This post was sponsored by the Marine Stewardship Council and Nobilo Wines. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please enjoy wine responsibly.
What is food sustainability?
I asked a couple of family and friends, and the answers varied.
“Food sustainability…Isn’t that a system that makes sure there’s enough food for the human population?”
“I think it’s the process to make sure that there is enough food for everyone but also minimizing the harm done to the environment.”
“Making sure the future will have food!”
Yes, it’s all of the above and more.
Food sustainability is the balancing act to generate enough food that can feed the human population today all the while making sure the environment is sustainable enough to provide the entire population for tomorrow.
There was a quote I read recently from economist Herman Daly, “What use is a sawmill without a forest?” Indeed. Which perfectly sums up the Three Pillars of Sustainability: Economics, Society, and Environment. It was this three pillar philosophy that paved the way for companies to create third parties for sustainability standards and certification.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a non-profit organization created to set a standard for sustainable fishing. Their three pillars: Sustainable, Traceable, Wild.
SUSTAINABLE:
Making sure their MSC members meet 28 of their performance sustainable indicators and three principles:
1. Sustainable fish stocks
2. Minimizing environmental impacts
3. Effective management
TRACEABLE:
The MSC Certified label was created to ensure consumers were not buying misleading seafood claiming to be sustainable. By purchasing seafood with the MSC label, shoppers can be confident all seafood has gone through the proper channels and standards to becoming a sustainable and certified product.
WILD:
All MSC labelled seafood is from wild-caught fisheries. Never farmed.
In the case of these wild Nova Scotian Scallops, fishers use a dredge specially made to capture the larger mature scallops. Once that’s been hoisted to the deck, a second selection is made. The smaller scallops are thrown back to sea, and the large ones are harvested, thereby conserving the population. Besides, larger scallops are generally what the consumer wants! And these Nova Scotian ones are plump, large, Canadian but ultimately, delicious!
Okay, so you now know your scallops or your next seafood purchase will be with the Marine Stewardship Council label! The selection is impressive both frozen and fresh. And the cause…it just makes sense!
Now that we’ve covered sustainable from the sea, lets talk sustainable on land. Nobilo Wines is an award-winning wine certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Another equally responsible and socially conscience establishment trying to reduce their carbon footprint today and tomorrow.
Nobilo Wines efforts to reducing CO2 are commendable. Some of their strategies include minimizing landfill waste by composting on-site, reducing their use of water at the winery, and replacing their use of C02 with nitrogen to reduce emissions.
If I had to describe Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, it’s fresh, young, crisp with subtle hints of herb, elderflower, citrus, and tropical fruit. It’s the perfect pair with these Korean inspired spicy scallops.
A few tips for perfectly seared scallops:
-use a high heat oil such as grape-seed oil if available otherwise vegetable oil or EVOO
-Make sure the pan is hot before placing scallops
-Don’t fiddle and jostle the scallops while they’re searing. Sear each side only once for 1-2 minutes
-Make sure scallops are dry — pat down with paper towels
-Salt them on the pan
-The recipe below can serve as a starter for 4 or can be a main dish for 2
-Either radicchio Treviso or radicchio di Chioggia (the traditional round/ball shape) can be used
Serve it with a glass of Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc this summer on your patio for yourself or guests, and you’ll be sure to impress. A socially conscious, sustainable meal, and refreshment that tastes great.
Bon app!
For more information:
Marine Stewardship Council : https://www.msc.org/en-us
Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc (LCBO) : http://bit.ly/NobiloSauvignonBlancLCBO
or http://bit.ly/NobiloSauvignonBlancBC
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- 400 g (about 20 large) MSC branded Nova Scotian Sea Scallops uncooked (fresh or frozen-for frozen, thaw overnight in fridge and pat dry with paper towel)
- 2 tablespoons grape-seed oil
- 40 g or 1 shallot finely diced
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1/2 cup Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 100 grams or 2 fresh Mandarins peeled
- 1 bushy scallion/green onion or 2 slim stems
- 170 g or 1 large radicchio Treviso or di Chioggia (traditional round) washed and leaves removed from stems or alternatively you can slice it via the stem into slices
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Wash radicchio and remove leaves from stem or slice the entire head of radicchio into slices.
- Position on plates in the centre.
- Slice the peeled mandarins into small slices or triangles and divide amongst the plates. Can be placed on top of the radicchio or off to the side.
- Sliver the scallions and divide equally amongst the plates.
- Finely dice the shallot and set aside.
- Whisk the Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc Wine and the gochujang together until fully dissolved and set aside.
- Put the grape seed oil in a large skillet on medium high heat and place MSC branded scallops down.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sear for 1-2 minutes each side making sure both sides have been salted and peppered.
- Transfer the MSC branded scallops to a plate.
- In the same pan with the MSC branded scallop juices, add the diced shallots and fry about a minute.
- Add the Nobilo Wine and gochujang mixture to the pan and reduce for about half a minute.
- Turn the heat off and transfer the scallops back to the pan and toss until all the MSC branded scallops have been covered in the sauce.
- Divide the MSC branded scallops onto the prepared plates.
- Drizzle the radicchio, scallions and mandarins with the remaining gochujang pan juices.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Serve with a glass of Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc.