Black Radish Quick Pickle

 

 Scrub two or three medium black radishes, rinse and pat dry. Cut radishes into matchsticks. Toss well with freshly minced garlic, juice from one lemon and sea salt to taste. Let sit in a bowl for a few hours; stir once or twice. Garnish with lemon peel or zest; toss and enjoy!  Store in a glass jar in fridge. 

Ginger- Lime Cabbage Salad

 

Ginger- Lime Cabbage Salad:  

This delicious, crunchy, sweet- tart salad is simple to assemble and rich in nutrients. Cabbage is a stand by staple in my fridge year- round; it keeps well and is easily transformed into an variety of cooked or raw dishes. The ingredient proportions below are approximate;  no need to measure exactly. Shred the cabbage as finely as possible to ensure optimal blending of the flavors. Yields about four servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 head purple cabbage, finely shredded

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

juice of 1- 2  limes

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

 

Method:

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and toss very thoroughly.

Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Store in clean glass jars for up to 3 days in fridge.

Flavor will improve as the ingredients merge.

 

Serving Suggestions:

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Garnish with any combination of lime slices, toasted chopped hazelnuts, toasted chopped almonds, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato, Tomatl, Solanum Lycopersicum!

The tomato is a fruit of many colors, shapes and names, and summer is the time to revel in its heady acidic sweetness. Though greenhouse tomatoes are available year round, a tomato in winter is but a pale imitation of robust fruit grown in healthy soil under the hot summer sun. 

Tiny wild tomatoes were native to South and Central America and were first cultivated by the Inca and Aztec peoples around 700 CE.  The Aztecs learned to breed large flavorful specimens which they called "tomatl" meaning "fat fruit" or "plump fruit" and "xitomatl" meaning "plump fruit with a navel" in the Nahau language.

Spanish explorers introduced the fruit which they called "tomate" to Europe in the sixteenth century; eventually it gained extensive culinary use throughout the continent and beyond. The Italians named it "pomodoro" or "golden apple" and the French call it "pomme d'amour", "apple of love". In Russia, home of the famous heirloom Black Krim,  the fruit is called "pomidor".

Known botanically as Solanum lycopersicum, tomatoes belong to the large family Solanaceae which includes potatoes, eggplants, peppers and tobacco. The etymological roots of Solanaceae are unclear, but Lycopersicum  as translated from Greek means "wolf peach", "lyco" meaning "wolf" and "persikon" meaning "peach". The "wolf peach" name may stem from early European folklore involving witchcraft and werewolves. Tomatoes were long thought to be poisonous since they belong to the nightshade family, which includes some deadly varieties.

Far from being poisonous, tomatoes are dense with valuable nutrients, especially lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which gives tomatoes their deep color and is thought to offer protection from several types of cancer and coronary artery disease. Tomatoes also contain plentiful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and fiber, and a 100 gram serving provides nearly a gram of protein. 

Tomato, tomatl, Solanum lycopersicum; whatever name you give it, the plump fruit of the Aztecs and Incas is one of the finest simple pleasures of summer. 

Spigariello? It's not an opera!

With the current proliferation of local farmer's markets across the country comes the opportunity to discover unusual varieties of produce which one would not find in commercial markets. A recent revelation is this lovely Spigariello, an heirloom Italian kale in the brassica family. Its full name as listed in seed catalogues is "Cavolo Broccolo Spigariello Foglia Riccia".

Like Lacinato kale (above), Spigariello is tender and uniquely flavorful, with small dark blue-green leaves. It can be sauteed, steamed, eaten raw in salad and smoothies or added to soups and stews. Both varieties are subtle in taste with no hint of bitterness and are more delicate than the common curly kale which has become popular of late.

There is nothing mysterious or difficult about preparing leafy greens. Lightly sauteing them in olive oil creates a flavorful nutritious dish in minutes. The only tools needed are a knife, a cutting board and a skillet.

How to saute a dark leafy green vegetable in olive oil:

Rinse the greens and shake off or blot excess water. If the leaves have thick central stems, cut them away from the leaves. Chop the stems into small pieces. Then stack the leaves and slice; thin slices will cook more quickly than thick. Remember that the volume of the greens will reduce greatly during cooking, so judge the quantity you begin with accordingly.

Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet-  just enough to cover the surface of the pan. Add the chopped stems first, since they are denser and need a little more cooking time. After a minute or two, add the leaves and continue to saute over a medium flame, stirring occasionally until just tender; this should take only three or four minutes. Taste the greens. If they are not tender enough, continue cooking another minute or so. Add a bit more olive oil if the greens are sticking to the pan.

Serve sauteed greens immediately in a preheated bowl, sprinkled with a little sea salt to taste and perhaps some freshly ground black pepper. 
 

Cavolo Broccolo Spigariello Foglia Riccia

                                

The Essence of Summer, Season of Joy

According to the traditional Asian calendar, Summer is the Season of Fire, the time of "Ultimate Yang". Energy is high, daylight is plentiful and growing things flourish and reach the apex of their ripeness and fullness. This is the season of the Heart, whose dominant emotion is Joy.

 
Midsummer farmer's markets in Northern California are brimming with exquisite produce of the utmost freshness and flavor. Almost everything I have sampled in recent weeks is of extraordinary quality.

This is the time to revel in the abundant colors, flavors and fragrances of nature. Farmer's market  purveyors offer many luscious varieties of produce such as plums, peaches and nectarines which are seldom found in commercial supermarkets.

Don't forget to select red, yellow and orange sweet peppers, crimson dry farmed tomatoes, fragrant melons and bunches of aromatic basil. (If you can't use all the basil, tie a cotton string around the stems and hang it up to dry in a warm spot in your kitchen for later use.)

Produce of this quality is dense with nutrients, requires little preparation and is great for casual snacks and meals. Ultra ripe fruit is at its best eaten out of hand. Make a simple gourmet meal with sliced dry farmed tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil, sea salt and fresh basil leaves. Eat slowly and savor the essence of Summer, the Season of Joy.

Mallow: Not Just A Common Weed!

If you live in San Francisco, you've walked past wild mallow plants growing out of cracks in the sidewalk, in neglected gardens and other untended patches of urban land. A hardy plant which appears early in the spring, the common mallow is one of the many members of the botanical family Malvaceae which includes hibiscus, okra and cotton.

All parts of the mallow are edible; roots, leaves, seed pods and flowers. Mallow has been foraged for centuries for use as a highly nutritious food and and as a versatile medicinal herb. It thrives in poor soil and requires little water, and thus has been a valuable resource in times of food shortage.

Young mallow leaves are tender and mild, with no hint of bitterness. They can be used like any other leafy green - raw in salads, steamed, sauteed or even blended into smoothies.  Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooks add them to traditional stews; the large mature leaves are used as wraps in place of grape leaves. The seed pods are high in protein and healthy vegetable oils.

Our prehistoric ancestors survived for millennia on their impressive ability to gather and hunt wild foods. Many edible plants thrive in urban settings, though they are usually dismissed as nothing more than nuisance weeds. Learning about wild plants provides us with a valuable connection to our ancient origins and an appreciation for the vast changes in our food supply and the manner in which it is procured.

Foraging should always be undertaken with caution. For those who wish to learn more, there are many informative web sites devoted to the topic. Here is the link to one such site:

www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com/mallow-plant-nutrition.html

Mallow Seed Pods

 

Wakame + Watermelon Radish = A Super Salad

This is a dish to create when time is plentiful and distractions are few. It involves some meditative chopping, slicing and a little toasting, all of which can be done ahead of time. The sweet, sour and spicy flavors of the salad are enhanced if it is allowed to rest for a few hours or even a day before serving. Yield: About four portions, but if you really love sea vegetables, you might want to double the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried wakame sea vegetable*
4 medium watermelon radishes
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
fresh juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
3- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds, freshly toasted

 
Method:

Rehydrate wakame by placing it in a bowl with enough cool water to cover. Let it rest for about five minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water with your hands. Using a sharp knife and clean cutting board,  slice the wakame into thin strips. The tough center ribs of the plant can be set aside for later use in soup, or simply slice them very fine and use in the salad.

Scrub and trim radishes.

Slice radishes into rounds.

Julienne rounds into matchsticks.

Toast sesame seeds in a heavy skillet until just fragrant, then pour into a ceramic plate to cool.

Combine vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, sesame oil and sea salt in a bowl and whisk together briefly. Add the sliced wakame and radish and toss gently to coat the vegetables. Sprinkle with about half the toasted sesame seeds, reserving the remainder to use as a garnish at the table. Salad will keep well in a clean glass container for up to three days.

* Wakame sea vegetable is sold dried, often in one ounce packages. 

Variation: Add one good quality crisp apple, sliced into matchsticks. 

Watermelon Radish: A Purple (Fuschia?) Pickle

Watermelon radishes entered my culinary life on a dismal, wet Sunday morning at the local farmer's market this winter.  From the outside these fist sized roots bear only a hint of their bright interiors; I almost passed them by in my haste to seek shelter from the rain.

Then I noticed that Asian American shoppers were quickly snapping them up in quantity. I took the hint that I had come upon a vegetable kingdom delicacy and brought some home for further exploration. As soon as I cut one open, I was inspired by its gorgeous color to turn the whole batch into watermelon radish pickles. The process was quick and easy and the finished product so delicious that I have been making them regularly ever since. You might want to double the recipe!
 

Ingredients:

3 - 4  medium watermelon radishes
2 cups fresh water
1 teaspoon sea salt

Method:

Scrub radishes and trim off the tops and bottoms. Slice into rounds, then cut rounds into strips. In a bowl, dissolve sea salt in water. Pack radish pieces into a very clean glass jar and pour in the brine. If all the slices are not completely covered in liquid, make a little extra and add to the jar. As long as the vegetables are immersed in brine, only healthy microorganisms will multiply as fermentation begins.

Cover jar with a lid but do not tighten; a little breathing room is necessary for the gases produced by fermentation. Place jar on kitchen counter; your work is done!  The radishes will begin to ferment after a day or two, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and other atmospheric variables. In a few days the brine and the radishes will turn a uniformly deep purple - fuschia tint.

After four or five days, the radishes will have a pleasingly tart- sour flavor and will still be somewhat crunchy. I usually ferment the pickles for about five days; then I place the jar in the fridge where they will continue to ferment at a slower pace. They are edible at any stage. 

Pickled watermelon radish will compliment almost any vegetable dish. Lately I've been eating them with steamed vegetables like Brussels sprouts tossed with toasted sesame seeds and tofu cubes. Or add radishes to a steaming bowl of lentils or black beans as a garnish, or simply serve as a side dish.  Fermented radishes are packed with beneficial microorganisms and will add striking flavor and beauty to your meal.

Hijiki Carrot & Ginger Salad

Hijiki is a highly nutritious versatile sea vegetable which grows wild in coastal areas of Asia.  Its name is translated as "deer-tail grass" or "sheep-nest grass". Seaweeds have long been staples in traditional Asian cuisine and are among the few wild foods to which westerners have access.

In its dried state, hijiki will keep well for many months and can be transformed into a delightful meal in minutes. Brief soaking is required before cooking to rehydrate the hijiki, which quadruples in volume as it absorbs water.  Photo above is hijiki before soaking, photo below after soaking.

Hijiki soaking technique:

Place hijiki in a fine meshed sieve and rinse briefly in cool water. Then place hijiki in a bowl with enough cool water to cover. After about ten minutes, strain the hijiki over a bowl,  reserving the soaking water for use in cooking. Gently squeeze the hijiki to remove more liquid. Some sediment will settle to to bottom of the soaking water.

Hijiki Carrot & Ginger Salad:

1/3 cup dried hijiki, soaked & drained
1 + tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons leek, green part ok
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large carrots, julienned
hijiki soaking water
1 + tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon maple syrup

While hijiki is soaking, cut up the vegetables.  The green part of the leek adds color to the dish but onion is fine if no leeks are available.  The size of the carrot julienne will determine the length of the cooking time.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet and saute the leek slices for about two minutes on a moderate flame. (Olive oil, though not traditional, is fine if no sesame oil is on hand). Add ginger root, stir briefly then add garlic. Saute gently for another two minutes, then add carrots. A little more oil might be needed to cook the carrots. Continue sauteing for about four or five minutes, stirring occasionally.

When carrots are just tender,  stir in hijiki. Pour soaking water carefully into pan, leaving the sediment in the bowl. Add tamari and maple syrup, stir thoroughly and remove from heat. Turn vegetables into a ceramic bowl and allow to rest a few minutes before serving.

Hijiki salad is delicious served warm, room temperature or chilled. It can be prepared ahead of time and will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Eat as is or garnish to your taste with fresh lemon or lime juice, toasted sesame seeds or a few drops of hot chile- sesame oil.

Lemony Sesame Tahina Sauce

"What can I put on my vegetables to make them taste good?" is a question I often hear from patients. Although fresh vegetables should taste good all on their own, lemon sesame tahina will add a touch of luxury to almost any vegetable which finds its way your plate and palate. The flavor of freshly made tahina is far superior to anything store bought. Preparation time: eight minutes.

Sesame seed paste is made of ground up sesame seeds (raw or toasted). Straight from the jar it is dense, intensely flavored and not terribly appealing. But it can be magically transformed into a velvety sauce or dip by blending it with fresh lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, water and salt. (The word "tahina" is derived from the Arabic verb which means "to grind").

There are many traditional tahina recipes. The simple but authentic recipe below calls for a minimum of ingredients. It is my rendition of the fabulous tahina I've eaten on the streets of Tel Aviv, where it is served drizzled over a plate of "hummus fuul", an unforgettable hummus and fava bean dish.  Rich in flavor,  tahina is high in nutrients including protein, calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids.

Lemony Sesame Tahina Sauce:

3/4 cup sesame seed paste ( room temperature)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup fresh water plus extra as needed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Place sesame paste, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil in the blender. Slowly begin to process on low, adding a stream of water as ingredients start to combine. Continue to blend and add water until tahina reaches the consistency you desire.  When sauce is smooth, blend in sea salt, then taste and correct seasoning if necessary.  Store tahina in a glass jar in the fridge until needed. Serve with fresh raw or cooked vegetables of your choosing.

Tahina is also a delicious garnish for lentils, black beans or other legumes. The beloved middle eastern staple, fuul mudammas, (fava bean stew) is often served with a generous portion of tahina.  To learn how to make  "Fuul Mudammas" see the earlier blog post by that name.

Dried fava beans for stew.

Autumn Flavors: Fresh Ginger Root & Apple Salad

 

A fundamental teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine is that food is the basis of all healing and health.  The body's job is to transform food into usable nutrients which then nourish all the tissues and organ systems;  how well it does this depends greatly on the quality of the food taken in. Whole unprocessed foods and medicinal herbs are thought to possess inherent energetic qualities which can balance and strengthen the body. Depending on the season, the climate and one's stage in life, specific foods are chosen according to their individual properties to ensure good health.

Pungent, spicy foods such as ginger root (also onions and garlic) are associated with the respiratory system, as are foods which are light or white in color (such as rice and pears).  It's traditional to incorporate some of these foods into the diet in the autumn, when the respiratory system is vulnerable to the seasonal changes in temperature and daylight. A classic example of this use of food is rice porridge laced with sliced green onion and fresh ginger root,  a well known home remedy for colds and flus.

 

This grated ginger- apple salad has been in my autumn repertoire for many years. The sweet tart fragrance of autumn apples contrasts beautifully with the pungent ginger root and creates a refreshing and deliciously simple dish. Flavorful apples are available this time of year in farmer's markets. Look for locally grown varieties for best quality.  Select ginger roots which are smooth and plump- dried out woody roots are difficult to grate and may lack flavor.  I use about a tablespoon of grated ginger for each medium sized apple, but the ratio can be adjusted to your taste.

Fresh Ginger- Apple Salad:

1 medium piece organic ginger root, well scrubbed, unpeeled
2 medium organic apples, unpeeled
cinnamon powder 
soy milk or nut milk, optional
maple syrup, optional

Grate the ginger root coarsely with a hand grater as in photo above.
As you grate the ginger, most of the peel will separate from the flesh and can be discarded.
Grate apples. Don't discard the peel- it adds color and nutrients to the dish.
Combine ginger and apples in a bowl and toss briefly.

Serve immediately in individual bowls with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Optional: Add a few splashes of soy milk or nut milk.
Got maple syrup? Drizzle!

Purple Sauerkraut: A Perfect Fermented Food

I've never forgotten the huge jar of kimchi a Korean- born friend left on my doorstep years ago when she learned that I was fighting a nasty flu. Even before opening the jar the pungent aroma of fermented cabbage drifted through the house. With the first taste of the fiery, tangy, crunchy mixture, my appetite began to revive. For the next few days I ate small portions every few hours; soon my energy began to increase and my kimchi influenza cure was complete.

Fermented foods are enjoying a moment in the culinary spotlight, but they have been precious staples in many cultures for at least 2000 years. Kimchi and sauerkraut are high in vitamin C and are replete with beneficial microorganisms which are the natural products of fermentation. Before the era of refrigeration, fermentation allowed people to preserve vegetables for use long after the harvest. My Eastern European forebears no doubt survived many a long, cold winter thanks to the health giving properties of the sauerkraut they ate while awaiting the return of springtime.

Attractively packaged jars of pricey sauerkraut are available in many natural food stores. But since sauerkraut is one of the simplest and safest fermented foods to prepare and the flavor of home made  is so extraordinary it seems worth the labor to make it at home. Cabbage, salt and a few simple kitchen utensils are all that are needed. So sharpen your knife, scrub your cutting board and proceed as follows!


Ingredients:

1 medium head organic purple cabbage 
1- 2 teaspoons sea salt (approximately)
 water and sea salt for extra brine

Utensils:

1 large glass or ceramic bowl
1 glass or ceramic plate which will fit into bowl (not on top)
1 heavy object such as a gallon jug of water to rest on top of plate
1 quart- sized wide- mouthed glass jar with lid

Method:

Place the bowl near cutting board. Slice cabbage as finely as possible, placing a handful or two at a time into the bowl and sprinkling with a little sea salt. I don't measure the salt carefully but most recipes call for one tablespoon per large head of cabbage. Continue until all of the cabbage is sliced and salted. With clean hands, mix and squeeze the cabbage thoroughly for a few minutes to distribute the salt evenly and to break down the cell walls of the leaves. This will begin to draw the water out of the cabbage.

Place the plate on top of the salted cabbage, and weigh it down with the jug of water or other heavy object as in photo below.  (Scrub the jug or stones well before using). Allow the cabbage to rest on the kitchen counter overnight, by which time most or all of the cabbage should be submerged beneath the cabbage juice. The speed of this process varies according to the water content of the cabbage, the amount of salt and the degree of pressure. As the liquid is drawn out, the volume of the cabbage will be reduced and it will fit into the quart sized jar.

Pack the cabbage very tightly into the jar. Press it down firmly with your hands or a clean kitchen implement and pour in the cabbage juice. If any of the cabbage is not covered with liquid, mix up some extra brine, using a teaspoon of sea salt dissolved in a cup of fresh water.  Pour enough brine into the jar to just cover the cabbage, then close the loosely.

Leave the jar on the kitchen counter to ferment.  Open it daily to taste a little of the sauerkraut and to make sure that the level of liquid is still above the cabbage. Press the cabbage down into the jar and add more brine if necessary. As long as the cabbage is covered by brine and none of it is exposed to the air, no harmful microorganisms will be able to grow, since the acidity of the brine kills undesirable bacteria.  (Sauer kraut literally means "acid cabbage").

You will notice that the flavor of the sauerkraut (and the aroma in your kitchen) will develop more each day. Once the taste is to your liking, place the jar in the fridge to halt the fermentation. I usually like the flavor somewhere between the fifth and seventh days;  at that point the cabbage is quite tangy but still crunchy. Fermentation speed is linked to temperature, so in a warm kitchen, sauerkraut will mature more quickly. 

Hand crafted sauerkraut will keep well in the fridge for weeks but chances are it will not linger there for long.  These days there's always jar of purple cabbage fermenting away in a corner of my kitchen.  Once you've tasted home made sauerkraut, running out is not an option!

   

Chick Peas: Simply Summer!

At the first hint of warm weather in Northern California, chick peas become a favorite staple in my kitchen.  Few foods of such humble appearance equal the chick pea in flavor, versatility and nutritional value. With a little preparation, these homely legumes are easily transformed into a variety of savory dishes.

Chick pea history dates back to what anthropologists refer to as the "Pre-Pottery Neolithic A" period (9500- 8500 BCE), which means that humans have cultivated chick peas since before the invention of pottery cooking vessels.  Fortunately, twenty-first century chefs are not confined to cooking with hot rocks and open flame; simmering a pot of chick peas today is a much simpler task than it was in the Neolithic age.

It's best to use chick peas which have not lingered in your pantry for too long. Aged beans may not cook completely no matter how long they simmer. Pick over the chick peas and remove any small stones or debris. Rinse well and soak in fresh water for at least six hours or overnight. Soaked chick peas should require less than an hour to cook thoroughly. Basic cooking instructions may be found here:  lisabsf.blogspot.com/2008/05/golden-garbanzos.html. 

Summer Chick Pea Salad:

My favorite summer chick pea recipes are those with the fewest ingredients. Left to my own devices, I can happily snack on chick peas with nothing more than a sprinkling of sea salt. Often I add just a few fresh basil leaves or mint leaves and little olive oil.  For something a bit more creative, start with a bowl of cooked and drained chick peas tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon or lime juice; add a few other seasonally available ingredients. Use the list below for inspiration:

olive oil
fresh lemon or lime juice
fresh basil or mint leaves
fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
baby spinach or arugula leaves
thinly sliced red onion
thinly sliced green onion
ripe tomato slices
ripe cherry tomatoes
sweet red, orange or yellow pepper slices
cucumber slices
kalamata olives
Hungarian paprika
hot red pepper flakes
toasted sesame seeds
umeboshi vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt


For healthy portable meals to take to work or school, use only a small amount of lemon or lime juice and other liquids so that ingredients don't leak in transit. Whole cherry tomatoes can be packed separately.  The quality protein and other nutrients in a chick pea lunch will keep you energetic and satisfied for several hours.