Who doesn’t love romanesco, the beautiful fractaled member of the cruciferous family? It looks like a mishmash of the landscape of another planet and a one of those neon posters from the 60s. It’s challenging to make chartreuse appealing but romanesco does it with ease.
This is a simple, soothing soup that can be made anytime of the year but I particularly like it in the spring. It’s light, nourishing and invigorates rather than weighing you down. Despite being impossible creamy there is no dairy or starchy vegetables in the recipe.
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 Ume vinegar is an all star ingredient and deserves a place in your pantry. It’s not made in the traditional way of most vinegars, rather it is the resulting brine from the umeboshi making process. Ume plums are salted and then weighted down. As time passes the salt draws out the moisture from the plums creating a tart brine that immerses and preserves the plums.
In this picnic friendly salad the vinegar gives a lift and brightness to the neutral and sturdy potatoes. The dill lends a cool, green overtone while the fennel imparts a crisp sweetness to the dish. You can serve this dish hot or cold and I find that it’s even better the next day.  I found these beautiful beans at the Larkspur farmer’s market and my mind immediately began calculating all the ways that I could make them shine. Iacopi Farms has been growing heirloom beans in Half Moon Bay for several generations and it was very apparent that they love what they do. I only picked up two bags and this was a mistake. I am in love with the sauce that the beans are braised in and have been making variations of it for the past few weeks. I think that the key ingredient is pomegranate molasses, a Persian staple that consists of pomegranate juice that has been boiled down to a syrup. When buying, I recommend looking for one that lists pomegranate as the first ingredient, not sugar. Pomegranate molasses is sweet and tangy and enhances every dish I have added it to.
A recent trip to the Larkspur farmer’s market yielded many edible gems that are not generally available at my usual market in Oakland. I was particularly taken by the “greens bar” that showcased an assortment of hearty winter greens like red frill and radicchio. I got a large bag and set out planning a variety of salads for the week.
Members of the chicory family (ex. radicchio) are often bitter, which can be off putting to some people. I try to remedy this by using maple syrup in the dressing, adding the piecing sourness of the kumquat and by adding roasted, jerked pumpkin seeds. The roasted pumpkin seeds on their own are earthy and bring balance to bitter foods. I wanted to guild them so that they would be even better dance partners for the chicories. Jerk seasoning hails from Jamaica and is often comprised of allspice, scotch bonnet peppers, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sugar and salt. If you don’t have this mixture in your pantry, consider using curry powder. If you are a minimalist, a generous pinch of chile flakes will suffice.  Spring vegetables are slowly making their way to the Bay Area farmer’s markets and this means leeks. I love leeks. I love all members of the allium family, to be fair. Leeks have a more mild flavor than an onion but less of a vegetal greeness than a scallion.
It’s true that leeks require more work than a shallot or garlic clove. They grow in such a way that dirt often gets in between the leaves which require the cook to carefully inspect and wash accordingly. I usually shave the root end off but just barely. I want to make sure that the bottom still remains intact. Then I trim off the deep green leaves, reserving them for stock. Slice the white and light green remainder lengthwise and place under running water to remove any dirt or mud that may have accumulated there. Easy peasy! Are you familiar with Tibetan purple barley? It is a beautiful grain and I love having it in my pantry. It’s sturdy and has a very chewy, toothsome texture. If you can’t track it down then feel free to substitute regular pearled barley, quinoa or wheat berries. |
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