Patience is a virtue: sushi

People always think of fish (raw fish for that matter) when they see or hear the word sushi. However, this is not the case. Sushi actually refers to rice along with some sort of accompaniment. In terms of food costs, it is relatively low. However, when speaking of labour, the time and effort put into the delicate preparation of ingredients and assembly is one of the reasons why I think the cost of sushi is relatively high. One thing I learned today is when making the sweet vinegary rice, it tastes more potent when it is hot. The sweet and sour taste subdues once the rice has cooled down. So be sure to make the rice a bit more overpowering when tasting while it's warm. I used short grain brown rice to make the sushi along with some toasted sesame seeds and heated rice wine vinegar with sugar. The ratio was about 1:1/2 respectively. Another important note is that when making miso soup, don't allow the water to come to a boil. Warm the dashi, then whisk in the miso paste. Otherwise, it will be cloudy.

Sushi sampler plate

Inari
Mirin braised shiitake mushroom nigiri
Asparagus maki in mamenori
Edamame pods
Miso soup with kombu dashi, silken tofu, and scallions

A tribute to kale

Kale is an amazing green. It's been touted for its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer nutrient. It comes in different varieties such as lacinto (dino), curly, and red Russian. I like curly, but the only organic available was the dino variety. For kale, I can be flexible. It's also super important to buy organic kale as it is a very heavily pesticide sprayed item. Aphids love the cruciferous green. To highlight it's versatility, it can be eaten raw or cooked.

Raw kale salad with fresh strawberries and toasted walnuts

Kale and white bean soup

Dino kale was stemmed and finely shredded and tossed in raw apple cider vinegar and allowed to sit for a couple of hours to help break down the fibers of the chewy green. To serve, toss with fresh baby spinach, sliced strawberries, whole leaf mint, and toasted walnuts (soak them first!), fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt.


Simple soup, simple flavors. Extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon thyme, a touch of dried thyme, yellow onions, kale stems, celery, cooked cannellini beans, and vegetable stock.

Spring vegetable, grain, and bean stew

To simplify a meal, combine all the sources of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, and fats into one dish. That is the idea of a stew. And the beauty of it is that the flavor profile of each ingredient melds into each other to form a mystery box of taste.

Spring vegetable, farro, and cranberry bean stew

A combination of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, leeks, fresh rosemary, and red chili flakes met the white wine and sat along with each other until the white wine reduced. Celery then joined along with cooked cranberry beans, white vegetable stock, and cooked farro. In a separate pot, fresh spring artichoke hearts were braising with extra-virgin olive oil, white wine, garlic, and a touch of champagne vinegar until almost done and finished their process in the large medley pot. And right before serving, freshly steamed asparagus was folded in along with some fresh chopped Italian parsley. To garnish, a chervil leaf and simply roasted spring carrots tossed in lemon-infused extra-virgin olive oil.

Baby leeks

Ramps are wild leeks and they are in season for a short while in spring. The beauty of the baby leek is that you can use the entire vegetable, not just the white part. It is very pungent, so to reduce the pungency, cook it, in this case, grill both the white and leafy parts and blend it into a pesto with garlic, roasted almonds, lemon juice, fresh spinach, parsley, marjarom, and extra-virgin olive oil. The lemony ramp pesto goes well with virtually all kinds of pasta, but in this case, it went extremely well with linguine, simply roasted asparagus and sweet 100 tomatoes, and black beluga lentils.

A taste of Greece

Have I said that I absolutely adore Greek food? Well, I really can't say it enough. When dining out, I want to have a little bit of everything, and so, of course, if the menu offers, I will opt for a meze sampler. What do you think of this one?


The sampler included muhammara, a roasted red bell pepper and walnut spread, almost like that of hummus, but a bit chunkier. The bell peppers were roasted at a super high temp so that the skin chars and could be peeled off. The walnuts were soaked first prior to roasting in order to remove bitterness and help give the walnuts a silky texture that they deserve. Then both the peppers and walnuts were blended with raw garlic, cumin, red chili flakes, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil. A Greek butter bean salad marinated overnight in a red-wine oregano vinaigrette which included a bit of garlic and extra-virgin olive oil. For a lighter fare, tabbouleh, a mixture of parsley, bulgur wheat, Spanish paprika, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil rounded off the plate. Tabbouleh typically is 90% Italian parsley and 10 % bulgur, but the one I made was about 20/80 respectively. My arm gets very sore from chopping all that parsley quite honestly. And what's better than some warm whole wheat pita brushed with olive oil to use as a vessel for the morsels of goodness.

Watercress salad

Watercress, roasted golden beets, avocado, and pecan in orange sherry vinaigrette

Simple salad tossed with Sausalito watercress, simply roasted golden beets, diced ripe avocado, julienned red onions, and toasted pecans in an orange sherry vinaigrette. The vinaigrette was made with a blend of sherry vinegar, orange juice, organic honey, and extra-virgin olive oil. Very simple and classically delicious.

Black bean, rice, and sweet potato burrito

People love burritos. How about this one:


A whole wheat flour tortilla filled with: - simmered black beans with sauteed garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and oregano; - steamed brown rice and fresh scallions folded with with sauteed garlic, cumin, yellow onions, and tomato paste; - simply roasted sweet potatoes; - Daiya cheese; - crisp romaine lettuce; - and lots of hard work, patience and love. Its accompaniment was a raw two-radish and avocado salad with raw red onions, fresh lime juice, and a touch of grapeseed oil.

Learning to play the fiddle

Seared tea infused tofu, kale, sesame studded rice, and fiddlehead tempura stack with yellow coconut curry sauce

Fiddlehead ferns are a short-lived spring time favorite of a lot of folks. It's apparently a baby fern and upon maturing, it will straighten out its coils to grown into a fern. They do have a very distinct taste, somewhat astringent and very earthy. To accentuate this, the little fiddles were dipped in tempura batter that was mixed with cold carbonated water and fried. Served on a bed of sesame seed studded jasmine rice, simply roasted dino kale, and seared tea-infused Hodo tofu. And to round it all out, a salty, spicy, sour, and sweet yellow coconut curry (ginger, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, store-bought yellow Thai curry paste, maple syrup, coconut water, coconut milk, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar) sauce pooled the plate. After blending the sauce, there were bits here are there that were not meant to be chewed so I took the extra 10 minutes to strain the sauce.

Spring is in the air

Linguine with fresh baby artichokes, roasted fava beans, and sunflower mint pesto

Springtime vegetables meets in a quinoa linguine tossed in an assortment of:
- fresh baby artichoke hearts braised in extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, red chili flakes, white wine, and lemon juice;
- roasted fava beans tossed in extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice;
- simply grilled spring garlic;
- and a sunflower mint pesto made of a blend of toasted sunflower seeds, fresh mint, garlic, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil.
Reserve the artichoke braising liquid and add this liquid when tossing all the pasta components together.

In honor of St. Patty's day

In honor of St. Patty's day, a few things came to mind: beer, cabbage, and potatoes. How better to reflect this than a stew made of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh marjarom, rosemary, and thyme, onions, Harps beer, carrots, celery, rutabagas, savoy cabbage, veggie stock, green peas, and large butter beans. I did manage to add a bit too much salt so balanced it out with a bit more water, organic sugar, and lemon juice. Irish potato farls accompanies this stew and Earth Balance soy butter was used in lieu of good old fashioned butter. Not very Irish at all, I know.

Herbed Irish stew with Iacopi butter beans

Irish potato farls

Nutty about pine nuts

It's a wonder to me why pine nuts, which is actually the seeds of the pine tree, are so incredibly expensive. In the northern Cali area, I have seem them at an average price of $22 per pound! When eaten raw, they have a slightly rancid taste. Only when toasted, the roasted flavour begins to hide some of that rancidity. The kinds we see most are that of the Asian variety. When toasted then mixed with a blend of currants, capers, lemon zest and juice, fresh juilienned basil, and extra-virgin olive oil, you can only begin to imagine how good and balanced the mixture is. I know, because I went through about ten tasting spoonfuls of it today... just to make sure. Call it extreme quality control.

Pine nut, basil, caper and currant stuffed savoy cabbage

Cauliflower "rice"

Sweet pepper harissa coulis

Blanched savoy cabbage leaves were trimmed and stuffed with the aforementioned pine nut mixture. Served on a bed of cauliflower rice made of pulsed raw cauliflower, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, the stack was drizzled with a sweet red bell pepper made of bottled harissa (yes - it's much better to make your own), roasted and peeled red bell peppers, red wine vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil. It was really, really good. And since I had leftover rolls, I helped myself to two of them.

Classic Chinese tofu

Ma po tofu used to be one of my all favorite Chinese foods. I loved the soft tofu simmered in a pungent spicy sauce and with a lot of rice by it's side, I was set! Nowadays, tofu and I don't really have a good relationship, but there are others out there who do and should not miss out on this amazing classic Chinese dish (which, by the way, is typically simmered with ground pork).

Ma po tofu

Steamed brown rice

Pickled sesame cucumber

The local and super fresh Hodo silken tofu was simmered in a blend of garlic, ginger, spicy Asian bean paste, tamari, mirin, and vegetable stock. Amazingly enough, a cornstarch slurry which is typical in Chinese cuisine, was not needed. Since the dish was incredibly intense, a light refreshing pickled cucumber (boiled apple cider and white wine vinegar and sugar) balanced the dish.

Sopes are a traditional Mexican dish and is basically like a mini Mexican pizza with layers of masa crust, some meat and veggie options, and some sort of acidified cream.

Spiced seitan and spinach sopes

Mexican fruit salad

The basic masa and water crust was seared and topped with garlic sauteed baby spinach, spiced seitan (garlic, onions, cumin, chili powder, cayenne powder, Corona, and tomato paste), herbed cashew cream with fresh oregano, soaked cashews, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil, raw red cabbage which was tossed in fresh lime juice, a touch of extra-virgin olive oil, and dried oregano, and whole leaf cilantro. Alongside was a fruit medley of mangoes, pineapple, strawberries, lime juice, a touch of salt, and chili powder.

Watercress almond pesto

Watercress is a peppery, delicate, dark green leafy vegetable that grows wild in cool streams of running water. It has a very distinct and unique flavor in which I find overpowering. The raw flavors of the watercress were subdued in a pesto made of roasted almonds, garlic, shallots, fresh basil, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil. The pesto was tossed with quinoa fusilli pasta, roasted spring carrots, roasted sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, and simply cooked French green lentils.

Quinoa fusilli with roasted spring carrots, French green lentils, tomatoes, and watercress-almond pesto

Zaatar and cornmeal crusted tempeh, lemon chili fava beans, and curry Israeli couscous

Tempeh was dredged in soy milk, then coated with a blend of cornmeal, toasted black and white sesame seeds, fresh thyme, and salt. The slabs were simply roasted and ladled with a sherry orange sauce made of garlic, yellow onions, reduced sherry wine and orange juice, and paprika. The fava beans were lightly tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, lemon pepper, and red chili flakes and roasted. Israeli couscous was made with curry water, orange juice soaked raisins and apricots, and green peas. Sweet, salty, and savory.

Japanese flavours abound!

The subtle flavors of Japan can be found in a variety of things. Individually, the flavors are subtle, but when combined, your taste buds will be on fire!

In this dish, green tea soba noodles were tossed with a touch of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Raw shredded carrots and simply roasted kale and asparagus to top. Hodo has amazing tofu, so I had to take advantage of their tea-infused firm tofu. It's reminiscent of the dried bean curd my family used to get at the Asian market. Whole shiitake mushroom caps were simmered in toasted garlic and mirin, which is sweet Japanese sake. And the artichokes? Simmered in red miso. And to top it off, an amazing spicy peanut sauce made up of a blend of chunky peanut butter, ginger, garlic, tamari, organic honey, rice wine vinegar, red chili flakes, and a touch of sesame oil.

A sweet taste of Northern Africa

North African spices dominated the palate in a black-eyed pea and date "tagine." If you have a tagine, please use it! If not, the elements that go into the tagine can be reflected in a stew.


The stew began with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, yellow onions, and a spice blend of cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Progressing along came in the green cabbage, dates, tomatoes, tomato paste, and vegetable stock. To finish, a splash or two of lemon juice joined the melting pot. Alongside is a lemon and orange zest bulgur pilaf which balanced out the sweetness of the stew.

Sunny and not so sunny asparagus

Thus far, I have seen asparagus in three different colors: green, purple, and white. The white asparagus is special as it is protected from the sunlight. As the shoots spring up, the spear continues to be covered and covered until harvest. No sun, no photosynthesis, no green. Playing upon that came the sunny asparagus pesto, a pesto made of garlic, toasted sunflower seeds, red chili flakes, blanched green asparagus (mostly stems), fresh lemon juice, Italian parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. Tossed with fettuccine, blanched asparagus, thyme-roasted sweet 100 tomatoes, the dish shone as brilliant as the radiant sun. Top garnish, add a bit of toasted sunflower seeds as well as some fresh chopped Italian parsley.

Fettuccine with sunny asparagus pesto

Ethiopian sambusa... not exactly

Sambusas are Ethiopian-style turnovers, similar to that of the oh-so-popular Indian samosas. They are typically fried and can be filled with whatever your heart desires. So of course I took it upon myself to come up with a healthier version while keeping the distinct taste of Ethiopian cuisine.

Ethiopian spiced lentil sambuas with spicy berbere drizzle

Fresh romaine lettuce, Roma tomato wedges and red onions in lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil

In each brick dough "turnover" was a stew of extra-virgin olive oil, ginger, garlic, yellow onions, a spice blend which included cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, allspice, and cardamom, French green and red lentils, and vegetable stock. The brick dough wedges were baked and then drizzled with a very spicy berbere sauce made of toasted spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom, and a bit of fenugreek), shallots, chili del arbols, ginger, and a touch of raw sugar all blended with the water that was used to soak the chilies. The fresh salad was there to lighten the spice load of the main event.

Raw filling in toasted nori

Raw foods can sometimes feel like you've not eaten enough even when you just wolfed down a salad in a bowl that's bigger than your head. First off, wolfing is not recommended when you eat, but when time's a tickin', it's the best you can do. Nuts, seeds, sprouted legumes are a few of the ways to satiate the appetite. Nut and seed butters as well as healthy oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oils are another way to quell the belly. It's important to find balance and with a sprouted nut pate nori roll along with a refreshing salad, that combination just might do the trick.

Spicy sprouted almond pate and kimchee nori roll

Baby spinach and toasted almond salad in miso-orange vinaigrette

Roasted nori was filled with a layer of:

• sprouted almond pate with nama shoyu, ginger, a touch of cayenne pepper, and chopped parsley;
  
• home-made kimchee: I started this two weeks in advance with chopped Napa cabbage and a blend of red chili flakes, garlic, and sea salt. The chili mixture was massaged into the cabbage and the kimchee sat to ferment at a temperature of about 70F for four days then moved into the fridge. Fermented foods are amazing for digestion!
• raw grated beets and carrots;
  
• creamy avocado slices;
  
• and sunflower sprouts

The rolls do take time and patience to prepare, so make sure whatever accompanies it is simple. In this case a baby spinach salad with toasted sliced almonds in a vinaigrette made up of a blend of red miso, Asian sesame paste, orange juice, ginger, organic honey, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of sesame oil.