atHOME Victoria took a visit to Osoyoos, B.C. for an upcoming feature within our summer issue. While staying at the stunning Watermark Resort overlooking the incredible Osoyoos lake, we had the pleasure of enjoying a fine dining experience in their restaurant with Glen and Ingrid of Watermark Resort and food prepared by Chef Adair Scott.
One standout dish prepared was the Okanagan “Potted” Salmon, highlighting all the fresh qualities of the Osoyoos and complemented with pickled fennel and garlic crostini.
Here is the recipe for the “potted” salmon with spring pea puree and crème fraiche:
Salmon
Toast all spices and finely grind.
In a pan over medium heat, add butter and sweat shallots and celery until soft (no colour). Add spices and wine to the pan.
In a large bowl, pour warm butter mixture over the salmon and mix together well.
Portion into dishes and pack gently.
Set in the refrigerator.
Spring pea puree
Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat, add 1 tbsp of salt to water.
Add peas to boiling water and cook for two minutes.
Strain peas and cool under cold water.
Place peas and cream into a blender and blend until smooth.
Strain puree through a fine strainer, pushing through with the back of a small ladle or spoon.
In a bowl, bloom gelatin in cold water until soft, take out of water and squeeze out any access water.
In a small pot, warm the pea puree, then add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
Pour the pea puree over prepared salmon and let cool in the refrigerator.
Crème fraiche
Add the zest and juice from one lemon into the cream and stir it together
Cover and let sit out over night at room temperature.
Assembly
Chef Adair’s Story
An affinity for flavourful local fare has been ingrained in chef Adair Scott from birth. From his idyllic childhood on a small farm outside Prince George mingling with the feathered and bovine residents, Adair gained a deep respect and understanding for the origin of great ingredients. And a part-time cooking job at a local restaurant as a teen cemented his passion for his future profession. So it was no surprise that the budding young chef left home and hit the road for Kelowna at the tender age of 18 to pursue his culinary career.
Upon arriving in Kelowna, Adair immediately sought out a position working under Paul Cecconi, the renowned Okanagan chef and eventual founder of Penticton’s BRODO restaurant. Cecconi would become Adair’s greatest mentor, coach and one of his biggest cheerleaders. After completing a one-year apprenticeship at Okanagan College and more formal training at Vancouver Community College, he worked his way up the culinary ranks at restaurants across the Okanagan, Victoria and travelled to Australia and cooked at the well-known Stoke House in Melbourne, Australia.
After returning from the land down under, Adair took a gig with beloved community bakery Lake Village Bakery in Osoyoos. It was there that he fell in love with the region, its lifestyle and all Osoyoos has to offer to an eager young chef willing to experiment with its bounties.
Now Adair is bringing his love of all things local to his new role as the Executive Chef of the Watermark Beach Resort. He oversees catering for the resort’s conference space, which hosts meetings, weddings and large group gatherings throughout the year. Adair has also taken the reins of the Watermark Wine & Tapas Bar, the resort’s full-service restaurant in the sun-soaked town. With distinct influences from the Mediterranean, the Wine & Tapas Bar focuses on fine regional wine pairings and tasty dishes perfect for sharing that change seasonally. Additionally, he manages the barbecue featured on the resort’s deck, where the staff serves up sizzling summer dishes fresh off the grill daily.