On Day 2 of Canada AM’s live broadcast from Nunavut Frobisher Inn chef Josef Szakacs cooks up grilled Arctic Char, a delicious local delicacy.

Grilled Arctic Char and Yukon Gold Potatoes Baked with Elk Sausage, Fresh Quebec Asparagus and Shaved Fennel and Mustard Cress Salad

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Arctic Char filet (140-150gm)
  • 5 spears of fresh asparagus

For shaved fennel salad

  • 75 g mustard cress
  • 75 g shaved fennel
  • 5 g fresh picked dill

For baked potato

  • 1 small Yukon Gold potato
  • 8 -12 slices of elk and garlic sausage (pre-cooked) 4 - 5mm thick
  • 10 gm whole unsalted butter

For lemon-thyme vinaigrette

  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme (picked)
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 shallot finely minced
  • 5 mL grainy mustard
  • 150 mL olive oil
  • 5 mL maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the shaved fennel salad, take one small bulb of fresh fennel and using a hand held slicer; carefully slice the fennel between 1 and 2 mm thick. Reserve in a small bowl with ice water to remain crisp. When ready to serve, drain the fennel well and combine with the mustard cress, the fresh dill and the lemon-thyme vinaigrette and gently toss together.

For the lemon-thyme vinaigrette, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Reserve until needed.

For the baked potato, wash the potato well and carefully slice 6 - 8mm slices beginning at one end and finishing at the other. Do not cut completely through.  You should have roughly 8 - 12 slices depending on the size of the potato that are held together at the bottom.  Gently open each slice and insert one slice of the elk sausage, close up the potato, top with one teaspoon of whole butter and season with salt and pepper.  Wrap in aluminum paper and place on the upper rack of a medium-hot barbecue and allow to slow cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Turn over every five minutes.

For the Arctic Char and asparagus, trim the bottoms of the asparagus and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on the hot grill of the barbecue.  Grill each piece gently, being careful not to burn them. Reserve until ready to serve. Proceed the same way with the Arctic Char, seasoning with salt, pepper and olive oil and place on the grill. Grill each side 3 - 4 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet and cook until medium.

To plate unwrap the potato from the foil and place in the centre of the plate.  Place the five pieces of asparagus down next to the potato, place the char on top of the asparagus and the fennel salad next to the char. Finish with some of the lemon vinaigrette and enjoy.