SWEET POTATO RISOTTO, MINT + WALNUT GREMOLATA

Sweet potato risotto is a terrific seasonal variation on risotto. The sweet flavour and creamy texture of the sweet potato complements the risotto really well. Walnuts and sweet potatoes are in season in the autumn - and they pair exceptionally well in this savoury risotto-gremolata combo. A sure favourite!

Risotto is prepared with any Italian starchy, short-grained rice - the most common rice varieties used for risotto are carnaroli or arborio. To properly cook risotto you stir hot broth into the uncooked rice a ladleful at a time and cook slowly. As the liquid is nearly absorbed, add in the next ladleful. This slow cooking and stirring releases the natural starches in the rice and makes the risotto creamy, velvety and irresistible... well, that and the cheese!!

Risotto is best served immediately or soon after cooking because it will become clumpy if made in advance. A properly cooked risotto makes a soft, creamy mound without running across the plate. It also should not be too hard, crunchy, or gummy.

Gremolata is an Italian condiment of chopped fresh herbs, lemon zest, garlic, and a bit of olive oil. In the spirit of other similar condiments like pistou, persillade, any kind of pesto, Indian chutneys, etc. it's simple but packs a punch of brilliant fresh flavour! Ossobucco with gremolata and risotto is a classic Milanese meal! Here I've made it seasonal and vegetarian - I usually serve this risotto with roasted cauliflower or roasted chicken with kale (photo below).

Sweet Potato Risotto, Mint + Walnut Gremolata

makes: 4-5 cups (a typical serving of risotto is 1 cup)

- 2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato 

- 2 cups carnaroli or arborio rice

- 5-6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

- 1-1/2 cups dry white wine (like a Pinot Grigio)

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced

- 1 tbsp. butter

- 2 Tbsp olive oil

- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

- 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper

- 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

- salt, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. When it's hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté on low heat for 1-2 minutes so the onion doesn't brown. Add the sweet potatoes and red pepper flakes and continue to sauté.
2. Heat the broth in a saucepan, and adjust the heat so it remains at a simmer.
3. When the onion is translucent, add the rice and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so that the rice doesn't brown or stick to the pan.
4. Once the rice is coated with oil, add the wine and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed.
5. Add 1 cup of the hot broth to the rice and stir until it is absorbed. Stir constantly so that the rice doesn't scorch or stick to the pan. Add the next cup of broth as soon as the rice has absorbed the broth but don't wait till the rice is dry - you should see a sheen of liquid in the rice.
6. Continue adding broth by the cup and stir while the liquid is absorbed, then add more broth when the rice is almost dry. The rice will start getting a creamy consistency as its starch is released. Cook the rice this way until until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite - without being crunchy or tasting raw. If you run out of broth before the risotto is done, use hot water to finish cooking, stirring while it's absorbed.
7. Stir in the pepper, butter, and cheese, and season to taste with salt. Serve garnished with a tbsp. of gremolata (recipe below) and a grind of black pepper.

Mint + Walnut Gremolata

makes: approximately 1/2 cup

- 2 tbsp. lemon zest (zest from one lemon) 

- 2 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste

- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

- 1/2 packed cup mint

- 1/2 packed cup parsley

- 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Finely chop the parsley and mint.
2. In a bowl, mix the chopped parsley, mint, and all the other ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

PICKLED FRESH CHICKPEAS AND CARROTS: LEELA CHANA-GAJAR NU ATHAANU

This is a fresh pickled relish flavoured with fresh green garbanzo beans, carrots, and mustard, quite typical to Gujarat - home for me! Although this is Gujarati in flavours, it's neutral enough to be great with Indian food from any region. 

As I've mentioned before, I have a pickle affliction. And while I almost always relegate dried garbanzo beans to hummus, I simply love fresh garbanzos. They're a bit of work because of the shelling they require but they're totally worth it. I've never made Indian pickles before because I assumed they need things I can't be bothered to go find. But this recipe couldn't be simpler! If fresh garbanzos are out of season, make it with carrots alone.

I find dried garbanzos to be quite heavy so I seldom have them whole, but these fresh ones are mild, light, and easy to eat even raw with a bit of lemon, salt, and cilantro.

Adapted from Gujarati Chatko.

Leela Chana-Gajar nu Athaanu
Makes: 1 - 2 cups

- 1 cup fresh chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 4 small carrots, cut into 1 in. pieces
- 1/4 cup black mustard seeds, coarsely powdered in a blender (not in a food processor)
- 2 tbsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. chile powder
- 1/2 cup safflower or other neutral oil
- 1 lemon, juiced

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the carrots and boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and remove the carrots from the water with a slotted spoon. Spread out the carrots on a dry kitchen towel to dry completely.
2. Bring the water to a boil again and add the chickpeas. Boil for 2-3 minutes, turn off the heat, and strain the chickpeas.
3. Spread out the chickpeas on another dry kitchen towel to dry completely.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, powdered mustard, salt, chile powder, lemon juice, and stir to combine. Add the carrots and chickpeas and mix everything well. Taste and adjust the salt and add more chile powder if you want more heat. Keep in mind that the vegetables will reduce in volume a bit as they pickle so it's best not to overdo the salt and chile.
5. Transfer to a clean, dry glass jar and close the lid. Leave the jar in a very sunny spot for 3 - 5 days.
6. Refrigerate and enjoy with any kind of Indian food!

ONE BRUSCHETTA, TWO BRUSCHETTE: WITH SEA URCHIN

Bruschetta (bru-skett-ah, not brushettuh): a simple antipasto for which toppings are only limited by your imagination. I used sea urchin because I had some leftover fresh sea urchin from sushi-making, but usually I make it vegetarian with diced leftover roasted vegetables: potatoes, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, or in the spring, even lightly crushed cooked peas. Get creative, you won't be disappointed!

You can also use cooked diced shrimp, diced sashimi grade tuna raw or lightly seared, or smoked trout or salmon. I've made it with all of the above, and it's simply fantastic!

I used whatever I had at hand, so get creative with the herbs and vegetables. Jicama instead of cucumber, cilantro instead of parsley, lime instead of lemon, onion or shallots instead of scallions, add a bit of diced capsicum or celery to the mix... so many ways to make these! 

On to the sea urchin. Although now most popularly associated with Japanese cuisine - sushi in particular - sea urchin is actually eaten in many coastal places including Chile, Italy, and Korea. Sea urchin roe is best as fresh as possible. A lot like oysters, it in fact, tastes incredible right when harvested from the ocean. If you're buying it from the store, check the packing date and use it within a day or two of the packing date.

These bruschette are quick to put together, and the lemony tang of the topping really complements the briny flavour of the roe. The quick 10 minutes of marinating with the lemon juice, tomatoes, and garlic also makes the roe velvety, almost melt-in-your-mouth. 

Bruschette with Sea Urchin
Makes: 4 large bruschette

Topping
- 1/2 cup sea urchin roe
- 1 Persian (or 1/2 English) cucumber, diced small
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, diced small
- 4-5 cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 3 tbsp. minced parsley
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin

Bread
- 4 thick slices of sourdough / other rustic bread
- 2 tsp. olive oil, extra virgin

1. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix all the topping ingredients and set aside for 10 minutes. 
2. Turn on the broiler. Brush 1/2 tsp. olive oil on each slice of bread and broil till the edges are browned, 2 - 3 minutes, depending on your oven.
3. Top the broiled bread with the topping (including a bit of the topping juice) and serve.

ENLIGHTENED: HOME-MADE CRÈME FRAÎCHE (OR CREMA MEXICANA)

I find crème fraîche (aka crema mexicana or table cream) much more subtle and delicious than sour cream. Find out more about the difference between crème fraîche and sour cream here. Although it's typically made with heavy cream, half-and-half (half cream, half milk) makes a delicious light crème fraîche with a luscious creamy consistency.

Crème fraîche is delicious in cream sauces, as a dip, or over fruit and savoury dishes, and it's so easy to make at home where you know exactly what goes into it. Commercial varieties in the US have unwarranted ingredients like guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, whey, modified food starch, and potassium sorbate - a totally unnecessary preservative. Why bother with (and pay for) all that when you can have something that's fresh, clean, and healthy for less?!

Home-made Crème Fraîche (or Crema Mexicana)

Makes: 16 oz./2 cups

- 1 pint (16 oz./2 cups) half-and-half or cream, at room temperature

- 1/4 cup yogurt with live cultures (full fat, fat-free, or any fat content in between)

1. Pour the half-and-half into a clean, dry, glass or plastic container.
2. Whisk the yogurt till smooth, add to the half-and-half, stir well to mix.
3. Cover partially and let it stand in a warm place for 12 - 24 hours, or until it's a consistency you like.
4. Refrigerate for up to 10 days.

KING SALMON IN FIG LEAVES, ROASTED FETA-STUFFED FIGS

This recipe looks deceptively complicated... from washing the fig leaves to eating, it took all of 20 - 25 minutes! The roasted, feta-stuffed fresh figs are just as quick to whip up, and so addictive! Figs, unlike bananas, peaches, nectarines, and many other fruits, don't ripen off the tree. So if you buy figs in a package, chances are you've got a few less-than-perfectly-ripe ones. And those semi-ripe ones are not the best for eating raw. But they're perfect for roasting because it brings out the sweetness even in slightly unripe figs. And, the saltiness of the feta and peppery arugula leaves complement the honey-like flavour of roasted figs.

Fig leaves are so under-rated and overlooked... the leaves themselves are not the best for eating, but they are perfect for cooking. They look stunning, have a delicious warm coconut-y aroma when they're roasted, and hold up very well so no dealing with a lost sauce. 

I've roasted salmon and monkfish in fig leaves and they're both winners! During fig season, most farmer's markets and specialty grocery stores sell fig leaves. If you're in California, chances are you, a neighbour, or someone-you-know's neighbour has a fig tree or two. So then you have fig leaves whenever you want... or at least, often. Or maybe someone you know works at a project site with fig trees and rosemary hedges and lemon trees and olive trees and apple trees and avocado trees nearby. It can happen.

King Salmon in Fig Leaves, Roasted Feta-Stuffed Figs

Servings: 2

for the salmon:

- 2 4 oz. filets of King Salmon or any other salmon, preferably skin-on

- 2 large fig leaves (or 4 medium)

- 1 lemon, preferably organic

- 1 tbsp. olive oil

- freshly ground black pepper, to taste

- salt, to taste

for the figs:

- 8 or 10 fresh, ripe or slightly unripe figs, washed

- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 tbsp. dry rosemary, chopped (optional)

- 4 oz. feta or chevre 

- 1/2 lemon, juiced

- 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

- 2 cups arugula (or other greens)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.

2. Rinse fig leaves and pat them dry.

3. Slice the ends off the lemon, slice the lemon into approximately 8 thin slices.

4. Lay a fig leaf flat on a cutting board, plate, or directly on the baking tray.

5. Place the salmon lengthwise on the centre of the fig leaf and generously season with salt and pepper.

6. Arrange 4 of the lemon slices on the salmon, overlapping each slice.

7. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp. olive oil over the salmon.

8. Wrap the top of the fig leaf over the salmon, then wrap the sides, and then the stem-end. You should now have a neat salmon packet.

9. Flip so that the seams are facing down to keep the packet closed during cooking.

10. Repeat with the second filet.

11. Now work on the stuffed figs. You can stuff the figs first, then prep the salmon but the cheese stuffing might get runny - it'll still be good.

12. Slice the stem-end off each fig and cut an X into the fig, stopping short of cutting all the way through.

13. Set each fig down, cut side up, and gently squeeze the round base of the fig so the fig 'crowns' or opens up for the filling (check out the photos above for crowned figs). 

14. Put the feta, rosemary, pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl. Mash and mix well.

15. Stuff each fig with about 1 tsp. of the feta mixture, taking care not to tear the fig open all the way. Divide any leftover mixture between the figs. 

16. Put both filets and the stuffed figs on the baking tray and into the oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Since the salmon is wrapped, it won't dry out in 20 minutes, but don't cook it for much longer than that.

17. Remove from the oven.

18. Mound 1 cup of arugula on a plate, leaving room for the wrapped salmon.

19. Arrange 4-5 roasted figs on the arugula leaves.

20.  Flip the salmon seam-side up onto the serving plate next to the figs.

21. Unwrap the salmon and enjoy! Discard the fig leaves though... they're not that good.

WALNUT-RED PEPPER DIP: MUHAMMARA

Long on hunger, short on time? Make muhammara! It will quickly become one of those things that you always serve when people come over, or even when no one comes over. And the colour is gorgeous... never hurts to be around good looking people and good looking food!

Simply omit the bread to make it gluten-free.

Walnut-Red Pepper Dip: Muhammara

Servings: makes about 2 cups

- 1 jar roasted red peppers (capsicum), drained or 2 - 3 fresh red capsicum, roasted

- 2 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled

- 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted if you want

- 1-1/2 - 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
- 1-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (the kind you put on pizza)

- 1/4 or so of a pita, or a chunk/slice of any other bread (omit for a gluten-free dip)
- 1 tsp. salt, or to taste

- 1 - 2 tbsp. olive oil

- 1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)

1. Put everything in a food processor or blender.

2. Process till you get a well blended dip.

3. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4. Enjoy with pita, any other bread, over grilled chicken, or with crudites.

Notes:

1. Pomegranate molasses is easily available at any Middle Eastern store. You can also reduce 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice and use that instead of pomegranate molasses.
2. Make it gluten-free: omit the bread.

SPICY RAW SOUP: CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS

Raw soup, smoothie, blended salad, whatever it is, it's delicious!! I drink at least one or two smoothies a day, usually for breakfast and dinner. I love creating seasonal flavour combinations, and this is one of my go-to, no-fail summer ones. Vary the ingredients and proportions to suit your needs, but be judicious with strong flavours such as salt, spice, garlic, or bitter greens. Try your own combos based on seasonal fruits and vegetables!

I won't endlessly extol the virtues of eating wholesome foods, but suffice to say that eating almost no commercially processed foods, less grains and mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and their derivatives such as oils, is the way to live. After you have this or any other smoothie, notice the rush of energy you feel. Food is also related to mental well-being. Eating fresh, seasonal, life-giving foods will make you a more pleasant, balanced person, able to handle the stresses of work and other things with a cooler, more solid demeanour. And your taste buds will be more sensitive to flavours so you'll enjoy all foods much more.

Try it for a week: have a large smoothie for breakfast, and a large one for dinner. At these meals, if you're still hungry after the smoothie you can have a handful of nuts or as many fruits/vegetables as you want. With a vegetable smoothie like the one below, have vegetables if you're still hungry. With a fruit-based green smoothie, have fruit. Don't mix fruit and vegetables. And, you should have no grains, no dairy, no meat 2-3 hours before or after the smoothie.

And definitely don't put things like almond milk, milk, yogurt, kefir, etc. in your smoothie. Just water or coconut water.

Raw Summer Soup/Smoothie

Servings: makes 1 large soup/smoothie, enough as breakfast/dinner/snack

- 2 medium zuchhini

- 1 cup cherry tomatoes

- 1 avocado

- 2-3 cups greens of choice - spinach, arugula, lettuce (any other than Iceberg), kale, chard

- 1 handful of fresh basil leaves

- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (the kind you put on pizza)

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 3/4 - 1 tsp. good quality salt

- 1 small clove garlic (optional)

1. Wash, cut and prep everything.

2. Add the heavy vegetables first - anything non-leafy.

3. Leafy things go at the top. In this case the avocado was an after-thought so it's on the top!

4. Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water and blend.

5. This will create a "creamy" base before you add more water. (Too much water from the very beginning will result in a non-smooth smoothie - a bit contradictory, really. And definitely not tasty.)

7. Add water, 3/4 cup at a time, until you have the consistency you want.

8. Pour into a glass if you're having it immediately. Otherwise pour into a container and refrigerate. 

SKINNY DIPPING: FRESH FAVA BEAN DIP

It's no secret that I love dips... eating them and making them. I have a few standard, no-fail, go-to dips for parties or just having around at home for snacking. As most things I like to cook, the dips I make are seasonal. This is one of my favourite springtime dips! Beautiful colour, fresh tasting, herb-y...

... and fat-free if you don't add olive oil. I often don't add oil because I find the fava beans creamy enough, and I always have olives around, which go well with the dip and bread/vegetables. Or I have a chunk of feta with it all. If I am not serving olives or feta with the dip, I do add the olive oil because the flavour of olives and fresh fava beans is heavenly! 

Fresh Fava Bean Dip

Servings: makes 1-1/2 cups

- 1-1/2 lbs. (~1 kg) fava beans/broad beans, shelled (about 1-1/2 cups shelled beans)
- 3/4 - 1 tsp. salt, I used Himalayan pink salt
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar, or less, or none
- 2 tsp. minced fresh mint leaves, or 1 tsp. dried

- 1 tsp. fresh dill, or 1/2 tsp. dried
- juice of 1 small lemon or lime

- 1 tbsp. water or more, as needed to blend or process into the desired consistency

- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (optional - I don't usually add it)

Serve with:
Bread of any type, baked pita chips, roasted potatoes, skinny fries, raw carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, or as a side with baked/grilled fish

1. Boil enough water to submerge the fava beans up to 1 in. 

2. Add the fava beans and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Or, drain and let the fava beans cool on their own for about 15 minutes.

4. Using your finger-tips, remove and discard the pale green outer skins and put the bright green fava beans in a bowl.

5. In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients including the beans.

6. Process/blend to the desired consistency. I like it smooth, not coarse.

7. Refrigerate and remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow the dip to come to room temperature.

8. Really good the next day, when the flavours have melded!

Notes:

1. Since fava beans, mint, and dill are springtime produce, the flavours are exceptionally complementary. But you can use other herbs like cilantro/coriander or parsley. Or a combination of herbs of your choice. I definitely don't recommend rosemary or any other fall/winter herbs.

2. As always, adjust salt and red pepper to taste, or use freshly crushed black/white pepper.