from the garden

Lennox Island inspired bok choy & salmon with wild rice

A simple way to bring together locally-grown and wild harvested ingredients

In 2019, Ulnooweg Education Centre’s Digital Mi’kmaq program launched its Community Garden and Food Security Project across five partner communities. Through this initiative, Lennox Island Mi’kmaq First Nation has established the Lennox Island Greenhouse and Gardens. Two years into the project, Mark Ellands talked with us about what it takes to grow a successful community food program. Inspired by the beautiful bok choy, not to mention the great range of greens and vegetables, Ellands and his team are growing we included this recipe in our Spring 2022 issue.

Also, in this issue, you’ll find the word aptelomultineweyal, pronounced op-telo-multee-nee-wey-al, the Wabanaki word for wild rice. Cecelia Brooks, Samuqwan Mi’kiju-Water Grandmother with the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of New Brunswick, says “traditionally, in the fall, we go to camp [along the Wolastaq River] and harvest rice every day until we’ve harvested enough. Using sticks called ‘knockers’, the harvester grabs the grass with one stick and knocks it with the other so that the ripe rice falls off. While most ripe seed will fall into the canoe, some will fall back into the creek or the marsh, reseeding for the following year.”

1 cup wild rice (uncooked)
4 cups water
2 salmon fillets
Olive oil
1 or 2 heads of bok choy (depending on size) 
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
1 lemon, optional
Red chilli flakes

4 ounces of white wine

To prepare the wild rice, rinse in cold water. Add to a medium-sized sauce pot with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand in pot with cover for another 30 minutes. Drain any water.

When the wild rice is nearly ready turn the barbecue to high. Drizzle olive oil on the salmon fillets and rub. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice two think lemon slices. When barbecue is ready place salmon (skin side down) on the grill and place lemon slices on the grill as well.

After 5 minutes, turn lemon slices over.

After another 5 minutes, gently turn salmon over and grill the top for 2 minutes.

Remove salmon and lemon slices and let them sit while you prepare the bok choy.

To prepare the bok choy, rinse in cold water and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Chop ends off the heads of bok choy so its sections fall away easily.

Heat frying pan (case iron skillet works very nicely) and add a tablespoon of olive oil. On medium heat add the cooked wild rice. Add the white wine and place the bok choy on top of the rice. Add chilli flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Cover to steam for 4 minutes and remove from heat.

Serve rice with bok choy and topped with salmon and lemon.

Enjoy!