Vancouver chef and social activist Mark Brand is the host of "Gastown Gamble," a new reality series on the OWN network. The series follows Brand as he tries to resuscitate a 55-year-old diner and butcher shop in one of Vancouver's poorest areas. Here, Brand shares recipes from the series.

Nova Scotia Sea Bass with Preserved Lemon Quinoa, Clam, Bacon and Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1 filet of sea bass
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 Tbsp diced preserved lemon
• 1 Tbsp chopped herbs (chiffon ad of parsley small slice of chives)
• 5 clams (cooked in white wine, shallot, bay leaf, thyme)
• 1.5 Tbsp diced cooked bacon
• 1 tomato blanched, skinned, seeded and small diced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp small dice shallot
• 1/2 Tbsp chiffonade parsley
• 1/2 red wine jus
• 1 Tbsp verjus
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and olive oil

Directions:

Partially boil the quinoa in water until cooked (when it starts to crack open). Strain and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Cool on a sheet pan at room temp.

Dice bacon. In a sauté pan on medium heat, render until crispy. Drain through a paper-lined sieve.

In a pot, place all ingredients for clams and cook until clams open strain. Save the liquid -- this can be used later for soup. Cool on a sheet pan, shell and reserve for the vinaigrette.

In a pot of boiling salted water, score the bottom of the tomato and balance for 10 seconds and refresh in ice bath. Once cooled, peel skin cut into 14 sections, seed and small dice.

To finish, in a small bowl add quinoa, preserved lemon, and 14 of the herbs. Season to taste and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.

For the vinaigrette:

Quickly sauté the shallots for one minute, add red wine reduction, bacon and reduce. Add clams, verjus, cook for one minute. Add tomato, one tablespoon of olive oil and 14 of the herbs. Take off heat. In a hot pan with one tablespoon canola oil, place fish (skin side down) and season the flesh side with salt. Cook until the skin side is crispy, about three to five minutes; flip and take off heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and a one teaspoon of lemon juice.

To plate, place quinoa in a line down the middle of the plate and place the fish on top. Take the vinaigrette and make a circle around the quinoa, first using all the meaty parts of the vinaigrette. Take the liquid and drizzle around the first part of the vinaigrette.

Save On Meats Burger

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 onion finely minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 14 cup L&P (Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce)
• 1 whole egg
• 1.5 cups bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a stainless steel bowl combine all ingredients, except bread crumbs. Mix well with hands, slowly adding bread crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for six to eight hours (or overnight) to infuse flavors.

Once chilled, remove from refrigerator and form 5 oz patties. Heat sauté pan on medium-high heat with one tablespoon of canola oil. Place burger in pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook each side, five to six minutes. After cooking, remove pan from burner, letting burger patty rest for four minutes.

Save On Meats BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 5 onions julienned
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 500 mL whiskey
• 1.5 cups molasses
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 lb brown sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1000 mL Save On Meats ketchup
• Salt to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot with two tablespoons canola oil, sauté onions until translucent (on medium heat approximately 12 to 15 minutes). Add chopped garlic, while stirring cook another eight minutes. Deglaze pan with whiskey. Reduce heat to medium-low and add all remaining ingredients, cooking for another 45 minutes. Stir often. Season to taste.