Recipes using fish from Manitoba lakes
Manitoba's pristine coldwater lakes are home to a variety of seafood. These recipes from local chefs use local fish in stunning applications.
Smoked Goldeye and Cauliflower Soup
Smoked goldeye, a local specialty, joins whitefish roe (golden caviar) in this salute to Manitoba lakes in a bowl from deer + almond chef Mandel Hitzer.
Northern Pike Caviar and Bannock Blinis
Roe from Northern Pike play a starring role in this recipe from chef Lorna Murdoch, the chef at prairie cuisine pioneer Fusion Grill. This play on the classic haute appetizer trades the basic blini for a uniquely local version made with bannock.
Trout Trifle with Horseradish Dressing
In the space that was once The Current at Inn at The Forks, you’ll now find Smith Restaurant. Chef Barry Saunders created this recipe in the restaurant’s former iteration, but we still love the wonderfully clever savoury trifle using local trout.
Pickerel Cheek Pops
This recipe courtesy of Prairie’s Edge in Kildonan Park is a fun play on pickerel. The delicate white fish is accented here with sourness of cabbage, sweetness of harissa mayo, and nuttiness of puffed wild rice.
Herb-Crusted Pickerel with Lemon-Basil Sauce
Light fillets of pickerel get a crispy coating and a herbaceous lemon-basil sauce in this recipe from Le Garage Cafe (closed in 2020).
Pickerel with Pearl Couscous
This recipe from chef Norm Pastorin of The Cornerstone (closed in 2021) takes the traditional French preparation for sole meuniere and adapts it to Manitoba pickerel.
Fish Slices in Sichuan Hot Chile Broth
Pickerel takes a spicy swim in tongue tingling Sichuan chile pepper oil in this Chinese preparation of lakefish from North Garden.
Trout with Roasted Cauliflower, Eggplant Caponata, and Bagna Cauda
Manitoba steelhead trout plays the starring role in this entree from chef Sean McKay from The Mitchell Block (closed in 2022). Briny Bagna Cauda and tangy Caponata punch up the flavour in this dish.
Manitoba Jambalaya
Rye berries add textural pop when mixed with grown quinoa. Add in two types of local sausage and Manitoba trout for a provincial smorgasbord from Era Bistro (closed in 2021).
