charcuteries (Phoconailles).

Cooking Seal Meat

When it comes to cooking wild game, you may be interested to know that the guidelines are pretty similar to how you would cook any red meat. There is only one hard-set rule with cooking wild meats: don’t overcook. As previously mentioned, wild game is very lean, which means that if you cook it too long, the meat is sure to dry out big time.

On our website, you can find different seal meat recipes:

Where to Buy Seal Meat?

Our seal meat is available in different butcher shops, fish markets and specialty stores and restaurants across the country. Click here to find out about our most recent update of the locations offering seal meat. Please note that you might have to call in advance to order your seal meat or to make sure that the restaurant is currently offering seal meat on its menu.

The Canadian Seal Harvest

The Canadian seal harvest is no different from any other wild game harvest. The Canadian government sets an annual quota, monitors and regulates the hunt, and ensures that any part of the animal used for human consumption is tested and safe.

You can find more info on the straight seal facts, seal populations, myths and realities on SeaDNA’s website. You can also find a lot of additional information on Seals & Sealing Network website.

SEAL GNOCCHI POUTINE

Posted On December 1, 2016 By Romy Vaugeois In SEAL MEAT RECIPES / No Comments

Ingredients:

Seal merguez
Grain cheese (to taste)
Kale
Marinated pearl onions
Veal stock

For sweet potato gnocchi:

500 g of sweet potato puree
250g of mashed potatoes
300g of flour
1 egg
Salt

Preparation:

For gnocchi:

Mix all the ingredients
Spread the dough 2 cm thick
Slice strips lengthwise and cut into thumb size pieces
Store in freezer

For the poutine with the merguez:

Preheat the fryer to 350F
Cut the merguez and roast in the skillet
Add the kale with the merguez
Put the gnocchi in the fryer until they go up
Drain and place on a plate
Place merguez, kale, onions and cheese on the gnocchi
Drizzle with veal stock

Recipe by: Chef Benoit Lenglet

how to cook