Atticus Garant learned to fish as soon as he was able to hold a fishing rod. The Yukon-born, Fraser Valley–raised chef recalls accompanying his dad on trips to Haida Gwaii as early as age five.

“It became about the sport of catching and releasing a 30-pound Chinook or catching a 15-pound coho. You don’t see those kinds of fish anymore,” Garant told the Georgia Straight during a recent interview at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, where he’s the executive sous-chef. “I learned about the respect of fishing and the respect of what goes into actually keeping something like salmon sustainable for us.”

After graduating from the culinary arts program at Malaspina College (now Vancouver Island University), Garant worked in Vancouver restaurants for a year before returning to B.C.’s north coast. He cooked onboard a boat owned by a resort company, and the job enabled him to continue honing his fishing skills.

“I was up for a 130-day season,” he recalled. “I would fish every morning from first light to 9:30 [a.m.] and I would rush back to the boat, clean myself up, clean my fish, and get ready for lunch service. Then I’d work 12 hours, go to sleep, and wake up to do the same thing.”

In 2010, Garant started working at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and in its three dining areas: ORU restaurant, giovane café + winebar, and Raw Bar at the Lobby Lounge. Earlier this year, Raw Bar became Vancouver’s first sushi restaurant to attain 100-percent-Ocean-Wise status. The Vancouver Aquarium–run program promotes sustainable seafood and encourages restaurants and diners to make ocean-friendly choices.

“We’re so fortunate to have Taka [Omi], our sushi chef, who has been in the business for 20 years,” Garant said. “Because Ocean Wise changes so much, Taka is constantly updating his repertoire and knowledge to make sure we’re up to standard.”

ORU serves as much Ocean Wise seafood as possible, and salmon is one of Garant’s favourite fishes to cook, whether he’s at the restaurant or at home. The chef recently caught coho and Chinook on a family fishing trip to Ucluelet, but he said that sockeye is an easily accessible Ocean Wise option for home cooks.

Garant shares a recipe for pan-seared salmon and seasonal vegetables below. He said that people often associate fish with light summer meals but that pairing salmon with a creamy parsnip purée and roasted beets makes the dish fall-friendly. The beets are salt-roasted, a technique that Garant explained maximizes their natural flavour. He suggested a crisp, fruity wine such as Riesling or Pinot Gris to go with it.

Atticus Garant’s pan-seared sockeye salmon with fall vegetables

Ingredients

3 parsnips
8 baby red beets
12 baby heirloom carrots
1 Tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
1½ cups (375 mL) vegetable stock
2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter
4 skinless sockeye salmon filets, about 6 ounces (170 grams) each
¼ cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch arugula, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 lemon, juiced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 ° F (190 ° C).
    
2. Wash and peel vegetables. Top and tail parsnips, and cut into ¼-inch slices. Clean the tops off beets and carrots, leaving a ½-inch stem on carrots.
    
3. Dust a baking sheet with salt and place beets on top. Roast for 35 minutes, or until fork-tender. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove the skin of the beets by rubbing with a clean dish towel. Cut beets in half and set aside.
    
4. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the vegetable stock to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook parsnips for 20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove parsnips using a slotted spoon and reserve vegetable stock.
    
5. Add parsnips to a blender with about half of the vegetable stock and purée for 2 minutes. Add butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Purée for 1 more minute and set aside.
    
6. In a medium pot over high heat, bring water to a rolling boil. Season water with salt and cook carrots for about 5 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set carrots aside.
    
7. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat a large, oven-safe pan over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of the oil, and cook fish for 2 minutes before transferring pan to oven. Bake fish for 4 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
    
8. In a small bowl, toss arugula in remaining oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. To serve, divide salmon, carrots, beets, and parsnip purée between 4 plates. Garnish with arugula salad.

Yield: 4 main-size servings.

Recipe has not been tested by the Georgia Straight.