Ingredients:
2 bunches broccoli
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon mirin
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 scallions, both green and white
Directions:
1. Remove florets from the broccoli. Peel the stems with a vegetable peeler until smooth. Slice the stems into bite-size pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt. Add the broccoli and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a cold water bath to stop the cooking and preserve the broccoli’s color. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, tamari, mirin, toasted sesame oil, and maple syrup. Heat a wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Stir quickly for 30 seconds, just until aromatic.
3. Add the sauce to the wok and simmer until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and heat through, about 15 seconds. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 apples of choice, cored and chopped
½ cup sherry vinegar, or more if needed
1 cup chopped celery
3 scallions, cleaned and diagonally cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup shelled walnut halves
4-5 tablespoons walnut oil
Directions:
1. Toss the apples in a bowl with the sherry vinegar.
2. Add the celery, scallions, walnut halves, and drizzle with 4 tablespoons walnut oil. Toss again.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more vinegar and up to 1 tablespoon more oil, if necessary. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1½ pounds carrots, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
½+ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the carrots, cooking them until nearly tender, about 6 minutes. They should retain a crunch.
2. Drain the carrots, drop them into a bowl and sprinkle them with the raspberry vinegar, you must do this while they are hot. Add enough olive oil to cover the carrots and toss well. Refrigerate at least overnight, although the carrots will keep and even improve for several days.
3. To serve, bring carrots to room temperature and lift them from the bowl with a slotted spoon, it is not necessary to drain them completely; some vinegar and oil should coat the carrots. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 medium beets
4 medium leeks, cut into 4-inch pieces (total 4 cups)
½ ounce coarsely chopped cilantro
1¼ cups lettuce or radicchio, or both, chopped into bite-size pieces
Dressing:
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamarind water
½ teaspoon walnut oil
2½ tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap beets in parchment paper then aluminum foil and roast them in the oven for 1-1½ hours, depending on their size. Once cooked, you should be able to stick a small knife through the center easily. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled enough to handle, peel the beets, halve them and cut each half into 3/8-inch wedges. Put them in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Place the leeks in medium pan with salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, until just until cooked; it’s important to not overcook them so they don’t fall apart. Drain and refresh under cold water, then use a very sharp serrated knife to cut each segment into 3 smaller pieces and pat dry. Transfer to a bowl, separate from the beets, and set aside.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, mix together all the dressing ingredients and leave to one side for 10 minutes so all the flavors come together.
5. Divide the walnut dressing and the cilantro equally between the beets and leeks and toss gently. Taste both and add more salt if necessary.
6. To put the salad together – spread most of the beets on a serving platter, top with some of the lettuce/radicchio, then most of the leeks, then the remaining beets, then finish with more beets and greens.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large bunch chard
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra to finish
Scant 5 tablespoons pine nuts
2 small cloves garlic, sliced very thinly
¼ cup dry white wine
Sweet paprika to garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Tahini Yogurt Sauce:
3½ tablespoons tahini paste
4½ tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons water
Directions:
1. Start with the sauce. Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl, add a pinch of salt, and stir well with a small whisk until you get a smooth, semi-stiff paste.
2. Separate the chard stems from the leaves, and cut both into slices ¾-inch wide, keeping them separate. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and add the chard stalks. Simmer for 2 minutes then add the leaves, and cook for another minute. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Allow the water to drain and use your hands to squeeze out any excess water, until completely dry.
3. Put half the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toss them until golden, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan, then throw in the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, until it stats to become golden. Carefully pour in the wine – it will splash up!
4. Leave for a minute or less until it reduces by one-third. Add the chard and rest of the butter and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chard is completely warm. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper.
5. Divide chard among individual serving dishes, spoon some tahini sauce on top and scatter with pine nuts. Finally, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with some paprika if you like.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ lb carrots (about 2 large)
½ medium onion
2 cloves garlic
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup each: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans (or you can use any combination of what you have)
1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
4 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons each: arrowroot and lime juice, stirred together until smooth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
1. Pulse the carrots, onion, garlic, and celery in a food processor until finely chopped (or less for a rougher chop), stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add breadcrumbs, nuts, cilantro, arrowroot/lime juice mixture, cumin and salt. Blend until completely mixed, stopping to scrape down the sided of the bowl as needed. Adjust the season to taste.
2. Shape into 6 patties. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook patties for 4 minutes on each side. Assemble the burger to your liking.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup fresh orange juice
4-5 cups vegetable stock
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3-4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream (optional) and freshly grated nutmeg for serving
Directions:
1. Place the carrots and butter in a heavy-based pan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the orange juice, stock, and onion. Bring to a boil and add the thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Allow to cool.
3. Process the mixture in a blender or food processor in batches, until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat slowly. Serve in individual bowl topped with sour cream (optional) and sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg. Garnish with a small sprig of fresh thyme.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or other neutral oil
1 medium onion, diced
1½ teaspoons curry powder
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 cups small cauliflower florets
1 cup ½-inch diced waxy potatoes
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1-2 cups vegetable stock, divided
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 bunch chard, stems removed, leaves chopped
Bread, nann, or cooked brown rice
Plain Greek yogurt, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro (optional garnishes)
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until very soft and translucent, almost breaking down. Add curry powder and bay leaves; cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeno; cook for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant, constantly stirring.
2. Stir in the cauliflower and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add crushed tomatoes and stir again. Add 1 cup of stock, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered. Add additional stock if needed, depending on the thickness you like. Cook for another 40 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Add the chickpeas and chard greens and simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the leaves have wilted.
3. Serve with bread, naan, or cooked brown rice. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt, chopped cilantro and a lime wedge, if you like.
Serve 4-6
Ingredients:
¼ small cabbage, cut into 1¼-inch cubes
3 medium carrots, cut on an angle into 3/8-inch slices
5 radishes, cut into thick slices
2 celery stalks, cut into 1 ¼-inch slices on the diagonal
¼ small cauliflower divided into small florets (scant 1 cup total)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon allspice powder
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 red chilies
3¾ cups warm water
6½ tablespoons cider vinegar
Fine sea salt
Directions:
1. Mix the vegetables in a bowl and place about ½ in the bottom of a sterilized 1½-quart jar. Add the curry, allspice, garlic, and chilies. Top with the remaining vegetables.
2. To make the brine, stir 2 tablespoons salt into the warm water until dissolved. Pour the brine into the jar filling it to within ¾-inch of the rim. Add the vinegar; the vegetables should be completely covered. If they are not, make more brine by adding 1½ teaspoons salt to each scant 1 cup of water. Seal the jar.
3. Place the jar in a well lit, if possible, sunny spot. The pickles should be ready in 5 days. They should be crunchy and full of sharp, salty flavors. Once ready, keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 1½ quarts
Ingredients:
3 medium beets
2 medium carrots
½ celeriac
6 radishes
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons sweetener
¾ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
¾ cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
½ tablespoon grated lemon zest
Scant 1 cup lebneh (Greek yogurt that has been drained in a cheesecloth over a bowl overnight to make it “cheese-like”.)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Slice the vegetables thinly, about 1/16-inch thick. Stack them, a few slices at a time, on top of one another and cut them into matchstick strips. Place all the strips in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside while you make the dressing.
2. Place lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, sweetener and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sweetener has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
3. Drain the vegetables and transfer to a paper towel to dry well. Dry the bowl and replace the vegetables. Pour the hot dressing over the vegetables, mix well and leave to cool in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, add the herbs, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the salad. Toss well and taste; add more salt if needed. Pile on some plates and serve with the lebneh on the side.
Serves 6