Category Archives: Healthy Food

Shaved Radish and Celery with Garlic Chives, Pine Nuts, and Anchovy-Caper Dressing

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I am fortunate to live in an area that promotes farm to table eating and locally sourced food.  I have two farmer’s markets in close proximity to me and I do my best to swing by each weekend.  This is truly the best way to venture out and try produce I’ve never bought, or even heard of for that matter.  I remember first buying a watermelon radish years ago, and almost falling over when I cut into it and witnessed the brilliant fuschia interior.

radish

You just don’t get those moments when you’re staying in your comfort zone.

Now, I do realize that not everyone lives so close to a farmer’s market so I wanted to share a simple Spring salad made of local ingredients to me but not so esoteric that you won’t be able to find them at your favorite market.  Here I’ve adopted one of my favorite vegetable cutting techniques, shaving on a mandolin.  Mandolins are not so scary once you get comfortable with it, and are willing to forsake the last inch of produce to keep your fingers intact!  They really produce beautiful shapes with great texture.  They are also cheap, and can be found all over the place, so get one if you don’t already have one.

Since I love salads that DON’T include greens (no offense to the Cruciferous vegetable family.  I love you, just not everyday), this is a favorite combination of mine when the weather starts to get balmy.  The crisp, slightly sweet radish is offset by the oniony chives and pungent anchovies and capers.  The pine nuts are buttery, the parmesan is just that hit of rich salt you need, and the fresh lemon brightens it all up.  One important thing in keeping the salad crisp and lovely:  Dress the vegetables as close to serving as possible.

Here’s to spring, healthful living, and the farms that work to provide us with these gorgeous treats.  From my market to yours, enjoy.

 

Shaved Radish and Celery with Garlic Chives, Pine Nuts, and Anchovy-Caper Dressing

SERVES 4

 

1 large bunch radishes, trimmed, scrubbed, and shaved on a mandoline

3 large stalks celery, shaved on a mandoline

1 teaspoon anchovy paste, OR 1 anchovy filet, finely minced

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped capers

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ cup parmesan, freshly grated

1 Tablespoon garlic chives OR standard chives, minced

Sea salt and cracked pepper

 

In a jar, combine anchovy paste or filet, lemon juice, olive oil, capers, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Shake vigourosly.

In a large bowl, combine radishes and celery.  Toss to combine.  Add pine nuts and parmesan, tossing again.

Add the dressing and chives to the salad and fold until well blended. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve within 30 minutes.

 

*My Two Cents:  Toasted walnuts or almonds would be a nice swap for the pine nuts here.

If you don’t care for anchovy, simply replace it with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.  It won’t have quite the same punch, but it’ll be close.

 

 

Photo credit:  organic authority.com

Crispy Pan Fried Shrimp with Soy, Citrus, and Orange Blossom Honey

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Some of my fellow culinary school grads have less than stellar opinions about wildly successful, high-end chain restaurants.  These would include all the hometown favorites:  Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, PF Chang’s.  Are the salads sometimes uninspired?  Sure.  Can the single-digit steak special make you raise an eyebrow?  Yes.  Are the commercials unrealistic and annoying?  No doubt.

But these restaurants have one thing down to a science:  They know how to make people happy.  Period.

There’s a reason why they’re so successful, the food is dependable and comfortable (the positive connotation to “uninspired”).  They can afford to charge reasonable prices because of the reach of their resources and nightly volumes they pump out.  And while the commercials can be like a bad disco song you can’t get out of your head, they can afford to be on television.  That’s more than most fine establishments can say.

So where is this diatribe going?  Somewhere, I promise.

When I lived in South Florida, I loved a weeknight dinner at PF Chang’s.  It was never short on flavor, always high on satisfaction.  This dish is my recreation of the Orange Peel Shrimp that I so often ordered there.

Cornstarch is the secret to a crispy, crunchy exterior, and it plays dual roles as a sauce thickener in a flash.  The spicy ginger, bright citrus, salty soy, and sweet honey and marmalade come together to make a delicious glaze that coats the shrimp and grabs a hold of its jutting, fried edges.  Bonus?  This comes together in less than 20 minutes.

This one’s for you, PF Chang’s, Cheesecake Factory, and Outback.  You make people deliriously happy, and last time I checked that’s what cooking is all about.

Crispy Pan Fried Shrimp with Citrus, Soy, and Honey

SERVES 4

Canola oil, for frying

2 pounds large wild shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry

1 clove garlic, grated

1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

¼ cup white onion, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 Tablespoons orange marmalade

1 teaspoon orange blossom honey  (feel free to use whatever kind of honey you have)

½ cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add garlic, ginger, onion, zests, and red pepper flakes.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk orange juice and ½ of the cornstarch in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Add honey, soy sauce, and marmalade to pan.  Cook for 1 minute more.

Add cornstarch slurry to pan and whisk for 1 minute to combine and thicken.  Set aside.

Toss the shrimp with the remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch and a pinch of salt.  In a separate pan, heat 1 Tablespoon canola oil over medium heat until very hot.  Fry shrimp in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, until they’ve started to curl, crisp up, and take on an orange hue.  Flip the shrimp halfway into this 2-3 minute cooking time.  Drain shrimp on paper towel and repeat with remaining shrimp.

Toss hot shrimp with reserved sauce and serve over jasmine or brown rice, or Chinese long beans pictured here.  Garnish with extra citrus zest, or sesame seeds.

Serve.

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Cranberry Spice Bread

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I know what you’re thinking.  I know you’re sitting there all, “Seriously?  Another pumpkin recipe?  Isn’t this girl aware that there are other flavors that deserve a spotlight during the holidays?”

Yes, this girl is aware.  But come on now, everyone likes pumpkin.  There is the ubiquitous pumpkin pie, the omnipresent pumpkin muffin, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bundt cake, the pumpkin cupcake… I could go on for pages but I’ll resist.  Point is, there is a reason for it.  Pumpkin is delicious.

The wonderful thing about baking with pumpkin is that it is a natural moistening agent.  This allows you to cut fat pretty easily, and still wind up with a tender, soft crumb.  Other ingredients that serve this purpose are carrots, zucchini, and bananas.  No surprise they all have found their way into the baked good spotlight. My rule is always that I will make something more nutritious if and only if it maintains the integrity of the intended result.  I will not eat a dry, stiff piece of pumpkin bread because it is good for me.  I would rather indulge and then account for it later in the day.  Fortunately, neither is necessary with this recipe.This bread is incredibly moist, hearty, and full of flavor.  It is as delicious as it is healthy.  I’ve replaced some of the oil with applesauce, cut out granulated sugar and replaced it with a reduced amount of deep, dark maple syrup and brown sugar.  I plumped up cranberries to lend an extra tart/sweet bite and that ruby red color.  I’ve added extra spices like ginger and cardamom, and used all gluten-free flour.  The blend I use is called Cup-4-Cup and it is the best out there.  It can be found at Williams-Sonoma, and while it’s pricey, it yields a lot and will enable you to make almost anything gluten-free with ease.  Other good blends are Bob’s Red Mill, or King Arthur, and they are sold at Whole Foods or your local grocery store.

After numerous trials I ended up with a delicious and festive breakfast bread with no gluten, little sugar, and little fat. This would be great served to your health-conscious friends, and husbands and children alike, as no one that has tasted it can believe I’ve made such substitutions. In fact, this would be a wonderful post-Thanksgiving breakfast to serve to your family.

During this holiday, along with delicious food, drinking, and laughter, let a smart breakfast be something that binds you.  Contrary to popular belief, there is no steadfast rule that naps must be lengthy and pants must be unzipped.

This needn’t be the year of “No Couch Left Behind.”

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Cranberry Spice Bread:  Inviting Health to the Holiday

Yield:  2 Loaves

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar

1 cup pure maple syrup

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

3 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend (I use C4C, found at Williams-Sonoma)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup dried cranberries, covered by hot water and plumped for 30 minutes

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook pumpkin and spices until steamy.  Continue to cook, stirring, until pumpkin starts to stiffen and pull away from sides of the pan, 3-5 minutes.

Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl, whisk in water, then sugars, then oil, and then eggs.  Whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until combined and relatively smooth.  The batter can be a bit lumpy.  Fold in the cranberries.

Scrape batter into the 2 loaf pans and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 50-60 minutes.

Let breads stand for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature

 * My Two Cents:  To make a traditional pumpkin bread (gluten and all) swap the gluten-free flour for the exact same amount of all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

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Take a look at the ingredients below.  Take a good, long look.

Okay, you’re probably done.

There are two ingredients in the soup itself:  cauliflower and onion.  I, too, was skeptical of how this soup could be as creamy and full-bodied as was promised with so few players.  I was skeptical, that is, until I saw that this was a recipe from Paul Bertolli.

Paul Bertolli spent over 20 years making culinary magic at Chez Pannise under Alice Waters, and Oliveto, both in California.  If there is anyone that can bring a humble vegetable to white-glove status, it is Chef Bertolli.

I learned of this soup in late September and have made it 6 times since.  The stewing technique used here softens the cauliflower in the most gentle way, coaxing rather than hammering the flavor out.  The result is a satin smooth texture and cauliflower that tastes like the most cauliflower-est cauliflower you’ve ever had.  (I’ve thought of how to describe the taste more articulately, other words sound more eloquent but none are more accurate.)

Another wonderful thing about this soup is that, like with most soups, it is even best made ahead of time and therefore ideal for entertaining.  On that note, the true exclamation point for this soup was when my friend Clare and I served this at a very elegant dinner party we were private chefs for.  Clare suggested adding Brussels sprout leaves and almonds for crunch and beauty, both of which these two simple garnishes provide.  We served many interesting courses that night, but the dish that may have been praised most was this silken soup.  We heard more grumbles of affection over cauliflower than salted caramel ice cream.

Need I say more?

 

 

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

Adapted from Paul Bertolli

Serves 8

 

For the soup:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin

1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets

5 1/2 cups water, divided

Salt, to taste

 

 

For garnish:

½ cup lightly sautéed Brussels sprout leaves

5 roasted almonds, chopped

 

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.

Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup if necessary.

Serve hot, garnished with a few Brussels Sprout leaves and chopped almond pieces per serving.

 

*My Two Cents:  Feel free to leave off the suggested garnishes and simply drizzle with great extra virgin olive oil and shower with freshly cracked pepper.  This is, in fact, what Chef Bertolli does.

Other great garnishes would include frizzled shallots, garlicky croutons, or fried herbs

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

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A few weeks ago, I was headed out to CT to visit my dear friend Elissa, and her daughter Ava, and I was on a mission.  You see, both daughter and mother were sick and I was just the friend who would swoop in there with my gingham cape, cook up a storm, and nurse them back to health.  Turns out, there was a problem.

I was sick, too.

I agreed to still come out (even having a cold is more fun with friends, provided they don’t run the risk of being recruited from Team Healthy to Team Sick), but resolved to the fact that I would not be my politely force-feeding self.  I just didn’t have it in me.

This was the soup I dreamt of making for my girls, and since I had the ingredients set to fulfill their destinies I cooked it up that following week, as soon as I felt the veil of lethargy lift.   It turned out to be good timing, too, as this is the sort of soup that restores you.  It is creamy, warm, a little spicy and sweet.  It satisfies your hunger and embraces your chilled bones.  It is the most delicious kind of medicinal.

You will want to make this all season long: healthy, sick, alone, or sandwiched between friends and family you love.

As for my culinary-inspired trip to CT, we subsisted on an artisanal orange juice known as Tropicana, and a lovely, syrupy drink known as Robitussin.  It was divine.

 

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

Adapted from “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” by Amy Traverso.

Yield: 6 cups
1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
½ lb. baby-cut carrots
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 inch-long piece ginger, peeled and cut into medium chunks
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup apple cider

Optional garnish:  1/4 cup pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, carrots and apple with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange on a foil-lined sheet pan (shiny side up) and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to a pot and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, bay leaf and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until the onions just begin to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, broth and cider, stir, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf from the pot and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, process the soup in three batches to avoid splattering hot liquid. Return the pureed soup to the pot, taste for seasoning, and serve garnished with pepitas if desired.

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

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It officially feels like the holiday season, and that means presents.  I suppose it’s a sign of maturity that I think more about what I can give than what I will receive.  Giving feels good, so it’s a little selfish, but it’s the best kind of selfish there is.

I have a number of homemade recipes I make in batches all season long to give to friends and family when I come to visit.  Everyone expects gifts at Christmas, but to show up to a friend’s door in October, with a pretty ball jar filled with homemade pumpkin butter?  That’s something unexpected and special.

Pumpkin puree is one of the few cans that I open consistently.  Yes, there is a time and place for roasting your own pumpkins, like when you want to use caramelized wedges in a salad or simmer into a soup.  There is the fun option of doing a stuffed pumpkin, a hearty vegetarian offering for Thanksgiving, like Dorie Greenspan shows us.

However, on a regular basis I go for the all-natural, unsweetened canned pumpkin that is so plentiful and convenient.  Once the early, crisp days of October close in, we all go a little pumpkin fanatic.  Let’s be honest, give someone a piece of moist pumpkin bread and they will be your friend.  It’s a flavor we all savor as the days grow shorter and the sun grows shy.

This is my recipe for spiced pumpkin butter, and it’s so good you will want to eat it with a spoon.  I have, more often than not.

It has a fraction of the sugar you will find in most store-bought versions, and no preservatives… you can’t beat that.  I simply cook the pumpkin puree down with really good apple juice (I love Red Jacket’s fuji apple juice, but you can use any all-natural juice or cider), sultry spices and the spicy candied ginger that lends such a beautiful, complex flavor. There is no biscuit, scone, toast, bowl of oatmeal, cup of yogurt, or fresh apple that would not welcome this spread.

For more fun ideas about how to use canned pumpkin this fall, check out Bon Appetit’s feature HERE.  As for me, I plan to pay visits to a few friends this week and make their breakfasts a bit more delicious.

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

MAKES 3 ½-4 CUPS

1 29 oz. can pumpkin puree

1 cup all natural apple juice or cider

1/2 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons candied ginger, finely minced

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring to combine. 

Once the first bubbles appear, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Don’t worry if it appears slightly looser than you’d like, the mixture firms up a bit as it cools.

Transfer to jars and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Pumpkin butter will keep like this for about a month.  Don’t worry, it won’t last long enough for its expiration date to expire.

Weeknight Shrimp Sauté with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Greek Feta

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I have never been to Greece.  Well, I’ve never physically been to Greece.

I sometimes go to Greece when I’m jam packed on a crowded subway, drifting off to sleep, or my extra-friendly neighbor is telling me about her cat’s sleeping habits for the third time that week  (Let’s keep that last one between us).

This simple and delicious dish is a take on the Greek classic, Shrimp Saganaki.  It comes together in under 30 minutes and has all of the freshness and complexity you could ask for.  Juicy tomatoes, herbaceous fennel, and sweet shrimp are enveloped in a creamy sauce that appears instantly when salty feta hits the pan.

With such few ingredients, again, buy the best you can afford.  Wild shrimp and good Bulgarian or Greek feta make this dish what it is, so they are worth the slight investment.

A simple, lemony green salad and crusty bread round out this meal perfectly.  This is a healthy, flavorful dinner that you will return to again and again.

For today, as Greece remains a soul mate I have yet to meet… a destiny not yet fulfilled, I’ll settle for taking my Greece in my kitchen.

 

Weeknight Shrimp Sauté with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Greek Feta

Adapted from The Newlywed Cookbook, by Sarah Copeland

SERVES 2-4

 

1 ½ lb peeled, butterflied, and deveined large shrimp

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced

6 plum tomatoes, chopped

3 oz. Bulgarian or Greek feta

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

 

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering.  Add the fennel and cook over medium-high heat until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook until the tomatoes are soft and start to release their juices, about 5 more minutes.  Add the shellfish and cook, storring occasionally until they are pink throughout, about 3 minutes.  Add most of the feta and stir to melt slightly, about 2 minutes.

 

Transfer to shallow bowls and top with the remaining feta and chopped parsley.  Season with freshly ground black pepper, and serve.

Weekend Power Breakfast: Honey Almond Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas

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Saturday mornings are a time for me to make a big pot of steel cut oatmeal, pour an extra cup of strong coffee, and leisurely read the paper.  I love these couple of hours, and savor them, as they set me up for a productive and energized day.  After my little ritual I head to my Bar Method class and get in a great workout.  What this means is that my breakfast, while soothing, needs to do it’s part and work for me.  Yes, you can have power-packed comfort food, and I urge you to embrace the idea.

Steel-cut oats are a low fat complex carbohydrate and a great source of fiber, so they keep you satisfied for hours and give you natural energy to burn. The banana provides potassium and natural sweetness, along with a pleasing texture.  Pack in the protein with creamy, thick almond butter and you are ready to take on the day.

Saturdays are a good thing, be good to yourself and do what makes you smile.

 

Honey Almond Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas

SERVES 4

 

1 cup steel cut oats (I use McCann’s Irish Oats)

2 medium, ripe bananas

4 teaspoons unsweetened almond butter

4 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

 

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and salt to a brisk boil.  Sprinkle in oatmeal, stirring well.

Lower heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally to keep the oatmeal from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Once the oatmeal is thick and oats are tender, spoon into 4 serving bowls.  Top each bowl with ½ sliced banana, 1 teaspoon of almond butter, and 1 teaspoon of honey.

Serve.

*My Two Cents:  Unlike regular oatmeal, steel cut oats reheat beautifully.  I portion this oatmeal into ball jars to have a convenient healthy breakfast all week long.  

Blue Hill Farm’s Kale and Farro Salad

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This recipe comes from the extraordinary restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a mecca of fresh and local food that sources its ingredients from the surrounding pasteurs and farms in Pocantico Hills, New York.  There is truly not enough room on this blog to boast all that they do, but you can get a glimpse of them HERE.

And, you can get a humble taste of them here.  I made this salad yesterday, and it will be a salad I return to many times this fall, I assure you.  I fell in love with kale salads a couple of years ago, and the first one of the season tells me that autumn is really here.  You may remember last year I posted my Superfood Salad, with raw kale, roasted beets, red cabbage, and tahini.

This one interprets kale very differently, as the pine nuts, farro, currants, Parmigiano-Regianno cheese, and Tuscan kale all sing of Italy.  The farro, also known as ember wheat, is one of my favorite grains.  It is chewy, nutty, and very hearty:  add it to the vinegar-doused kale, plump fruit, salty cheese, and buttery pine nuts and you’ve got the best darn bite your taste buds could hope to get.  Please note, if you cannot find currants you can use dried cranberries; if you do not have a shallot you can skip it and add more chives; if you have white or red wine vinegar, the kale will wilt pleasingly under that as well.  This recipe makes a very large salad, so cut the portions in half or thirds for a more conservative quantity. The only must is that you specifically use Tuscan (otherwise known as Lucinato or Dinosaur kale), and authentic parmesan cheese.  This is a salad with simple and rustic ingredients so use the best quality you can afford.

Since securing a waitlist seat for Stone Barns is as hard as getting a 7:30am tee time at Augusta National, this dish will need to tide you over.  Enjoy this salad in all of it’s healthful, genius glory.

 

BLUE HILL FARM’S KALE AND FARRO SALAD

SERVES 12-16

• 1 cup dried currants
• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 cups thinly sliced Tuscan kale or other kale
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups cooked farro*
• 1 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (authentic Parmigiano-Regianno)
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan

In small bowl combine currants and orange juice. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 2 to 24 hours to plump currants. Drain currants; discard half of the orange juice.

In large bowl toss kale with white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. In very large bowl stir together cooked farro, plumped currants and juice, pine nuts, and shallot.

Add kale mixture, Parmesan cheese, chives, olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper; toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to large serving dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Serve at room temperature. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

*Cooked farro: In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 4 cups uncooked farro; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add 6 cups water and 1 bay leaf. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 25 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and farro is just slightly chewy. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Transfer cooked farro to sheet pan; spread out to cool. Measure 6 cups for recipe. Chill or freeze remaining farro for another use.

 

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

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There are some dishes you come across that change your life.

Dramatic?  Not for me.

Isn’t life ultimately about love?  How to give it freely, how to open ourselves more fully every day to receive it?  Isn’t it about using gifts and passions of ours to show the people in our lives that they matter?  Isn’t it about consumption, creation, learning, and giving?

Well, this is at the heart of my love of cooking.  I love cooking because I love people.

When I tasted the inspiration for this soup at what has quickly become my favorite new restaurant in Brooklyn, Parish Hall, I immediately knew that I wanted everyone I loved to experience it.  It was sweet, thoughtful, and vibrant.  It was so much more than the sum of its parts.

I went to work creating my version of this special soup, swapping walnut oil in for the authentic squash seed oil, and leaving texture in the base rather than pureeing and straining it completely smooth.  I knew that the Parish Hall Chef had used a Vitamix Blender to get that velvety texture, but this should be something anyone could make at home.

I wanted this to be a beautiful, and considerate first course that felt simultaneously homey and elegant.  I wanted this to show that every day is an opportunity to create something, taste something, share something, and maybe even change your life.  Each time my meals are met with broad smiles and grateful hearts, that’s precisely what happens.

 

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

Serves: 6

 

12 ears of corn, corn stripped from the cobs

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoons butter

¾ cup heavy cream

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup blackberries, halved

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, torn

walnut oil, for serving

 

You first need to make the stock:  Place corncobs and 14 cups cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 1⁄2 hours.  Discard cobs, and reserve stock in separate bowl.

In the empty stockpot, sweat shallots with butter and ½ tsp salt over medium-low heat until translucent, 5-6 minutes.

Add corn kernels and sauté for 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Add corn stock, and bring up to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  Lastly, add the cream and stir briefly to combine.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender to desired texture.  Transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate until cold.

To serve, ladle soup in serving bowls and garnish with blackberries, basil, and a drizzle of walnut oil.