Medicinal eating to avoid flu and other calamities

Food as medicine is as old as human kind and despite all the hype, food is still the basis of our cures. It's not hard to eat and be well because Mother Nature always knows what we need and provides it just in time. That's why we get watery foods like cucumbers, melons and tomatoes when we're sweating; and tonic foods like asparagus and dandelion greens when we're shedding the weight of winter. And that's why there's so much Vitamin C sunshine loaded citrus available during these cold, dark winter months. That's why there are chlorophyll (sunshine) carrying and Vitamin A loaded greens like kale, chard, broccoli and spinach that grow in the cold. Mother Nature is fortifying your immune system.

Eating seasonally--heavily now on citrus and greens-- has always worked for me, even with advanced age. So here are a few of my favorite recipes featuring citrus and greens abundant in markets--foods not imported from summer climates. Some of these recipes have been posted before but are worth repeating because they're classics you should make again and again. If nothing else squirt lime or lemon juice on as much as you can and garnish like all get out with parsley, dill and cilantro. These seemingly frail herbs are powerhouses of critical winter nutrients.

Citrus Salad 

I posted two other winter salads back in early December (pomegranate and persimmon, winter salad with frisée and fruits); this is their mother, the most citrus of all.
Serves 8

1/4
1 navel orange, peeled
2 blood oranges, peeled
1 lg red grapefruit, peeled
4 clementines or seedless mandarins, peeled
1 small radicchio trimmed and cut into ½” wide wedges
1 c wild arugula, washed and drained,
1 bunch watercress, leaves only, coarsely chopped
1/4 c pomegranate arils
Slice the oranges into thin disks, then quarter each disk.
Pull the grapefruit apart in sections and cut each section into 3-4 pieces.\Pull the clementines apart into sections.
Combine everything in a serving bowl.

For the dressing
3 oz roasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
2 green chilies, deseeded and thinly sliced
2” fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 tbsp coriander seeds*
1 tbsp fennel seeds*
1½ tbsp poppy seeds
¼ c good sherry vinegar
½ c olive oil
Coarse sea salt and black pepper

*if you can lightly crush these, great

To make the dressing: combine all the ingredients. Pour over salad slowly because there may be more dressing than you like.
Mexican Green Salsa with lime

This is my all time favorite sauce for everything. I found it at a real hole in the wall burrito shop in the Mission District of San Francisco, took some home and figured it out. Of course it's the perfect dip for tortilla chips--think Superbowl Sunday, but it's also fabulous on scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, polenta, salmon, pork, black bean chili and of course burritos. I know it requires imported ingredients but it's just the right color and nutrients for now and I love it. I have posted it before. It's worth repeating.

3 lg tomatilloes, skin off and chopped
1/4 sm/med avocado, skin off
1 sm garlic clove,
1/4 c red onion, chopped
1 lg lime, juice only
1 Serrano chili, seeded and sliced
1/3 bunch cilantro, leaves only
Sea salt to your taste

Combine everything in a food processor and blend to a thick sauce. Taste and adjust salt, lime and chili. (You can add a pinch of red chili pepper flakes if it isn't hot enough for you.)
 
Spinach with chickpeas (a specialty of Seville)

This is one of my favorite dishes and it has become a go-to for friends I've shared it with. Espinaces con garbanzos is as traditional an Andalusian recipe as you will find, still beloved and wildly popular. It's not only delicious and colorful, it's super nutritious, gluten-free and vegan to boot. What more could you want? How about easy and inexpensive to make! I've posted it before as part of my growing chickpea collection. In Seville, it's usually served alone as a tapa with crusty bread. I put it on a vegetable plate with rice or beside roast chicken.
serves 4-6

1 lb spinach leaves, stems off, washed and coarsely chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained but reserve the water
1/2 c olive oil
18 raw marcona almonds (any raw almonds, actually)
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin seed
1/3 c chopped tomatoes, juice included
3 tbsp sherry vinegar or 2 tbsp sherry and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
½ tsp chili powder (unless you are using hot Spanish paprika)

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste Heat the olive oil in a med pot/saucepan and over medium heat fry the slices of garlic and bread/almonds until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the pot and oil untouched. Put the bread/almonds and garlic in a food processor, chopper or mortar. Add the smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón), the chili pepper, cumin seed, black pepper, and the coarse sea salt. Blitz or pound into paste. Add the vinegar and 1-2 tbsp chickpea water to thin the paste to the consistency of hummus. If necessary to thin it more, add 1 tsp vinegar.

Put the tomatoes and chickpeas into the pot/saucepan with the oil. Stir in the paste, adding another tbsp. chickpea water if necessary. Warm over medium heat. Add the spinach to the pot, lightly pressing it down. Continue cooking until the spinach is totally wilted. Stir the spinach into the chickpeas and sauce and continue cooking on low heat 8-10 minutes so the spinach is very soft. Stir so nothing burns. Taste and add salt or sherry/sherry vinegar and/or Spanish paprika if necessary. Serve warm with toasts or in bowls.

Pasta with Broccoli rabe, pine nuts and lots of garlic

Garlic is magical medicine for the lungs. You smell it on the breath because it never reaches the stomach. It stops in the lungs where it was historically known to kill demons, meaning it destroys bacteria and viruses in them. The killer is the sulfur, source of the odor and source of sulfa drugs. So pile on the garlic.

Broccoli rabe is the original broccoli plant with its leaves and small crowns. It's tastier than the larger more recently bred broccoli and more appealing visually. It's close cousin, also a substitute here, is broccolini, baby broccoli.

I eat this at least once a week not only for the broccoli green and garlic but because bitterness (which broccoli rabe is loaded with) helps open the sinuses and I need help with that. This is a vegan dish that cuts back on my meat eating so it's emotionally satisfying as well as medicinal. Plus it's pretty. And if you can't stand a meal without meat add sausage, pepperoni or chorizo to it.
serves 4

1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped into large bite size pieces
1/4 c iodized salt (not to worry it's for the boiling water) 
1/2 c good quality olive oil (plus some at the end) 
1 med red onion, diced (I use red for the color; it you only have yellow, okay)
1/4 c pine nuts
4 lg garlic cloves, smashed and minced or grated
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt to your taste 
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 lb penne, pennino, cappelletti, orecchiete--any med or small pasta the length of a piece of chopped broccoli

Fill a large soup pot with water and the 1/4 c salt. Bring to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and boil 1-2 minutes. This removes the real bitterness and softens it. Drain but keep the water to keep the pasta.
Bring the water back to a boil, add more salt and the pasta. Cook according to package instructions: should be 12-15 minutes if it's good Italian durum wheat pasta.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Over med heat, add the onion, pine nuts, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Sauté 3-5 minutes until onion is soft and pine nuts are golden. Add the garlic and well drained broccoli rabe. (If it's wet the oil will spurt up.) Stir to blend, add a pinch of sea salt and cook over low heat until pasta is finished.


Add 3 tbsp pasta water to the skillet, then the pasta. Season the pasta with sea salt to your taste, freshly ground black pepper and a splash of really good quality olive oil. Then blend it into the broccoli rabe. You may need more oil. Add the grated cheese. Taste for salt and serve right away with a fruity winter salad.
 
Spicy Lemon Lentils
Excellent with rice and braised greens or baked ham. This was very popular in the Mongolian Cafe I set up in Ulan Bator where meat eating people had to eat vegetarian. So I knew it was a winner.
serves 6

2 cups brown lentils, picked over
1 small cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter or ghee
2 lg onions, diced
2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp ground Cayenne
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1 lemon, grated
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 sm medium hot chili, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped

Put lentils, cinnamon stick and cloves in a large saucepan and cover lentils with water 1" over the top of them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Drain and remove cinnamon stick and cloves.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the oil. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add ginger, cayenne, garlic, lemon zest and chili. Sauté another 5 minutes. Fold in the lentils and lemon juice. Carefully stir once to blend. Heat just until the lentils are hot. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve warm.


Cheap Thrills: Chimichurri, Cilantro Pesto. Salsa Verde
Don't forget, those inexpensive bunches of parsley and cilantro are nutrient powerhouses, storehouses of sunshine. Sauce them up and pour them over everything. Chimichurri is actually an Argentine steak sauce. Cilantro pesto is very peppery and brightens up spaghetti, scrambled eggs, tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, baked sweet potatoes and a root vegetable stew. I've posted these before but, again, they're keepers you need to memorize.

Chimichurri, Argentina’s famous parsley steak sauce
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley (leaves of 1/2 bunch) 
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons) 
2 tablespoons oregano leaves 
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
Make Ahead. The chimichurri can be refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cilantro Pesto
2 c fresh cilantro leaves (with some stems, no problem)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
3 lg garlic cloves peeled  
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 to1 1/4c olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Combine all in processor and whir until smooth.

Salsa Verde
for those who want some "meat" to their sauce, this is the salty, fishy Italian sauce
(serves 4)
½ clove of garlic
2-3 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
handful basil leaves
handful of flat leaf parsley leaves
handful of mint leaves
4-5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the garlic in the food processor along with the anchovies, capers, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar and blitz to a paste. Add the fresh herbs and use the “pulse” setting to incorporate. Add the olive oil and pulse briefly. Taste the salsa verde and season with salt and pepper as you like.

Superbowls and desserts next time.

More hearty meal in a bowl winter soups

Since you liked them, here are a few more winter soups hearty, heartwarming and heartfelt. As usual no exotic ingredients, no special techniques. Just a delicious nutritious filling meal in a bowl, ladled with love.

Russian beet borscht with beef short rib

I posted this last fall but it's a classic always worth a repeat because you won't just make it once.

You can assemble this quickly, store it in the fridge for a few days--flavor intensifies--and have a nourishing heartwarming meal that didn't break the budget. This is as old fashioned and fortifying as goodness gets. And you can freeze the leftovers for later in winter.
serves 4 as a meal

2 lbs beef short ribs or shin
5 c water
4 c beef broth
4 med/lg red beets, peeled (wash and chop the greens)
1 tbsp salt
3 med boiling potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size chunks
1 sm carrot, peeed and grated
1/2 sm (3/4 lb) white cabbage, shredded
6 tbsp tomato paste
4 black peppercorns
freshly ground black pepper to your taste
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
to serve: sour cream
1/2 bunch fresh dill, fronds finely chopped (no stems)

In a large soup pot, combine the water and broth. Add the beef. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower heat to low/med, cover the pot and cook 30 minutes.  Add salt and whole red beets. Boil 10 minutes then fish out the red beets with a slotted spoon. Let them cool and while they do add all the remaining ingredients to the soup pot including the beet greens. Continue cooking the soup.  When the beets are cool enough to handle, grate them and add to the soup. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hrs or until the beef is falling off its bones.
Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and the meatless bones.

Now you have two options: you can cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it overnight or several hours, then skim off the fat that will harden on top--easy way to do this. Reheat and serve. OR you can skim off the fat while the soup is hot and serve it.

To serve: ladle the borscht into very large bowls, top with a dollop of sour cream and a good sprinkle of fresh dill. Provide a side plate, fork and knife for cutting up the large pieces of beef. Dig in and celebrate the season.

Parsnip Chowder 

Parsnips are an olde English vegetable that fell out of fashion which is too bad because they're very flavorful. They're made to be spiced with cumin. And they make hefty soup.  I've posted this vegetarian  recipe before among the ways to enjoy parsnips. It's a good winter soup and the center of a colorful meal when served with citrus salad or one of the winter salads posted most more recently. If you are a carnivore and want more heft here, you can add cooked bacon to the final dish. Parsnips have an affinity for it. 
NOTE: I posted a recipe for a very hearty parsnip lentil soup back in November.

Serves 4-5

3 lg parsnips, peeled and washed

1/3-1/2 lb. mushrooms, cleaned

½ sm roasted red pepper, chopped, or 1 tbsp chopped pimentos

1 sm onion, peeled and diced

1 lg shallot, peeled and diced

1 tsp. cumin seed

½ tsp. celery seed

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground cumin

4 tbsp. butter (1/2 stick)

3 c vegetable broth or water

1 12oz can evaporated milk

½ c half ‘n’ half or light cream

½ tsp. salt (more to your taste)

Freshly ground black pepper to your taste

½ c cracker crumbs or crumbled croutons

¼ c finely chopped fresh flat parsley leaves

Slice the peeled parsnips into thin disks. Cut the larger disks in half so all pieces are close in size for better cooking.  Chop mushrooms.

In a medium size, heavy gauge pot, melt 3 tbsp. butter. Add onion, shallot, mushrooms, cumin and celery seed. Stir to blend and sauté until vegetables are soft. Add parsnips, ground coriander and cumin. Stir to blend

and sauté 60 seconds. Cover the pot contents with broth or water, bring to a boil, cover the pot and lower heat. Simmer 10-12 minutes until parsnips are tender but not mushy. Add liquid if necessary so there is always some even with the top of the vegetables. Stir in the evaporated milk and half ‘n’ half, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until soup is hot. Do not boil. Stir in 1 tbsp butter. Garnish with croutons and parsley to serve
 
Burmese Khao Soi (Spicy coconut chicken noodle soup)

Hot climates sometimes produce hot soups perfect for us in the cold. This chicken noodle is among my favorites not only because it's so deliciously different with the cool coconut playing off the hot chili, and not only because it has fabulous spice flavor, but because the coconut reminds me of warmer times and climes and that warms my soul. This is my version, a fast, easy way to a delicious and very memorable meal in a bowl. (Not my photo)


Serves 6 people as a main course.
6 boneless breasts of chicken, cut into large bite sized pieces 
2 tbsp corn, Canola or sunflower oil 
1½ tbsp. red curry paste 
3 c coconut milk 
1 tbsp. Garam Masala 
½ tbsp turmeric 
1 star anise or ½ tsp powder 
1 cinnamon stick 
4 cloves 
1tsp ground cardamom or 3 crushed pods 
2 c chicken stock 
½ tsp brown or raw sugar 
¼ c fish sauce 
About 6-7 (loosely packed) cups of boiled flat Chinese Bah-mi egg noodle or fettucini noodles (about 11/4 lbs) 
1 tsp lime juice 
Thinly sliced shallots (garnish), fried. 
To garnish: 6 slivers of fresh lime, chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
Optional: 1 cup pickled Chinese cabbage

Soak noodles to remove excess starch and drain. Cook noodles as per directions on package and set aside. Fry the garlic in a little extra oil until transparent. In a heavy casserole or soup pot, heat oil and add the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric. Cook stirring vigorously until the curry paste is fragrant—1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the paste. Add 1 cup of coconut milk. Over med/high heat, let it come to a boil and bubble for a few minutes, stirring well, until the red oil separates from the coconut milk. Add another cup of coconut milk and wait until the oil separates. dd garlic, chicken pieces, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom with chicken stock and the rest of the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, add fish sauce and simmer.

Cover the pot and simmer until the chicken is done, 4- 5 minutes. Check seasonings; you might need to add more fish sauce. The flavor should be a bit salty and spicy with a sweet aftertaste. It should be a bit saltier than what you would like the final dish to taste. Stir in lime juice and remove from heat.

Divide noodles between deep soup bowls. Pour the coconut chicken over the noodles. Garnish with fried shallots, cilantro leaves and a lime wedge. Optionally pickled cabbage.
 
Tibetan Gyathuk (Noodle Soup)

As what you might call lifelong neighbors of China, Tibetans--who are NOT Chinese--have created some mighty fine noodle soups. Because religious Buddhists don't eat heavily after the noon meal, lighter noodle soups prevail in Tibetan Buddhist monastery kitchens. Heavier soups like this one are very popular on feast days. And of course they're hearty: Tibetans liked to call their usurped homeland "land of snows." Not my photo. The red pepper strip is garnish in it.

serves 4

ghee or mustard oil, enough to coat the bottom of a frying pan or skillet (use corn oil or butter if you don't have either of these)
3 qts bone broth or beef broth
1/2 lb beef or lamb, finely chopped or very thinly sliced
2/3 lb (12 oz) egg noodles
2" fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
4 scallions, thinly sliced in rings
2 med yellow onions, sliced into very thin rings
3 garlic cloves, minced
tiny piece of star anise (optional in case you don't have it)
2 green chilies, seeded and minced (use 3 if you like hot)
salt to your taste
6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

 Put the broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Keep on simmer while you finish the rest.
Coat the bottom of a skillet or frying pan with ghee or mustard oil. Warm over med heat, then add onions, ginger, garlic, star anise and chilies. Sauté 2 min to soften the onion. Add the meat and mushrooms. Stir fry 6-8 minutes until meat is browned. Salt it, and remove from heat.

Boil the noodles in heavily salted water until al dente (see package instructions for timing). Pour into a colander, rinse with cold water and drain well.

Distribute the noodles into individual, large soup bowls. Pour over the hot broth to 3/4 up the side of the bowls. Distribute the meat mixture evenly among the bowls and top with the chopped scallions.
 
Broccolini Cheese Soup (with a bit of sweet potato)

This is the lightest of the soups, vegetarian fare made heartier by the addition of sweet potato and garlic croutons. I love baby broccoli and broccoli rabe so I always have some in the fridge and this helps me use it up after I've done my beloved pasta with broccolini, pine nuts and garlic.  Broccoli has such a distinct and satisfying flavor, it doesn't need spices or herbs, just a pinch of chili and lots of garlic. The measurements here aren't exact because you may have a full bunch of broccolini (baby broccoli) or leftovers so adjust.

 enough olive oil to well coat the bottom or a heavy gauge lidded soup pot/casserole
1 bunch broccolini (baby broccoli), chopped into bite-size pieces 
1 med/lg onion diced (Red or yellow, whatever you've got on hand)
1/2 lg sweet potato (not yam) peeled and diced into small pieces
3 lg garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced 
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (more if you like heat)
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
4 c vegetable broth (you may need a bit more but you can use water)
1/2 c light cream or half'n'half
1 c grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c grated parmesan or asiago cheese
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
 to serve: garlic croutons 

Liberally coat the bottom of a heavy gauge lidded pot with olive oil. (More is better than not enough.) Warm on med heat. Flavor with freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes. Add the onion and sauté over med heat until onion softens, 3-5 minutes. Add broccoli, sweet potato, garlic and salt. Stir to blend. Sauté 2 minutes. Add the broth. If it doesn't cover the broccoli add water so the liquid covers everything with 1/4" on top. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low/simmer, cover the pot and cook until broccoli is very tender, maybe 30 minutes. (You don't have to do anything all this time except make sure there's always liquid in the pot.)  Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

With an immersion blender or masher, squash the broccoli and sweet potato into a chunky purée. You want to still see a few pieces of broccoi, you don't want totally smooth.  Stir in the cream and cheese. Let the cheese melt.  Stir in the nutmeg. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Reheat on simmer. Ladle into bowls and add garlic croutons to serve.

 

Winter Soups: bowls of warmth and love

The winter issue of ZEST magazine is featuring my winter soups, which I unabashedly think of as love made visible. The heartiness, the long simmering, the sense of comfort from the steam and smell, the thought that these soups are going to sustain loved ones through the coldest dark time of year warming their bodies and soul...what else could winter soup be but ladled love.  So here are the recipes for you, and btw the photos are not mine.
 

Cinnamon Spiced Beef Noodle Soup

This is a traditional Asian winter recipe and I once had a lama from the Himalayas say it smelled and felt like home.

Serves 6

1 lb. lean stewing beef, cut into one- inch cubes

2 lg. onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

5 lg. garlic cloves, peeled, lightly smashed and thinly sliced

1” fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into “quarter” sized disks

2 cinnamon sticks

4 star anise

4 cups beef broth

5 cups water

salt to taste (this will depend on how salty the beef broth is)

1 tbsp. corn or safflower oil

1 tsp. hot chili sauce or paste (i often use the Vietnamese chili garlic sauce available in supermarkets)

½ lb. flat wide noodles (i often use pappardelle or Pennsylvania Dutch egg noodles)

1 bunch (10 oz) spinach leaves, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large soup pot or casserole over medium high heat. Brown the meat by quickly stir frying it for a minute or two. Add the chopped onion and sliced garlic and continue to stir fry another minute.  Add the ginger disks, stars anise and chili. Stir to blend with the meat.  Add the broth and water. Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for an hour or until the beef is very tender. At this point you can remove the soup from the heat, cool, cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  Or you can skim off impurities and fat and continue.

When you are ready to serve, prepare the noodles in their own pot of boiling salted water, cooking until tender. Rinse and drain.  Distribute them among 4-5 soup bowls.

While the noodles are cooking, remove the stars anise, cinnamon sticks and ginger disks from the beef soup. Add the spinach leaves on the top and bring back to a boil.

Immediately remove from the heat. Taste for salt.

Ladle the soup over the noodles in the soup bowls and serve.

Mushroom Barley with Lamb (called Scottish broth) or without Lamb

serves 8-10

*this is the vegetarian version. You add 1 ½ lbs stewing lamb for carnivores

2 cups pearl barley

6 cups mushroom or vegetable broth

¼ cup olive oil

1 lg onion, peeled and diced (red onion adds color)

1 sm green bell pepper coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 sm Poblano pepper, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 celery stalks, washed and diced

1 tbsp dried thyme leaves

½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns

2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp celery seed

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp ground clove

1 tbsp butter

½ tsp freshly or coarsely ground black pepper

1 tsp curry powder or garam masala

1 lb mixed mushrooms (shitake, crimini, button, Portobello, oyster), cleaned

¼ cup red lentils

 1 roasted red pepper, diced, or a 4 oz jar of sliced pimentos, drained

juice of one large lemon

2 tsp salt

1/4 lb baby spinach leaves

Heat the oil in a medium stockpot or large heavy gauge casserole. Add onion and sauté over medium heat 3-5 minutes until it’s lightly brown and glistening. Add the green pepper, Poblano pepper, barley, thyme, Szechuan peppercorns and oregano.  Continue sautéing for a minute, stirring so nothing sticks and the barley is hot. Add the celery, rosemary, celery seed, cumin, clove and coriander, stirring to blend. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover the pot. Simmer one hour on low. (You don’t have to worry about overcooking this, so you can simmer it 10-20 minutes longer.)

Slice and chop mushrooms into large bite-sized chunks. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium low heat and when it’s bubbling add the mushrooms. Add black pepper and curry powder (not the garam masala). Sauté one minute. Remove from heat.

When the barley has been cooking for at least an hour and is starting to be soft to the teeth, add the contents of the mushroom sauté, the pimentos or roasted red pepper, red lentils and salt. Blend into the barley. If the mixture looks too solid and you prefer it more soupy, add a cup or two of water and continue cooking at least ten minutes or until the barley is tender.

Stir in the lemon juice. Put the spinach leaves on top, cover and simmer 5 minutes to steam the spinach. Remove from heat. Add the garam masala if you are using it. Serve in soup bowls.

My version of Ribolitta, the Tuscan winter cabbage soup

serves 4-6

3 tbsp and 2 tsp olive oil

1 med onion, peeled and diced

1 lg garlic clove, peeled and minced

½ tsp dried rosemary leaves

2 sm or 1 lg celery stalks, finely chopped

1 lg carrot, peeled and finely chopped

½ Savoy cabbage, shredded

4 stalks red chard, stems removed and chopped

1 bunch Tuscan/lacinto/blue kale, stems removed and chopped

6-7 cups broth or water

salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

2 cans (14 oz) cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained

1-2 tbsp tomato paste

6 slices day or two old (i.e.stale) Tuscan or other dense crusty Italian bread

Fruity olive oil for final garnish

Optional: 1 sm parmesan rind

Coat bottom of a large heavy-gauge pot with 3 tbsp olive oil and heat on medium flame.  Add onion, garlic, rosemary, celery and carrots. Sauté until soft, 5 minutes.  Season with freshly ground black pepper to your taste.  Add Savoy cabbage and chard, stirring to blend, and cook until they wilt. Add broth, salt and kale. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover pot and simmer 40-45 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Timing does not have to be precise.

Purée 1 can of beans. Add puréed and whole beans to the soup along with the tomato paste. (suit yourself with how much) Stir to blend everything. Continue to simmer with lid on pot 15 minutes. Stir from time to time so nothing sticks to the bottom.  Taste for salt and correct if necessary.

At this point, you can be very Tuscan and get out a large earthenware casserole pot, then layer the bread and soup in it. Or you can simply add the bread to the soup pot you’re already using, trying to “layer” it in. In either case, remove soup from heat and let cool. Refrigerate overnight so it sets up.

To serve: stir in 2 tsp olive oil. Reheat on low flame or in the oven until hot enough to eat. Garnish with fruity olive oil.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

This is one of my all time favorites anytime but it's particularly soothing right now. And note: it's vegan to boot. and this is my very bad photo

Serves 4-6

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lg onion, diced

2 lg garlic cloves, minced

1 fresh red chili, seeded and minced

1/8 tsp ground chili powder

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp ground coriander

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 tsp fenugreek (seeds or ground?)

1 tsp celery seeds

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 ¼ cup split red lentils

5 cups vegetable stock and water

½ tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper

½ tsp salt or more to your taste

for garnish

 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

 1 bunch flat leaf parsley leaves only, chopped

 juice of ½ fresh lemon (or lemon wedges for each bowl)

In a heavy gauge medium size lidded casserole or other such pan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, chili, chili powder, cumin seed and ground coriander, stirring to blend. Sauté over medium heat until onion is soft, 3-5 minutes.  Add carrot and cook another 2 minutes. Add fenugreek, celery seeds and tomato paste, pepper and salt. Stir in the lentils, blending everything.Pour in the stock and water in any combination you prefer. Bring to a boil. Immediately cut heat to low, partially cover the pot and simmer 35-40 minutes.The lentils should now be mushy and the soup thick.

Serve garnished with chopped scallions and parsley and lemon juice or wedges.

If you prefer a smooth soup, puree before garnishing.

Black bean chili

 This becomes colorful when served with yellow rice underneath and a dollop of sour cream on top, perhaps crowned with a small cherry tomato. Without that sourcream topping, it's another vegan/vegetarian wonder.

serves 8-10 (more in side dish portions)

1 lb black beans, soaked overnight in hot water

5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 pasilla pepper, roasted, skinned, seeded and diced

1 Anaheim chili pepper, seeded and diced

1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped (from a jar is okay)

2 tsp cumin seed

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp dried oregano leaves

2 large onions, peeled and diced

¼ tsp salt (add more to your taste)

¼ cup corn or olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp dried Chipotle chili powder

2 tsp chili powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1-1  1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

In a heavy gauge stockpot or large casserole, heat the oil.  Add the garlic, cumin seed, and onions, and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and golden. Stir in the oregano and ground cumin.Add the chopped peppers and vinegar.  Add the Chipotle and chili powders and cayenne.

Drain the beans and rinse. Add to the pot. Add the tomatoes and 6 cups of water. Stir to blend.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 3 ½ to 4 hours until the beans are tender. Test for salt and adjust.

Serve with the cilantro leaves.

Kale, Sausage and Black-eyed Pea Soup

This is a version of the traditional European Caldo Verde, kale and sausage soup with potatoes. It's minus the milk and plus black-eyed peas for extra heft, nutrition and flavor.

 serves 4-5

¼ c olive oil

2 yellow onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp smoked Spanish paprika

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried sage

¼ tsp crushed chili peppers

1 lb Kielbasa or mildly hot Italian sausage, sliced into ¼” disks*

15 oz (1 can) chopped tomatoes and juice

1 bunch Lacinto/Tuscan Kale, stems removed, greens cut into bite-sized pieces

4 c chicken broth*

3 c water

1 cup brown lentils

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes

1 14 oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp sherry vinegar (don’t worry if you don’t have any)

In a medium stockpot, heat the oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add spices. Stir and sauté 30 seconds. Add sausage, stirring to blend. Sauté 3-5 minutes until onions are soft and sausage starts to brown.

Add tomatoes and stir to blend. Cook 30-60 seconds. Add kale, lentils, broth and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Add potatoes, black-eyed peas and salt.  Cook another 15 minutes. Add optional vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings and spices.

Serve with a green salad and crusty bread with butter or soft cheese.

If you are vegetarian, substitute 1 lb firm tofu, cut into cubes and fried in olive oil with a pinch of fennel or anise seed until brown and crisp. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

It's January: hearty ways to warm your kitchen and your soul

Apologies to anyone hoping for holiday glamour at New Year's. I had a pile of fish recipes to go but got caught up by personal events. So I will post them at a later date.

Meanwhile it's cold outside and darker without all the holiday lights so let's bring some warmth to the table with roots and fruits we can find fresh at this time of year. If you care about climate change and the environment, you shouldn't be eating summer veggies like tomatoes and corn that are being trucked in from megafarms destroying Central America. There's plenty to eat on the homefront: potatoes, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga, radishes, lettuces, collard greens, kale, Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits and all kinds of apples and pears. Now is their time!

And the traditional cold country way of enjoying them is in a hot bubbling gratin straight from the oven. So here are a few: think of them as oldfashioned one sheet or one pot meals.

Gratin Savoyard

This minus the ham is the classic French Alpine dish. If you are vegetarian, eliminate the ham and stay traditional. If you don't have ham, you can put crumbled cooked bacon on top. This is the easiest, simplest version I know.
serves 4
1 lg garlic clove, peeled and smashed
4 lg baking (usually russet) potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 med onions, sliced in thin rings
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
lots of freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 2 c baked smoked ham, diced
2 c whole milk or light cream
3 tbsp all purpose unbleached flour
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
4 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (this is traditional, for a stronger taste use cheddar)
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley or dill

Preheat oven to 350º.
Heat the milk in a small pot on the stove but do not boil or scald it.
In a small skillet or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the flour and continue whisking to avoid lumps. You are making a "roue." Lower heat to simmer and whisk in the hot milk in a slow but steady stream. This should produce the white sauce. Remove from heat, season with salt and nutmeg.

Lightly butter a 9" baking dish and rub the smashed garlic all over it.
Put a layer of potato slices on the bottom, covering as much as possible without overlapping the potatoes. Lay a layer of onion on top and sprinkle with a layer of ham. Repeat these three layers again until all ingredients are used.  Pour the white sauce over the layers and shake the pan lightly to distribute evenly. Season with freshly ground pepper and paprika. Sprinkle the cheese evenly across the top. Bake at 350º 50-60 minutes until it is bubbly and potatoes are soft.

Cool 5 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh herb and a colorful winter salad. (See earlier posts)

Gratin of Potatoes and Celeriac
A French variation on a French theme. And an unusual version because it has the Italian touch of garlic, basil and tomatoes.

serves 8

4 russet baking potatoes (1 1/2 lbs)
1 med/lg celeriac knob (3/4 lb)
Salt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 ripe tomatoes (1 lb) skinned and cut into bite sized cubes (can use boxed)
fresh ground black pepper to your taste
6 basil leaves or 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
3/4 c heavy cream
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 lb Gruyere cheese, grated

Scrub and rinse the potatoes. Put them in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook 15 minutes just to slightly soften the potatoes.  Drain. When cool, peel and cut them into 1/2" thick rounds.

Peel the celeriac knob and cut it into 1/4" round slices. Put these in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Drain but reserve 1/2 c of the cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 375º. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over med heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, salt, black pepper and basil. Cook, stirring, one minutes. Whisk in the cream, the reserved cooking liquid, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 minutes.

Butter a med/lg baking dish (an oval one makes a pretty presentation). Arrange the potatoes on the bottom in one layer. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over them. Layer the celeriac slices on top. Pour the tomato mixture over everything. Top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake on the bottom oven rack for 40 minutes until the gratin is bubbling and browned.

Rutabaga Gratin

This is a toast to Alpine cooks for their love of cheese and milk, and for their ability to create simple, heartwarming dishes in snowy mountains.

Serves 6-8

1 tbsp olive oil (you can use butter if you prefer)

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 c heavy cream (you can substitute one cup of evaporated milk for one cup of cream but the final dish will be soupy)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp dried rosemary leaves

1 star anise, crushed (if you don’t have star anise, substitute ½ tsp dried tarragon or 1/8 tsp ground cloves)

1 ¼ lb baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin disks

1 large rutabaga (1lb), peeled and sliced into thin disks

1 large leek, sliced into thin disks and washed

½ lb. Gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375º and get out a baking pan approximately 11” x 7”. 

Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan.  Add garlic and onion and sauté over medium heat about 3 min, until the onion starts to soften.  Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Stir in the cream.

Spread the leeks evenly around the bottom of the baking dish. Don’t worry if there are gaps, just be sure they are uniform.  Cover the leeks with a layer of potatoes (half the potatoes). Sprinkle the rosemary over the potatoes, then sprinkle ½ cup of cheese.  Add a layer of rutabaga, using half of what you have. Sprinkle the crushed star anise around this layer and then ½ cup cheese too. Repeat a layer of potatoes and cheese, then a layer of rutabaga.

Pour the creamy onion mixture over everything as evenly as you can and bake for 30 minutes in convection or 35 minutes in a regular oven.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and continue to bake another 12-15 minutes, or until the rutabaga is tender and the cream seems to be solid. (It won’t be if you used evaporated milk.) 

Remove from the oven and cool at least 5 minutes before serving.  You can sparingly add freshly chopped flat leaf parsley for color if you wish.

And for those of you not comforted by potatoes, here's something lighter
Linguini with Chickpeas and Chard
This is a healthy, filling, colorful dish that used to poor man's food. It's also, without the feta on top, vegan. You can use spaghetti or any pasta.
serves 4-6

2 1/2 c cooked chickpeas, (canned drained and rinsed does fine)
3/4 lb red or sweet onions, thinly sliced in disks
3 tbsp good quality olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon, grated for zest
2 lemons, juiced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb chard, trimmed, washed and chopped (You can use kale or spinach)
1/2 c fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 lb linguini, spaghetti or bucatini
1 c feta cheese, crumbled

In a large heavy gauge pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions over med heat until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, lemon zest and chickpeas. Season with freshly ground black pepper and cook over low heat 5 min. Add the chopped chard and simmer 10 min until it's tender. Add the juice of 1 lemon, dill and salt to your taste. Taste and add the other lemon juice if needed.  Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta al dente in a large pot. Drain and transfer it to a large serving bow. Toss in the chickpeas and chard, season with freshly ground black pepper and top with the crumbled feta.