Nectarine, date and feta salad with shaved asparagus, toasted hazelnuts + honey-herb vinaigrette

Leave a comment May 26, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

The days of no-cook meals have begun! At the top of my easy summer eats list is the big-a$$ salad, an ever-evolving, never-the-same-combination-twice meal that mixes up a variety of my favorite flavors and textures in one bowl.

My basic entree salad formula is leafy greens + other vegetables (like bell peppers, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus) + protein (e.g., nuts, eggs, cheese, animal protein such as canned sardines or leftover roasted chicken) + something sweet (usually fresh or dried fruit) + a salty/tangy/briny element (olives, capers, pickled onions) + a simple homemade dressing.

I always start with a foundation of crisp, ultra-fresh greens; some favorites are baby kale, dandelion greens, tender young chard, mustard greens, collards, arugula, and lamb’s quarters. If you’re in the NY area try the insanely high-vibe mesclun from Windfall Farms in the Hudson Valley; but be warned, you’ll be ruined for boxed “spring mix” for good.

The leafies go into my bowl first, and then I’ll rummage around the crisper drawer and fruit bowl for other fruits and veggies that might work well, typically selecting two or three key players and then planning the rest of the ingredients and dressing around those. For this salad I knew I wanted to do something with nectarines, dates, and a nice goat’s milk feta from Ardith Mae Farm, and that helped lead where the salad would go.

I almost always add nuts or seeds for protein and crunchy texture — they make any salad more satisfying. I prefer to buy raw nuts and then toast them in small batches before using them — the flavor and texture are so much better than packaged roasted nuts from the store. Here I decided on hazelnuts, which I toasted for about 10 minutes at 350F in the toaster oven, allowed to cool for a few minutes and rubbed with a kitchen towel to remove the papery skins.

Another favorite is activated (soaked/sprouted and dehydrated) pumpkin seeds, which I buy from the bulk bins at whole foods. So crispy and delicious, and also more nutritious than raw or roasted nuts since the sprouting process increases the bioavailability of minerals.

Almost every salad can benefit from a pickled, salty, or briny element. This can be capers, olives, seasoned jarred artichoke hearts, or pickled hot or sweet peppers. My favorite right now is homemade pickled red onions, which I have been adding to every salad lately (I added them to this salad, too, but they didn’t make it into the photo — only realized I had forgotten them when I sat down to eat).

To bring together all of these contrasting flavors and textures there’s nothing better than a homemade dressing. Though the marketing folks at Wish-Bone would like us to think this is a difficult undertaking, it’s quite the opposite.

At its most basic, a vinaigrette consists of an acid (like vinegar or citrus juice — I love raw apple cider vinegar since it’s fruity and not overly acidic) and an oil (usually extra-virgin olive oil in my kitchen), plus a little salt added for seasoning. The two ingredients that will really take your vinaigrette to the next level, though, are honey and Dijon mustard. These respectively add a pop of sweetness and sharp pungency that really wake up your dressing, and by extension your salad. And just as importantly, honey and mustard also act as emulsifiers, creating a creamy dressing that adheres better to your salad’s components so every bite is super flavorful and satisfying.

Nectarine, date and feta salad with shaved asparagus, toasted hazelnuts + honey-herb vinaigrette

Serves 2 as a main course

5 cups baby greens, washed and spun dry
2 ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
4 medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 asparagus spears, shaved into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler
2 ounces feta, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon raw honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

optional: quick-pickled red onions (see recipe below)
optional: edible flower, for garnish

Arrange greens on a serving platter or in individual bowls. Arrange nectarines, dates, tomatoes, asparagus ribbons, and feta over greens.

Combine vinegar, honey, Dijon, herbes de Provence, and salt in a small jar. Cover and shake until honey dissolves. Add olive oil and shake again until creamy.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and top with hazelnuts and pickled onions, if using. Serve immediately.

Quick-pickled Red Onions
1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.     It’s now ready to use; store extra in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to a week (they probably won’t last that long).

Tahini granola with date molasses, apricots + figs

Leave a comment May 22, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

The granola conundrum: light and crisp vs clusters.

Overall I prefer my granola light and crisp, and my usual recipe using olive oil as the fat + maple syrup as sweetener is great for this. But sometimes I want some of those satisfyingly snackable clusters, too. And most granolas that form clusters tend to be heavy, the clusters leaning toward either the sticky (no good in my book) or tooth-breakingly hard (definitely no good in anybody’s book).

Happily I’ve hit upon a formula that offers the best of both worlds. With tahini (sesame butter) and date molasses acting as the “glue,” this granola is perfectly light and crisp, but also brings those coveted clusters in spades.

Aside from the ingredients themselves, the other trick to mastering the light-and-crispy clusters game is to bake the granola low and slow and leave it be — i.e., no stirring, cool it in the baking pan, and only once it’s cool break it into clusters (some nibbling around the edges of the pan is inevitable and won’t adversely affect the end results).

With tahini and a plethora of nuts and seeds (far outnumbering the rolled oats, actually) this is a protein-rich mix you can feel good about eating for breakfast or as a snack at any time of day. Chopped dried apricots and figs added to the baked and cooled granola are a perfect complement to the crisp oat mixture, offering both sweetness and chew factor.

A couple of additional stats: this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and free of refined sugars. If you’d like to make it grain-free, simply omit the rolled oats and bump up the amounts of the shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, almonds and sunflower seeds to make up for the lost volume.

Tahini granola with date molasses, apricots + figs
Yield: approximately 6 cups of granola

1.5 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sliced or roughly chopped almonds
3/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons date molasses
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried unsulfured apricots, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried figs (I used small, black mission figs), stems removed, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 300F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or Silpat.

Combine oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl combine tahini, date molasses, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour tahini mixture over oat mixture and toss gently with a wooden spoon until evenly coated.

Pour oat-tahini mixture onto prepared baking sheet, using the back of a wooden spoon to spread it into an even layer. Bake for 1 hour, without stirring, rotating pan halfway through. If the granola seems to be browning too quickly around the edges, reduce heat to 275F.

Cool granola in pan on a wire rack. When completely cooled, break into smaller pieces. Add apricots and figs and toss to combine. Store in airtight container(s) and eat within 2 weeks. The granola also freezes well for longer storage.

Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice with toasted coconut

2 Comments May 10, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

Cauliflower rice has been storming food blogs and IG feeds since 2013 or so, but, late-adopter that I am, I just got around to making it for the first time last night. My personal view is: if I want rice, I’ll make and eat rice; and if I’m in the mood for cauliflower, I’ll cook and eat cauliflower (especially roasted, oh my). I’m not a fan of foods pretending to be other foods. It just seems silly to me. I’m also not big on food rules, labels, or fads. So just the fact that Trader Joe’s has had to place a limit on the number of bags of frozen cauli-rice each customer is allowed to buy, because the caulk-rice fans were arriving on the day the shipments came in and buying up entire boxes of 30 or 40 bags, pretty much made me want to stay away from cauli-rice with a ten-foot pole.

For the last couple of weeks, though, the hubs and I have been trying to have less carb-y meals in the evening. This started somewhat by accident, with a couple of suppers that happened to be lighter in the carbo department, but when we discovered that we felt better overall having made just this one simple change, we became more intentional about it. Thus it seemed a fortuitous time to blitz a head of cauliflower in the food processor and call it rice.

With a plethora of limes in the fruit bowl, half a bunch of cilantro in the crisper and a handful of shredded coconut leftover from baking, I decided to take this batch of cauli-rice in a tropical direction. I sautéed some chopped garlic in coconut oil and added the riced cauliflower for a quick saute followed by a 5-minute steam. Then I added grated lime zest, chopped cilantro, and toasted coconut, gave it a quick toss, and topped it with more toasted coconut and some fresh chives.

And I have to admit, this dish has made a cauli-ricing convert out of me. Cauliflower is neutral enough in flavor to carry other flavors like a grain would, and I like that I don’t feel stuffed after I eat it, like I sometimes do with rice or other grains that expand quite a bit in the stomach. It’s a perfect pairing alongside pretty much any protein you can think of, and the “grains” absorb liquid so it’s a great side for a saucy main, like curry or a tomato sauce. This first time around I topped my cauli rice with seared coriander-crusted scallops; delicious! Next time I’m thinking coconut curried chicken or vegetables.

Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice with toasted coconut
Adapted from Pamela Salzman


Gluten-free, Grain-free, Vegan
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 head cauliflower (about 1-1/4 pounds), cored and cut into large florets
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
grated zest of 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (divided)
2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives (optional, for garnish)
lime wedges, for serving
kosher salt

Place cauliflower florets in a food processor. Process with quick, short pulses 15 to 20 times until it resembles the texture of rice.

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower and 3/4 teaspoon salt to skillet. Saute for a couple of minutes, then cover and steam on low for 5 to 8 minutes, to your desired tenderness.

Turn off heat and stir in lime zest, cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut. Taste and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with remaining coconut and chives. Serve with lime wedges.

Roasted sweet potato soup with ginger, turmeric and coriander

Leave a comment May 6, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

It’s been a rainy and raw first week of May in New York — pretty much to be expected after a dry, sunny, and warmer-than-usual April. And though not much fun for the humans of nyc (or our canine friends — hello, sink bath after every single park walk!), the trees, lawns, and gardens are loving it, growing more lush and green by the day.

Fittingly, my soup pot has been in heavy rotation the last few days. My favorite spoonable creation as of late is this velvety, gingery, and earthy roasted sweet potato soup. With just 6 basic ingredients — sweet potato, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander seed (homemade broth doesn’t hurt, either; more on that below) — this soup is ultra simple to make yet bursting with flavor, nutrient-density, and sunshine-in-a-bowl satisfaction.

Last Sunday I picked up about a pound each of pastured chicken wings and feet (my favorite parts for making bone broth) from Yellow Bell Farm at the 79th Street greenmarket. I decided to make a small batch — about 1-1/2 quarts — to enjoy during the week as a sipping broth, egg-poaching liquid, and base for soups. Simmered over very low heat for about 8 hours with a splash of apple cider vinegar, a halved onion, a few garlic cloves and a couple of pieces of kombu, with a bunch of parsley stems added for the last 10 minutes, the result was a delicious, rich and mellow broth so rich in gelatin that it turns completely solid once it’s chilled.

(yup, definitely passes the upside-down test)

I also picked up a couple of sweet potatoes at the greenmarket, and with fresh ginger and turmeric on hand, too, decided a sweet potato soup was in order. If you’ve never tried whole-roasting your sweet potatoes before adding them to soup, you must give it a go next time. Cooking the sweet potato in its skin steams the interior of the potato for a super creamy and luscious texture, and draws out just enough of its moisture to concentrate the flavors in a way that doesn’t happen when these sweet roots are cubed and cooked in liquid.

We’re talking a soup that’s super creamy yet entirely dairy-free and gluten-free. Blended with hot broth and aromatics, the roasted sweet potato’s starches create a velvety texture without any need to add butter, cream, or flour. (And it’s easy to veganize — simply use veg broth in place of bone broth.)

For garnishes I chose black sesame seeds, thinly sliced scallions and edible flowers (violets), and I love the way the colors pop against the bright orange of the soup. Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, a dollop of yogurt or coconut cream, chives, and/or sprouts would also be great finishing touches. If you have a cup or two of leftover soup, try simmering it for 5 minutes with a couple of handfuls of thinly sliced dark leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, chard, collards etc) tossed in. Delicious!

Roasted sweet potato soup with ginger, turmeric and coriander
Serves 4

As noted above, for a vegan soup simply substitute vegetable broth (preferably homemade) for the bone broth.

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon coconut oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
3 to 4 cups bone broth or stock of your choice
kosher salt

garnishes:
thinly sliced scallions or chives
sesame seeds
edible flowers

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Rub sweet potatoes with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Place on baking sheet and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove skins (they should peel off easily).

Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, ginger and turmeric and cook for 1 minute more, stirring often. Add coriander and toast for about 30 seconds more.

Add 3 cups broth to soup pot along with a pinch of salt, and stir to release any bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, partially covered. Let cool for a few minutes.

Transfer broth mixture (including aromatics) and roasted, peeled sweet potatoes to a blender. Process until mixture is completely smooth, keeping in mind the usual precautions when blending hot liquids in order to avoid a blender volcano: do not fill your blender more halfway (if your blender is small blend your soup in 2 or 3 batches), cover with blender lid and then cover lid with a kitchen towel, and apply pressure to the lid/towel combo while the machine is running.

The consistency of the soup should be thick and creamy but pourable (if it looks like mashed sweet potatoes it’s too thick). Add more broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, if needed to thin it out. Blend after each addition.

Transfer soup back to rinsed pot and reheat over low heat. Season to taste with salt. When ready to serve, ladle into warmed soup bowls and add garnishes of your choice.

Spiced superfood hot chocolate

Leave a comment May 3, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

After a long, chilly and wet walk in Central Park — which we’ve had a lot of this spring — a warming beverage is a most welcome treat. Herbal lattes have been my brew of choice lately — creamy potions made by blending hot water or brewed tea and coconut butter + coconut oil with an ever-changing combination of herbs, spices, and superfoods. The coconut butter and oil emulsify in the blender to create a wonderfully rich, creamy and coconutty base that’s entirely dairy-free. And as an added bonus, the fatty acids in coconut are a great source of energy and also have antimicrobial and weight-balancing effects.

This rich and chocolatey elixir is my version of a Mexican hot chocolate — i.e., hot cocoa spiced with cinnamon and cayenne — that’s kicked up into high gear with a few of my favorite herbal allies:

Cinnamon: warming, great for digestion, reduces insulin resistance and improves blood glucose balance.

Maca: rich in protein, minerals, and essential fatty acids, energy-enhancing, hormone-balancing. Be sure to buy gelatinized maca powder for use in smoothies and potions. In this process the maca root is boiled and then pressurized to remove the starch. This type of maca powder dissolves more easily in liquids and is easier to digest.

Medicinal mushrooms: rich in minerals and B vitamins, immune-supportive, anti-cancer, antibacterial properties. Reishi, chaga and cordyceps are a few of my favorites.

And last but not least, cacao: rich in antioxidants, energizing, good all-around happy medicine.

With this supercharged line-up, this is a hot cocoa unlike any you’ve had before and guaranteed to put a spring in your step!

Spiced superfood hot chocolate
Serves 1

1 cup hot water (boiled and cooled for a few minutes)
1 tablespoon coconut butter
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon raw honey or unrefined liquid sweetener of choice (e.g., maple syrup or coconut nectar), to taste

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon gelatinized maca powder
1/4 teaspoon medicinal mushroom powder (e.g., cordyceps, reishi, chaga)
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of raw vanilla powder

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender (e.g., Vitamix) and blend on high speed for at least 30 seconds to allow the coconut butter and oil to completely emulsify (taking care when blending hot liquids; cover with lid and a towel and apply firm pressure while blending). Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Zucchini fritters with avocado-lime crema {gluten-free & grain-free}

4 Comments May 2, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

Summer will be here before we know it and, along with it, a bounty of summer squash. Here’s another one to add to your zucchini repertoire: quick and easy fritters that are gluten-free and grain-free, bright with lemon zest, parsley, and coriander seed, and packed with protein from almond flour and eggs.

Served with a dollop of spicy avocado-lime crema (which I’ve decided really should be served with just about everything) and a side of greens they make a delicious and healthy lunch. Or make smaller fritters and serve as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvres — a little smoked salmon or prosciutto would be nice on there too, if you want to be fancy. So versatile! They reheat beautifully so I often make extra to have during the week as a quick lunch or snack.

There’s that super creamy and tangy avocado crema — just avocado, parsley, lime, jalapeño, s&p. This stuff is a good reminder that creamy doesn’t have to mean dairy. Replace the parsley with fresh cilantro and this is the perfect topping for your Cinco de Mayo tacos (t-minus 3 days so better start planning!).

Leftovers? Just crisp up that fritter in a lightly oiled pan (or pop in the toaster oven until heated through), put an egg on it, throw some greens alongside — maybe a little hot sauce — and lunch is done. Bonus points for edible flowers. Leftover fritters are also so tasty served cold or room temp in a sandwich or pita, or cubed and tossed into a salad when time is of the essence or you need to eat on the run.

Zucchini fritters with avocado-lime crema
Makes about ten 3-inch-diameter fritters

fritters
2 medium zucchini (about 12 ounces), coarsely grated
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
a few grinds of black pepper
olive, avocado or coconut oil, for pan frying

avocado crema
1 ripe avocado, halved lengthwise and pitted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
juice of 2 limes

salt and black pepper, to taste

garnishes

Sliced scallions

Sprouted pumpkin seeds 

Preheat oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. 

In a large bowl combine all ingredients for fritters (except oil). Stir well to combine. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop up a big spoonful of the zucchini batter (about 2 tablespoons) into pan, flatten slightly with spoon, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook other side until browned, another 2 minutes or so. Repeat with remaining batter, cooking 2 to 3 fritters at a time depending on the size of your skillet (don’t overcrowd pan). Add a little more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer fritters to baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Scoop flesh of avocado into bowl of food processor. Add parsley, jalapeño, and lime juice. Blend until creamy, about 30 seconds. The texture of the crema should be silky and spoonable but not runny — similar to sour cream. If it’s too thick add a little water and blend again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve fritters warm topped with crema and garnished with scallions and pumpkin seeds. 

Black tahini swirl blondies

Leave a comment April 26, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

Although my love affair with tahini has been going on for a few months now, the elegant and mysterious black tahini only entered my life a few days ago. I was innocently perusing the aisles at whole foods (the usual story: went in to buy some fruit and the next thing you know…) when the jar practically jumped off the shelf and into my basket. Along with a jar of date molasses, which we’ll get to later.

The flavor of this black tahini is sort of like white tahini on steroids: the same nutty, rich, toasted sesame flavor, but taken a level deeper, darker and more intense. You can use it in all the same ways as the more common white variety — in sauces, dressings, dips, spreads, cookies, etc.

Tahini-swirled brownies have been on my need-to-make list for a while. Once in possession of the black variety, though, I flipped my sights to a swirled blondie, instead. Mixed with a bit of that aforementioned date molasses and swirled through a pan of rich, brown-sugary batter, black tahini’s nutty sharpness plays the perfect contrast to the sweet, mellow flavor of the blondie. Did I mention there’s a little flaky Maldon salt sprinkled on top of these bad boys? So we have that sweet-salty magic going on here, too.

I made the blondies with olive oil because, truth be told, I ran out of butter. And, as with most of my baked goods of late, I actually prefer the olive oil version, for its moist crumb, lighter flavor, and base notes of herbaceous olive-y goodness. Olive oil also matches nicely with the tahini and date molasses swirl, given that all of these ingredients are Mediterranean / Middle Eastern in origin.

And I should also mention, if you have a hard time locating black tahini, you can make it at home using black sesame seeds. Simply toast the seeds in a skillet for a few minutes (toasting helps reduce the bitterness of the tahini) and blend in a food processor or high-powered blender until a sesame butter forms.

Black tahini swirl blondies
Blondie base recipe adapted from My Name is Yeh
Makes about 12 blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup toasted black tahini, stirred well before measuring
2 tablespoons date molasses or date syrup (or honey)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (black, white or a mixture)
Maldon salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8×8-inch pan with olive oil and line with parchment.

In a bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate large bowl whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until well incorporated. Stir dry ingredients into wet in two or three additions. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

In a small bowl stir together tahini and date molasses. Plop about a dozen small spoonfuls of the mixture onto the top of the batter. Use a chopstick or the handle of a spoon to swirl the tahini mixture through the batter (don’t over swirl, though – you want it to be irregular). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Maldon salt.

Bake until the center of the blondies is set, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan and cooling completely on a rack. Store blondies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Spiced ginger-turmeric-kombu broth with shiitakes, bok choy and buckwheat soba

Leave a comment April 21, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

On a cool spring evening there’s nothing more satisfying than a warm bowl of homemade soup. My taste preferences change this time of year, away from braises and thicker, heartier stews and toward thinner broths chocked with health-suppotive herbs and spices. Every other Sunday or so I pick up a pastured chicken at the local farmers’ market, along with a pound or two of chicken feet. I roast the chicken, which we’ll have for dinners and lunches over several days, and save all the bones, cartilage and skin. From these I’ll make a rich, long-simmered bone broth, adding those chicken feet, a few garlic cloves, onion, carrot, celery, kombu (dried kelp), and a dash of apple cider vinegar (the acidity helps draw calcium and other minerals from the bones into the broth). You can simmer this broth up to 24 hours, though I usually cook it for about 12 hours. The resulting broth is rich in minerals, gelatin, and collagen, and makes a fantastic soup base, as well as a flavorful liquid for cooking grains, beans, greens, and poaching eggs. It’s also delicious simply sipped straight-up, seasoned with sea salt or tamari.

For this soup I infused the bone broth with Asian flavors: ginger, turmeric, dried shiitakes, kombu, with a nod toward pho with the inclusion of cinnamon and star anise. Ginger and turmeric are two of my go-to herbal allies during seasonal transitions, with their potent anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and immune-supportive properties, great for those of us battling seasonal sniffles due to upper respiratory infections or allergies. Both herbs are also cleansing and soothing to the gut, particularly when the fresh rhizomes are used. Cinnamon, star anise, and black pepper have a warming effect and are abundant in antioxidants, and kombu is rich in minerals, particularly calcium and iodine.

Finished with rich, toasty tamari (traditionally fermented, naturally gluten-free soy sauce) and sweet mirin, this broth becomes a perfect backdrop for nearly any combination of vegetables, noodles/grains, and proteins you can think of. This time I simmered fresh shiitake mushrooms caps, scallions, and bok choy in the broth and poured it over cooked buckwheat soba, which is naturally free of gluten. Finished with a squeeze of lime, crisp slices of radish and scallions, ginger matchsticks, and a drizzle of hot sesame oil, this is an ultra-satisfying and flavorful one-bowl meal. If you wish to add a protein, pan-crisped sliced tempeh or tofu or shredded cooked chicken are delicious additions, too.

Spiced ginger-tumeric-kombu broth with shiitakes, bok choy and buckwheat soba
Serves 2 to 3, depending on sizes of appetites and soup bowls

4 cups stock or broth of your choice (I used homemade chicken bone broth, see discussion in post above)
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2-inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1-inch piece dried kombu
1 star anise pod
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 garlic cloves, peeled, one left whole and the other sliced (divided)
1/2 teaspoon tamari (or to taste)
1 teaspoon mirin
5 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (save for making stock), caps thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced
4 heads of baby bok choy, two halved lengthwise and two thinly sliced, divided
2 teaspoons sesame oil (for cooking, i.e. NOT toasted)
4 ounces buckwheat soba
kosher salt or sea salt

to finish:
thinly sliced radishes
thinly sliced scallions
fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
sesame seeds
hot sesame oil
lime wedges

Bring broth to a simmer in a soup pot over medium heat. Add ginger, turmeric, dried shiitakes, kombu, star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and whole garlic clove. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain broth and return to rinsed soup pot. Add tamari and mirin to taste.

Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add halved bok choy and saute until lightly caramelized and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Bring broth back to a simmer and add sliced shiitake mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered. Add scallions and sliced bok choy and cook for 5 minutes more. Taste and add more tamari, if desired. Turn off heat and cover to keep hot.

Cook soba in generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and distribute among soup bowls. Pour hot soup over noodles. Arrange seared bok choy in bowls and add garnishes of your choice and a drizzle of hot sesame oil. Serve with lime wedges.

Broccoli rabe and chickpea skillet with tahini yogurt sauce + toasted pine nuts

Leave a comment April 15, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

Legumes and greens are one of my favorite pairings for a quick, light meal. White beans and escarole, kale and lentils, chard and mung beans. Add a little garlic, crushed red chile, good olive oil, and you have yourself a delicious meal. It practically begs to be piled onto a thick slice of toasted sourdough to make an open-faced sandwich (add a little grated parmigiano — heavenly). Spoon into a bowl, top with an egg and call it breakfast or brunch. Layer some in your next grilled cheese sandwich with fontina and parmigiano. Or add to a hippie bowl with farro or barley for a heartier main course. You get the picture. It’s a versatile combination. 

This latest beans-and-greens combo began with a big bunch of broccoli rabe (aka rapini) that I had picked up at the market. Wanting to pair it with some protein I decided to add chickpeas to the mix song with an Ottolenghi-inspired tahini yogurt sauce (spiced up a bit with cumin and pomegranate molasses) and toasted pine nuts. My idea of a perfect lunch. 

Broccoli rabe isn’t the lowest maintenance of the leafy greens, but when prepared correctly its silky texture and earthy, verdant flavor make it well worth the effort. First give the greens the usual soak in plenty of cold water to remove any grit. Then, and this is something I only started doing recently, trim the stems. It takes about ten minutes to work through a large bunch, but it makes the experience of eating the greens less stringy and far more enjoyable. Cut off the tough bottom half-inch of the stalks with a chef’s knife, and then with a paring knife peel away the tough outer skin of each stalk, pulling upwards from the bottom cut end and working around the stalk in a circle. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, trimming goes quickly and becomes rather enjoyable, actually — meditative, as a friend put it recently.  Once trimmed, I blanch the rapini in plenty of salted water and drain it.

I was pressed for time the morning I made this and used a can of Eden organics chickpeas — I like that they cook their chickpeas with kombu (which aids digestion) and that their cans are BPA-free. By all means use scratch-cooked chickpeas if you have the time or have some hanging around the fridge. 

Broccoli rabe + chickpea skillet with tahini yogurt sauce + toasted pine nuts
Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted tahini
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1/2 stalk of spring garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon) or 1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli rabe, washed and trimmed (see discussion of trimming in post above)
extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, whacked with the side of a knife and peeled
big pinch of crushed red chile
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1-1/2 cups freshly cooked chickpeas
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Combine tahini, yogurt, garlic, molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, and cumin in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper and stir to combine. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin out to a pourable consistency. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add broccoli rabe and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked greens to a bowl; reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.

In a large skillet heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and a big pinch of crushed red chile. Cook for a minute or two until garlic is fragrant. Add chickpeas and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add broccoli rabe and toss to coat with olive oil. Cook for a few minutes, then add reserved cooking liquid. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Finish broccoli rabe mixture with a drizzle of olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature with tahini yogurt sauce and toasted pine nuts.

Ginger lime mixed berry crisps

Leave a comment April 5, 2016 urbankitchenapothecary

The first day of April felt like a full-blown summer’s day (good one, mama nature), and I accordingly was struck with a sudden craving for berries. We’re still a long way off from berry season in the NY area  — they usually appear at the markets around mid-June — and the trucked-in organic strawberries at Fairway are still white-topped and priced at $8 a quart. Organic frozen berries are a much better way to go in the off-season, so I decided to pick up a couple of bags at the grocery store — a blend of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries — not sure exactly what I would do with them. On my way home the idea of mini berry crisps began to crystallize in my mind, and by the time I reached our front door the idea of turning on the oven in our 80-degree apartment seemed totally reasonable. Because sometimes we have to suffer for dessert.

Going with the whole summer-for-a-day theme, I tossed the berries with fresh ginger and lime (zest and juice) — a gentle hint of tropical goodness that married perfectly with the sweet, tangy fruit. I also added a little maple syrup to amplify the berries’ natural sweetness, a touch of vanilla extract, and arrowroot powder to thicken their juices. (I might have also played with the idea of adding a nip of gin, since this was most definitely gin and tonic weather, but reined myself in before that happened. Maybe next time.) The topping came together as a simple combination of almond flour, shredded coconut, coconut oil and maple syrup. Gluten free and grain free, it bakes to a perfect golden brown, and the toasted coconut is a delicious complement to the ginger and lime in the filling.

These mini crisps make a refreshing, summery and not-too-sweet dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (or coconut cream), and since they’re relatively virtuous, I think they also make a perfectly respectable breakfast with a spoonful of plain yogurt or fresh ricotta. When rhubarb comes into season, I’ll be adding its tart rosy stalks into the mix, and come summer, all manner of fresh berries and stone fruits. Peach and blueberry would be a particularly good combination.

Ginger lime mixed berry crisps 
Makes 4 individual-serving-sized crisps

for the berry filling:
one 12-ounce bag frozen mixed berries
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (peeled before grating)
1 lime, grated zest and juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

for the topping:
4 tablespoons almond flour or almond meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour)
4 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease four 4-ounce ramekins with a little coconut oil.

Place all ingredients for berry filling in a medium-sized bowl and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

Combine almond flour, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, and pinch of salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Stir in coconut oil and maple syrup.

Divide berry mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 full. Top with coconut-almond mixture. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.