Edible Vancouver Island September/October 2023

Marcie Callewaert John

“The project as a whole is really about sustainability and regenerative systems,” shares founder Simon Nessman. “And it’s a chance for people to develop a more intimate connection with food and where it’s coming from. Our food gardens are a really core part of the overall project,” he explains. Run by Bridget Salas, they are currently “small, but productive, with lots of greens, carrots, a small orchard, a big herb garden.” Nessman notes, “We’re not self sufficient at this point, but the vision for the future is getting us as close to that as possible and integrating it into the programs.” For Kayla, it suits her food philosophy perfectly. When speaking about the garden, she says, “It won’t be ready until fall or next year, but my goal for the summer months is to only bring over what I need for baking and use the vegetables and edible flowers Bridget grows on-site. Get fish from my dad or from Lenny. I would take a lot of pride in cooking something that has little to zero footprint.” Having started at the centre last year with a three-day stint as a relief chef, Kayla quickly found she clicked with the team and the location. “I loved the adventure of working off-grid. It’s a very different experience–you have to haul everything over or call it in by boat,” she explains. “It’s so nice to work in solitude over there–stay in a cabin; it’s so quiet. It doesn’t feel like work at all sometimes,” she says with a smile. Camilla Sampson is a storyteller based in Campbell River who is passionate about experiencing new places through hyperlocal ingredients and engaging with the community that gathers around them. camillasampson.com

Crab Cakes

Yield: 4 appetizer size crab cakes

INGREDIENTS

225g crab meat, excess moisture gently squeezed out and double check for shells 1 egg 1 tsp grainy mustard

1 Tbsp mayonnaise 3 Tbsp finely chopped herbs Zest of 1 lemon ½ tsp kosher salt ½ cup panko 2 Tbsp butter or oil

METHOD Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all ingredients except panko and butter together in a small bowl. Form the mixture into 4 equal puck shaped patties. Coat both sides generously in panko. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a medium pan over medium high heat. Gently place crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown on one side, approximately 2 minutes. Flip the crab cakes over and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Think of this as a base recipe. It can take on any flavour profile you like depending on what you are serving. I used dill and green onion for my herbs but you could use, chives, tarragon, Thai basil, parsley… the possibilities are endless. You could add corn, peppers and smoked paprika. Mint, cilantro and a touch of sweet chili sauce. The world is your oyster… or maybe it’s your crab cake?

WILD • SUSTAINABLE • WEST COAST

finestatsea.com VICTORIA Seafood Market 250.383.7760 VANCOUVER Seafood Market Grocer + Deli 604.266.1904 • V I S I T U S •

12 SEP/OCT 2023 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND