Fishing around for recipe ideas?

In all, the report identifies 15 species groups supermarkets should stop selling and we should stop buying. Overfishing and waste, habitat destruction, and pollution are all among the problems having these fish on the market cause, according to Greenpeace.

Species groups included on the list are Atlantic haddock, Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, farmed Atlantic salmon, Atlantic sea scallops, Chilean seabass, turbot, hard shell clams, New Zealand hoki, orange roughy, sharks, rays and skates, swordfish, tropical shrimps and prawns, and bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye tuna. You can view the whole list at www.greenpeace.org/canada.

To be completely honest, I never really thought twice about buying fish and seafood before reading the Greenpeace report and looking into the whole sustainable fishing issue a little more. I’ve brought home my fair share of yellowfin tuna steaks, I don’t usually double check where the shrimp I buy comes from, and I have ordered scallops, clams, and seabass from restaurant menus without giving it a second thought.

But I do believe we all need to do our part to make sure species do not go extinct, keep our oceans clean, and keep pollution at a minimum, and I will try my best to do what I can. Buying as locally as possible and checking labels or asking your fishmonger where what you’re buying comes from are ways of helping out. Educating yourself, of course, is another. There are numerous websites where you can find out more about the fish and seafood you like to eat, including www.seachoice.org and Seafood Watch (www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).

Luckily for me, trout didn’t make any of the lists. This fish, which is native to many parts of Quebec (especially brook trout) may not be as exotic as some of those that made Greenpeace’s red-list, but there is plenty you can do with it. Personally, I really like to use tinfoil pouches, because they really make sure your trout comes out nice and juicy and flavourful. It can be something as simple as taking a trout fillet and wrapping it up with a teaspoon or two of fresh dill and some lemon juice, or you can always try something a little more complex. For example, for a one-pound, full trout (cleaned and scaled) or fillet, slice half a lemon into pieces, slice two cloves of garlic thinly, and get two sprigs each of fresh parsley and oregano ready.

Rub the trout with a bit of olive oil and season it (inside and out) with some salt and pepper. Place the fish on a sheet of aluminium foil, and then stuff it evenly with the lemon, garlic, parsley and oregano. Once that’s done, fold up the sides of the aluminium foil, so it’s almost like a bowl, and drizzle in about two tablespoons of olive oil, and two or three tablespoons of white wine. Wrap it up in the aluminium foil pouch and stick it in the oven for about 25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the meat flakes easily with a fork. Unwrap and enjoy!