Caché: A hidden gem worth the detour

Emily Buchanan November 22, 2022

Hidden away from everyday Paris, the restaurant Caché can only be found by a strange and surprising walk through the Villa Riberolle in the 20th. Not far from the Père Lachaise cemetery and the tombs of Edith Piaf and Gertrude Stein, this sure is a place for Paris history. The “villa” – a block-long, mysterious alley – is part ruin part lively center of ateliers and restaurants. According to our waiter, the large, welcoming, brick-walled space with looming skylights was once a newspaper printing factory but I have not been able to officially confirm this.

At any rate, this all-fish restaurant, with French chef Sylvain Roucayrol at the helm, is certainly worth the detour. Somewhat like a visit to Brooklyn in Paris, the entire experience feels like an adventure. Expect a warm welcome, a menu varied enough to please every fish lover, service as attentive as can be, with a sommelier who honestly takes a personal interest in your tastes.

Start with the fatty, full-flavored toro tuna annointed with citrusy ponzu, crunchy kombu and a touch of caviar (photo). We also loved the scallop roasted in its shell and seasoned with zesty bergamot and the Korean chili gochugaru.

When you go, reserve a table of at least four, so you can share the selection of whole-roasted fish. We chose the North Atlantic turbot, cooked to perfection and served on a giant white platter, perfectly fresh and boned, ready to devour.

The surprise of the evening was a fabulous tempura of the seldom-seen Italian puntarella, a chicory topped with a mild and refreshing anchovy sauce. Desserts are classic and delicious: a warm chocolate mousse served with a fève de tonka (tonka bean) ice cream, and a giant lemon meringue pie with a sidebar of lemon sorbet.

I could go on and on about the wines: we had sips of seven different selections, all perfectly paired with the food, ranging from a character-filled Riberach from the Catalan region, to an Australian white to a Clos Béru Chablis.

Parcelles: an ideal bistro in the 3rd

Emily Buchanan November 21, 2022

If I were ever to open a bistro in Paris, it would look a lot like Parcelles: settled on a picturesque little street near the Centre Georges Pompidou in the 3rd arrondissement, with an ambiance that warms your heart as you enter; white curtains on the windows that look onto the street; a giant copper bar; Art Deco tables; white linens; cozy banquettes; and patchwork tiled floors the same as we had in our first apartment in Paris.

This 1936 bistro is part of a selection of contemporary Paris restaurants run by young and adventurous chefs and owners, mostly dedicated to local seasonal ingredients, wisely chosen wines, and no attitude other than that to please each diner. Restaurateur-owner Sarah Michielsen signed to purchase the former Taxi Jaune bistro just 15 days before confinement in 2020. Still, along with chef Julien Chevallier and sommelier Bastien Fidelin, they managed to create something quite special.

Like many modern Paris bistros the cuisine is a comfortable blend of classic and modern French, with a select menu where all sorts of diners manage to find what they want. A quartet of super-fresh scallops arrive set on their shells, seared in a full-flavored garlic and parsley blend, garnished with a nice hit of guanciale, the Italian dried and smoked pork from the jowl and cheeks.

A serving of cabbage stuffed with ground pork from the Cochon de Clavisy in Burgundy, as well as foie gras, took me back to my early days as a child in Milwaukee, where stuffed cabbage was on the menu frequently, and one of my mother’s finely executed specials. (But, no, we did not have foie gras!). At Parcelles, the portion was excellent and the seasoning just right. I loved the monkfish in a broth made with barbe de St Jacques (the ribbon of fat that surrounds the scallop), paired with a welcome selection of carrots, cabbage, and turnips, all of which had good intense flavors of their own. In the dessert world, the classic tarte au chocolate topped with a great crunch of caramelized pecans, hit with a great deal of pleasure.

I was less enthralled by the rather timid daurade (sea bream) carpaccio, served with cubes of radish and seasoned with a sauce tosazu (a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, sweet cooking wine and dried bonito sauce) that did little to perk things up. Likewise, the potato tart stuffed with Swiss chard, mushrooms, was a disappointment, with a crust that was just too thick to manage and an interior that lacked seasoning and character.

But the wine list! As soon as I spied Hubert Lamy’s white St. Aubin 1er Cru Derrière chez Edouard on the list I waved to the excellent and outgoing sommelier and ordered a bottle. This longtime favorite Burgundy – aromatic, rich, and full of character – comes from a family that has worked the vineyards since 1640. Here, priced at 108€ a bottle for the 2014 vintage, this is a bargain. With an exceptional and well-priced wine list, the restaurant is aptly named: A parcelle is a small plot of land with distinctive geographical and geological characteristics that impact the quality and character of the grapes cultivated on it.

Recipe: Portobello Mushroom, Prosciutto, and Parmesan Frittata

Emily Buchanan October 31, 2022

This is a Sunday lunch favorite, fine for an easy meal for two or a festive addition to a lunch buffet.

8 servings

Equipment

A large nonstick skillet with a lid, a 10-inch (25 cm) round baking dish.

Ingredients

Olive oil spray
6 ultra-fresh large eggs, free-range and organic
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
4 tablespoons (2 ounces; 60 g) unsalted butter
3 medium onions, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
8 ounces (250 g) portobello mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon coarse, freshly grated organic lemon or orange zest
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces; 75 g) prosciutto matchsticks
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives, for garnish

Method

1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray the baking dish with oil.

2. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the oregano. Whisk to blend.

3. In the skillet, combine half the butter, onions, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sweat – cook, covered, over low heat until soft and translucent – about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to the baking dish.

4. In the same skillet, combine the remaining butter, mushrooms, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sweat – cook, covered, over low heat until soft – about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms and arrange on top of the onions in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the citrus zest. Dot with the prosciutto matchsticks. Pour the eggs over all. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. (The dish can be prepared up to 1 hour in advance before baking.)

5. Place in the oven and bake until the eggs are firm and the top is a deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with the chives. Serve warm or at room temperature, cutting into 8 wedges.

This recipe was first published in My Master Recipes.
All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Back better than ever: Maison by Sota Atsumi

Emily Buchanan October 25, 2022

Chef Joel Robuchon once said to me “Perfection does not exist. But that should not stop us from trying to achieve it every day.” Paris-based chef Sota Atsumi, who trained with Robuchon, clearly follows that advice.

I first met this extraordinarily talented Japanese chef in 2016 at Paris’s Clown Bar in the 11th. He left to open his own restaurant, Maison by Sota Atsumi, in September 2019. Not much later, Covid struck, followed by structural building problems that forced closure until June of this year. Yet despite all these hurdles, Atsumi returns better than ever and my first meal back did not disappoint.

The loft-like open-kitchen situated on the mezzanine floor of this unusual 11th arrondissement restaurant (that is an actual house), includes a wood-burning oven and wood-fired grill. The walls and floors are decorated with classic French red tomette tiles and diners have a choice of being seated at a long 8-metre table, separate tables, or a seat at the bar, facing those warming ovens. The welcome is always warm and totally unpretentious, not something you can say of so many Paris restaurants today.

And I can’t say enough good things about his menu, his cooking, his staff. Atsumi’s food is not in any way fusion. Rather it is just delicious fare made with carefully chosen seasonal ingredients, prepared without ostentation and pure respect for each product.

While I am not always 100% in favor of a no-choice menu, my experience is that Atsumi and I are pretty much on the same page and I am happy to be put in his hands. A totally satisfying October lunch included silken scallops poached in butter and nestled in a brightly flavored sorrel and nettle sauce; thick al dente homemade ravioli stuffed with 7-day marinated eel, served with an egg yolk sauce and topped with slices of cèpe mushroom; the fish course of John Dory arrived with a celery root and white truffle emulsion; and my favorite of the meal, a rich, meaty pigeon roasted in the wood oven and teamed with a totally harmonious pistachio sauce, Swiss chard, radicchio and a pickled blackberry. This was one of best cooked pigeons I have ever tasted. Bravo! Dessert included a miniature tart tatin with a crunchy cookie base, paired with an olive oil ice cream, a basil sauce and whipped cream.

When you go, take advantage of the wine pairing menu, which will open the eyes of even the most educated wine lovers. The outgoing sommelier, Takebayashi Takashi, (who speaks at least 4 languages!) knows and loves his wines and adores sharing his knowledge. Choices might range from a Burgundy Aligoté, to a Piedmont Nebbiolo, to a Sicilian Marsala. Italian wines feature heavily due to Takashi’s 6-year stint in Piedmont.

Maison by Sota Atsumi | 3 rue Saint-Hubert, Paris 11 | Métro: rue Saint-Maur | Tel : +33 1 43 38 61 95 | Open Wednesday dinner, lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday, and Sunday lunch | Thursday through Saturday 65€ 4-course lunch menu (plus 45€ wine pairing), dinner 160€ 7-course menu, Sunday lunch 100€ | Reservations essential.

Vive la Vive!

Emily Buchanan October 21, 2022

Food and shellfish lovers will be happy to note chef Stephanie Le Quellec and her husband, David, have transformed the former Brasserie Rech into Vive, an ultra-modern, bright, sometimes funky restaurant on avenue des Ternes in the 17th arrondissement. She already has the Michelin two-star restaurant, La Scène in the 8th, and the épicerie MAM, in the 17th.

I have rarely seen a seafood menu that excited me more, both in terms of the amazing variety, detail, and originality of the dishes. Almost everything I ate had me wanting to head straight to my kitchen to try to recreate it. A favorite, for sure is their ultra-fresh raw red tuna, thickly sliced and super-tasty, topped with a bright and brilliant pesto of coriander and mint. A little salad side of tender spinach leaves topped with a vinaigrette of ponzu (a Japanese sauce of soy, citrus, and vinegar) and showered with paper-thin slices of bonite (dried and smoked tuna) was a brilliant and perfectly executed idea. A dish of freshly cooked crab topped with a cream made from the crab coral again had made me wanting to return to my kitchen.

One dish just did not deliver what I had imagined, though it had some reason for applause. A trio of langoustines cooked in a court-bouillon not only seemed skimpy but also a tad under-cooked. But the homemade mayonnaise with lime zest that accompanied it helped to redeem it.

The wine list offers a great variety of wines, including a favorite white, the Austrian Gruner Veltliner.

The two-floor totally updated, mostly white-walled restaurant is bright and airy, offset with mustard velvet chairs and banquettes and a carpeted floor in vibrant autumn colors. The décor with its gorgeous fish plates that decorate the walls and a splash of kitsch is at once amazingly beautiful and at times a bit much. The staff however were consistently attentive, warm and friendly and I will be sure to return, again and again. Vive la Vive!

Brigat' – an instant classic

Emily Buchanan April 4, 2022

There’s something energizing about discovering a new food destination that is completely unique, authentic and utterly delicious. This is just how I feel about Brigat’ – the new kid on the Place des Vosges block. Opened by Italian brothers Lucio and Thomas Colombo in December 2021, their beautifully created selection of refined pastries and rustic breads already feel like classics that you can’t do without. Lucio’s background working Kuwait, London and Barcelona is evident in his choice of ingredients – his cakes are studded with Iranian pistachios and his pastries sublimely perfumed with hibiscus and kaffir lime. At first glance his tarts might seem like classic, well-made French pastries, but cut them open and you will discover a surprising complexity in their construction. His lemon tart, made with lemons from Sorrento, is an exquisite layering of candied lemons and lemon curd, cut with a soothing cream center and encased in a darkly toasted short crust pastry.

Thomas is the baker of the family, offering a beautiful selection of natural sourdough breads, one more delicious than the other. Try the dark meule cereal, encrusted with seeds and spiked with their secret ingredient – a dark, almost licorice malt imported from Italy. His polenta sourdough loaf is lacquered with a heady mixture of butter, thyme, sage and polenta, ingredients which are also mixed into the dough before baking. Do not leave without trying their magnificently tall and moist panettone, the traditional sweet yeasted bread flecked with candied lemon, orange and mandarin.

The location has a few small tables and a window bar, so you can enjoy your pastries sur place with a coffee or hot chocolate (made with chocolate from chocolatier Nicolas Berger no less).

Brigat’ | 6 rue du Pas de la Mule, Paris 3 | Te: 01 57 40 83 85 | Open Tuesday – Friday 7.30 am–8pm, Saturday & Sunday 8am-8pm. Closed Monday.

Nourish the Planet: Pumpkin, Tahini and Miso Soup

Emily Buchanan November 12, 2021

We’d like to introduce you to your new go-to soup for a chilly autumn day. This recipe can be pulled together in a flash with only a handful of ingredients, yet it’s depth of flavor suggests something much more complicated – win! The tahini adds a creamy texture while the miso gives a jazzy umami counterpoint to the sweet pumpkin. The whole thing comes together in less than 30 minutes, and most of that is inactive time on the stovetop. In the photo we served the soup with a cashew cream (quick recipe below) and toasted hazelnuts but it works equally well as a simple soup on its own.

Nourish notes : As COP26 wraps up this week, many of us have climate change on our minds, and our food system and what we choose to eat is as much a part of a climate solution as it is the problem. Reducing how much meat/animal products we consume is a great place to start and this soup is completely plant-based, getting all its creaminess from the tahini. This is a great trick to use for any blended soup actually – we haven’t found one yet where it doesn’t work. Try sourcing your vegetables from a local farmer or think about signing up to a CSA (community supported agriculture) box. Why? Because it supports and strengthens your local food system, reduces transport costs and food waste, and connect you to where your food comes from and the people that grow it.

Pumpkin, Tahini and Miso Soup

Serves 4 as a starter | Equipment: A large casserole or saucepan with a lid; a blender

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 pound (1 kg) raw pumpkin, such as Red Kuri or butternut, trimmed, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste)
¾ teaspoon yellow miso paste

Method

In a large casserole combine the oil, onions, and ½ teaspoon on the salt and sweat – cook, covered, over low heat until soft – 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pumpkin and 3 cups (750 ml) water. Cook, covered, over moderate heat until the pumpkin is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the blender or food processor, and blend until smooth (you may not need all the liquid depending on how thick a soup you like). Add the tahini, miso and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and blend again. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with a slice of crusty sourdough.

To make cashew cream soak ½ cup raw cashews in water for 4 hours (or simmered for 15-20 minutes if you’re short on time). Drain and blend with ½ cup water until smooth. Season with sea salt.

Note: Make sure to buy fair trade cashews. Cashew production has been linked to horrific working conditions. In addition cashew nut shells contain caustic chemicals that burn on contact with skin during the shelling process so it’s important to support companies that provide protective gear to their employees and a safe working environment.

Nourish the Planet: An Autumn Apple Cake

Emily Buchanan October 16, 2021

This perfectly autumnal apple cake has been a firm favorite for years, ever since I managed to coax the recipe from apple grower Evelyne Nochet at Le Nouveau Verger. When you make this cake you will be surprised by the small amount of batter compared to the quantity of apples. It is just enough batter to hold the apples together, allowing the apples to really shine through, without losing the comforting element of cake. This is an updated version – the original included a topping of egg, honey and lemon zest, but this time simplicity won out – with a mixture you can throw together in less than 15 minutes. Because there is so little batter, there is a lot of flexibility with the type of flour you can use. Below we suggest buckwheat and oat flour because we like the earthier more complex flavours and because supporting diverity in agriculture is good for biodiversity. We have also had great success with a mix of rice, coconut and spelt flours, as well as all-purpose wheat flour from the original recipe, so try it with what ever you have in your pantry.

We prefer using more acidic apples, such as Cox’s Orange Pippin or the French variety Boskoop or Reine de Reinettes. If you prefer sweeter apples go for Golden Delicious or Jonagold, or a mixture of different varieties.

An Autumn Apple Cake

8 servings | Equipment: One 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan, lined with parchment paper

Ingredients

¼ cup (25 g) buckwheat flour
¼ cup (25 g) oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) sheep’s milk or non-dairy yogurt
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
4 large apples (about 1 pound; 500 g), cored and cut into eighths

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt and stir to blend. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, eggs, oil, yogurt, and lemon zest, and stir until well-blended. Add the apples and stir to thoroughly coat the apples with the batter.

3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until fairly firm and golden, about 30-35 minutes.

4. Remove to a rack to cool. After 10 minutes, remove from the springform pan and peel off the baking parchment. Serve at room temperature, cutting into thin wedges.

Nourish the Planet: Gooseberry and Red Fruit Clafoutis

Emily Buchanan October 1, 2021

We’re closing out the summer berry season with this comforting goosberry clafoutis. It’s hard to pass up this irresistible fruit in its natural paper lantern-like packaging, whenever it’s available in the market – and it’s unusual tang is the perfect match for the soft, sweet cake-like batter of a clafoutis.

A classic clafoutis is made with cherries, heavy cream and white flour, but today we’re giving it a Nourish makeover, replacing the heavy cream with coconut and almond milk, the flour for ground almonds, and the cherries which are now long gone, for those tart and tangy gooseberries and the last of season red fruits. You can of course make this with any seasonal fruit you like: apples, pears or clementines in winter, cherries, peaches and plums in the summer. If you’re keen to try a vegan version, replace the eggs with 120g of silken tofu and if you prefer something more local than coconut milk, use an almond or oat cream instead.

Gooseberry and Red Fruit Clafoutis

4 servings | Equipment : Four 6-inch (15 cm) individual gratin dishes; a baking sheet

Ingredients

½ cup (125 ml) coconut milk (from a certified sustainable farm)
¼ cup unsweetened almond or oat milk
½ cup (45 g) ground almonds (almond meal)
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
6 tablespoons (75 g) raw organic sugar
2 large eggs, free-range and organic, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ tablespoons (15 g) butter or vegan butter
½ pound (250 g) gooseberries and red fruits (fresh or frozen)
Powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Method

1.   Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2.   In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, milk, ground almonds, arrowroot, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and butter until smooth and well combined.

3.   Arrange the gratin dishes side by side on the baking sheet. Evenly distribute the batter between the gratin dishes. Divide the gooseberries and red fruits into four and arrange on top of the batter. Place in the oven and bake until the clafoutis is golden and the berry juices are bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

This is an original Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Plum, Cardamom and Rose Compote

Emily Buchanan September 24, 2021

This week is the official start of autumn and with these new chilly mornings come thoughts of stone fruits warmed gently with spices, for serving over morning oats, with a thick Greek-style yogurt or a soothing vanilla ice cream. If you’re lucky enough to have access to an abundance at this time of year, cook up a large batch of compote to preserve in glass jars so that you can enjoy the last of the summer sun fruits right through the cold winter months.

Plum, Cardamom and Rose Compote

Makes about 1 ½ cups (375 ml) compote

Ingredients

500 g plums, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon honey
Zest of 1 organic lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 whole cardamom pods
1 tablespoon organic dried rose petals or 1 teaspoon rose water
1 plump, fresh vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds gently scraped out
1/16 teaspoon sea salt

Method

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all the ingredients with ⅓ cup (80 ml) water and stir together. Simmer over medium heat until the plums are soft and the juices have released to create a luxurious sauce. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

This is an original Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Eggplant, Chickpea and Tomato Stew

Emily Buchanan September 17, 2021

Aubergine chickpea and tomato stew 2.jpg

Life has been pretty busy for both of us lately, between reopening Chanteduc to cooking class students for the first time since January 2020, and for Emily moving house and with that everything that a new life in a new town brings. It’s at times like these you need those go-to recipes that are nourishing and comforting, and don’t require too many hard-to-get ingredients. This eggplant, chickpea and tomato stew delivers on all fronts – you can throw this together from staple from your pantry store cupboard, eggplant being the only essential fresh ingredient. This is inspired by a recipe for Ruz eb Maya (chickpeas and rice) from The Gaza Kitchen, a beautiful and essential cookbook filled with recipes and stories from home cooks across the Gaza Strip. Our version adds eggplant, making the most of it before it disappears from the market stalls in late autumn and wild Sardinian oregano. We like to serve it with a think dollop of yogurt-tahini sauce, but it is equally satisfying served as a simple stew with no garnish at all.

NOURISH NOTES : Chickpeas have a small carbon and land-use footprint but a rich nutrient profile – high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidant polyphenols which protect us against disease – making them a favorite Nourish ingredient. When we cook with a diverse range of unprocessed ingredients like whole grains, pulses and local seasonal vegetables, we support a healthier food system as well as our own gut health and digestion (our microbiome loves all that fibre and diversity).

Eggplant, Chickpea and Tomato Stew

4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 large fresh garlic cloves, halved, green germ removed if present, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of dried oregano (preferably wild Sardinian oregano), plus more for garnish
1 large aubergine, sliced in half lengthways then cut into cubes
1 tablespoon tomato concentrate
4 large tomatoes (about 650g), roughly chopped (making about 3 cups) or 2 cups (500 ml) tomato passata
3 cups (750 ml) vegetable stock
1/3 cup basmati rice (preferably semi-wholegrain)
1 ½ cups (275 g) cooked chickpeas

Yogurt-tahini sauce

½ cup (125 ml) thick sheep’s milk yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Method

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil of low-medium heat. Add the onion and sea salt and sweat — cook, covered, over low heat—until soft and translucent but not browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and sweat for a further 2–3 minutes.

2. Add the aubergine and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Turn the heat up to medium and fry the aubergine until golden and beginning to soften, stirring often to avoid burning the onions and garlic.

3. Add the tomato paste, toss to cover the vegetables and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, stir to combine and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until thick and jammy. Add the stock, rice and chickpeas, stir to combine, cover and leave to simmer until the stew has thickened and the aubergine is soft and on the cusp of falling apart – about 25 minutes.

4. To make the yogurt tahini sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Thin out with a tablespoon of vegetable stock or water.

5. Serve the stew with a generous dollop of Yogurt-Tahini sauce and a dusting of dried oregano.

This is an original Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Fig and Almond Tart

Emily Buchanan September 3, 2021

Figs, rightly so, have a kind of mythical quality to them. Perhaps it’s their heady perfume when they are plump and properly ripe or the fact that they are the oldest known plants to be cultivated by humans. In France they are in season from as early as June sometimes through to October, but September is our favorite time to indulge in these beautiful tear drop-shaped beauties, as the weather starts to cool. This tart leaves the figs to roast whole in all their glory, crowned atop a base of soft sweet almonds. If you’re intimidated by making pastry, look for a store-bought variety that uses wholefood ingredients and try and avoid those with dubious fats and preservatives.

Fig and Almond Tart

8 servings | Equipment: A 10-inch (25 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom; a rolling pin; a baking sheet lined with baking parchment; a food processor.

Ingredients

A 14-ounce (400 g) sheet of Blitz Puff Pastry (recipe below) or purchased all-butter puff pastry, thawed if frozen
1 cup (80 g) almond flour (almond meal)
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces; 75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup (65 g) unrefined cane sugar, preferably organic
2 tablespoons (20 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour or spelt flour
1 egg yolk, preferably organic and free-range
1 tablespoon fig jam
35 to 40 (1 3/4 pounds; 875 g) small purple figs, stems trimmed
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Fold the pastry in half, transfer it to the tart pan and unfold it. Without stretching the dough, lift it up at the edges so that it naturally falls against the rim of the pan. With your fingertips, very delicately coax the dough onto the rim. There should be a generous overhang. With the rolling pin, roll over the top of the tin, trimming off the overhanging pastry to create a smooth, well-trimmed shell.

2. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the tart shell on the baking sheet.

3. In the food processor, combine the almond meal, butter, sugar, flour, egg yolk, and fig jam and process to blend. Transfer the almond mixture to the pastry shell. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Place in the oven and bake just until the pastry firms up and begins to brown, and the almond mixture browns, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.

4. Cut an X in the top of each fig and gently squeeze from the bottom to open the fruit like a flower. Arrange the figs, cut side up, side by side on top of the almond mixture.

5. Return the tart pan to the oven and bake until the figs and the filling are dark and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. While the tart is still warm, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. After about 10 minutes, carefully remove the tart from the sides of the pan, leaving it on the pan base. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges, with Roasted Fig Sorbet. This tart is best served the day it is baked.

NOTE: Ripe, but not overly ripe figs, which tend to give up too much liquid and turn the pastry soggy.

TIP: Figs freeze beautifully. Treat them as you would berries: Arrange the whole fruit stem side up, side by side on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For use, thaw at room temperature.

Blitz Puff Pastry

Makes 400g pastry, enough for one tart | Equipment: A heavy-duty mixer fitted with a flat paddle.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (180 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour or spelt flour
8 tablespoons (125 g) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoons malt powder or malt flakes
1/3 cup (80 ml) plus 1 tablespoon ice water
1 teaspoons lemon juice

Method

1. In the bowl of the mixer, combine the flour, butter, salt, and malt powder. Mix at low speed until the butter is evenly distributed but large chunks are still visible, about 30 seconds.

2. Combine the ice water and lemon juice. Add the lemon water to the flour mixture all at once, mixing at low speed just until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds. Do not over mix. The dough will be wet and shaggy.

3. Transfer the dough to generously floured, clean work surface. Gather the dough into a ball. Flatten it into a 6-inch (15 cm) square. Wrap the dough in foil. Refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes.

4. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it into a 6 x 18-inch (15 x 45 cm) rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds, resulting in a square. Repeat 1 more time, rolling the dough into a rectangle, folding it in thirds. Wrap the dough in foil and refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes.

5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll and fold the dough a 3rd time. Wrap the dough in foil and refrigerate at least for 20 minutes.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll and fold the dough a 4th time. Wrap the dough in the foil and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll and fold the dough a 5th and final time. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe (first published in Salad as a Meal), part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Molded Pappa al Pomodoro with Burrata and Pesto

Emily Buchanan July 23, 2021

This colorful tomato creation was inspired by a dish served at the wonderful Italian restaurant, Come a Casa in Paris’s 20th arrondissement. Chef-owner Flavia Federici reimagined the humble Tuscan pappa al pomodoro tomato and bread soup into an elegant tower of vibrant Italian flavors. This is our version with a few tweaks, something we’ll be sharing with friends all summer long.

Nourish notes: As with any cheese, Burrata and mozzarella do come with a higher carbon load than their veggie friends so it’s important to be vigilant about your sources – buy from a local, sustainable producer if possible, and if not, seek it out from an Italian deli that sources their produce from small scale farms that respect the environment.

Using stale bread, finely ground into breadcrumbs makes this a great zero-waste recipe too.

Molded Pappa al Pomodoro with Burrata and Pesto

6 servings | A large covered skillet; a strainer; a 3 ½-inch (8 cm) pastry cutter

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
4 plump, moist, cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Two 14-ounce/400g canned tomato pulp (preferably Mutti brand), or 400g fresh garden tomatoes, cored and diced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
A bunch of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) finely ground bread crumbs
½ pound (250 g) burrata cheese (or use fresh buffalo mozzarella)
½ cup (125 ml) homemade basil pesto
Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Method

In a large, covered skillet, combine the oil, garlic, and salt, and sweat – cooked covered, over low heat – until the garlic is golden. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and basil, and bread crumbs, and simmer, uncovered, over moderate heat until the mixture is thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl to drain off any liquid. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. At serving time, place the pastry cutter on a plate and spoon the strained mixture into the mold, pressing down lightly to even it out. Remove the pastry cutter. Garnish with the burrata or buffalo mozzarella. Top with pesto and a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with the remaining portions.

Variations: In season, place a thick slice of fresh tomato, cut to size with the pastry cutter, on the plate, then add the cooked tomatoes and proceed with recipe.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Curried Crab and Avocado Galette

Emily Buchanan July 9, 2021

This beautiful summery recipe is recreation of a dish from Le Chardenoux, a small and popular bistro in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. A thin crispy round of pastry is the anchor for a delicious mixture of fresh crab seasoned with curry powder, paired with cubes of Granny Smith apple and lime zest, all held together with homemade mayonnaise. This is topped with the thinnest slices of ripe avocado, seasoned with lime juice, lime zest, salt, pepper, and herbs.

Nourish notes: As with so many beautiful ingredients that find their way to our plate, it’s not so much what the ingredient is but how it is produced, farmed or fished and transported that determines whether it is a sustainable choice. Crab and avocado are both great examples of this. For some avocados may be a local product, for others they have been flown half way around the world to get to us, in which case you may want to find an alternative or seek out an avocado producer closer to home (we like to make sure our avocados come from neighboring Spain rather than air-freighted from South America for example). When sourcing crab, look out for the Marine Stewardship Council label which guarantees they come from a sustainable fishery that preserves the marine ecosystem using pots or trotlines. Be wary of imported crab from Asia that doesn’t have a sustainable certification and may be fished in an unregulated, unsustainable way.

Making your own mayonnaise means that you can make sure the eggs used are from a truly free range source, since most industrial mayonnaise is made with eggs from battery-raised hens.

Curried Crab and Avocado Galette

Serves 4 | Equipment: A 3 ½-inch (8 cm) pastry cutter; a toaster

Ingredients

3 ounces (100 g) fresh cooked crab meat (MSC label)
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1 teaspoon homemade curry powder
Half a Granny Smith apple, cut into small cubes
Coarsely grated zest of 2 organic limes, divided
4 corn tortillas, or thin crepes, or blinis
1 large, ripe avocado
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Freshly ground pepper
4 fresh lemon thyme sprigs, with flowers if possible
Fleur de sel

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, curry powder, apple, and zest of 1 lime and toss with a fork. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

2. With the pastry cutter, cut the tortillas, crêpes or blini into rounds. Toast them lightly. To construct each salad, place the pastry cutter on top of the toast and carefully arrange the crab mixture on top of the toast, pressing down to even it out. Halve the avocado, slice very thinly, and arrange five overlapping slices on half of the crab salad. Drizzle the avocado with lime juice and the remaining lime zest. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs. Serve.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Simmered Cherries with Vanilla, Star Anise and Tarragon

Emily Buchanan July 3, 2021

Cherries are now in full season in France and market stalls everywhere are bursting with the many varieties of these jewel-like treasures. They have a relatively short season, just 3 months long from June to August in the northern hemisphere, so we’re making the most of them while they are here. A bag of fresh cherries accompanied by some aged local goat’s cheese makes for a perfect simple summer picnic. Simmering them with red wine, and herbs and spices like star anise, vanilla and tarragon transforms them into something completely different, bringing out a deeper, velvety, more intense personality. Served with some homemade vanilla sorbet or a dollop of thick, creamy sheep’s milk yogurt, and you have an altogether seductive dessert.

Simmered Cherries with Vanilla,

Star Anise and Tarragon

Equipment: 4 warmed, shallow soup bowls.

Ingredients

1 pound (500 g) fresh cherries, pitted
1 plump, moist vanilla bean
1/2 cup (100 g) organic honey
1 tablespoon cherry eau-de-vie (kirsch)
1 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract or pure vanilla extract
1 bunch fresh tarragon
2 pieces star anise
2 cups (250 ml) red wine
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

1. Flatten the vanilla bean and cut it lengthwise in half. With a small spoon, scrape out the seeds. (Reserve the pod to make vanilla sugar.)

2. In a large saucepan, combine the cherries, vanilla bean seeds, split vanilla bean, honey, vanilla extract, tarragon, star anise, wine, and salt. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Remove the vanilla bean, let it dry, then add to a sugar jar to make vanilla sugar. Serve warm, with homemade vanilla sorbet or sheep’s milk yogurt.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

27 Ways to Go Greener in the Kitchen

Emily Buchanan June 25, 2021

How “green” is your kitchen? Over the years, we have made swaps and changes to our kitchen habits and tools to minimize the environmental impact of the way we cook. It turns out a lot of these habits are better for our health, and most actually save us money, which offsets any extra expense we might have to make in other areas. Here are some of our favorite ways to lessen your footprint in the kitchen.

Save water

For many of us easy access to fresh running water can lead us to take it for granted, yet it is a precious finite resource. Every time we turn on the tap, it’s helpful to remember that only 1.2% of earth’s water is drinkable, to be shared among 7 billion inhabitants, so use it sparingly.

Use a bowl or tub when washing dishes to catch the water, and don’t run the water continuously as you wash. Collect the water you use to rinse vegetables, leafy greens, salad and fruit, and use it again to water your plants
Don’t throw away the starchy water from rinsing rice. It can be used to wash dishes or as a face wash, toner or rinse to strengthen your hair. Fermenting the water has extra nutritional benefits for skin and hair.
When boiling food on the stove top, consider what else you may be able to add to the pot – for example when making pasta, blanch vegetables in the water for the last couple of minutes of cooking time, or add a steamer basket above to make use of the evaporating water. This will also help save on energy.

Conserve energy

Being conscious of our energy consumption in the kitchen will not only save on your energy bill, it will help to lower you carbon footprint too.

When bringing water to the boil, always cover the pot with a lid which will help the water come to a boil faster, and prevent too much evaporation.
When using your oven, cook multiple things while the oven is hot. For example when baking a dish for dinner, chop up any vegetables that need to be eaten quickly, toss them in extra virgin olive oil and roast them. As a bonus you will have effortlessly partially prepped a future meal as well as avoiding food waste.
Consider investing in a pressure cooker. Not only will a pressure cooker cook your food faster (and hands-free), it is highly energy efficient (up to 70% over stove-top cooking). It is a simple and efficient way to cook chickpeas and dried beans too, which makes it much easier to get more plant-based foods into your diet (and tastes far better than the canned versions!).
If you’re looking to renovate your kitchen, consider the carbon-implications of your choice of cooker. While gas is wonderful to cook with, the process of extracting natural gas and piping it into private homes leaks huge amounts of methane into the atmosphere, a powerful greenhouse gas. Induction hobs are much more efficient, and if you have a renewable green energy provider, they have almost zero associated pollution.
A freezer is most efficient when at capacity, so make good use of the space you have. Having frozen foods on hand can help you pull a satisfying and healthy meal together quickly too, while helping to reduce food waste at the same time. Some foods that freeze well are:

– Precooked grains and legumes
– Nuts and seeds (which quickly go rancid at room temperature because of the oils)
– Fruit such as berries and bananas (peel bananas before freezing) and vegetables like cauliflower, spinach, peas and artichoke hearts
– Sauces, stocks and soups
– Parmesan rinds, which you can throw into soups and sauces to add an umami depth of flavor

Reduce your food waste

30-50% of all food produced globally is wasted, much of it ending up in landfill where it produces large amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane. Research has suggested that if food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest greenhouse gas emitter after the US and China. Reducing your food waste will save you lots of money as well.

Plan your meals in advance and shop to a list so you don’t end up filling your shopping trolley with impulse buys that will go to waste
Get creative with using up leftovers. Take inspiration from the Italians who are masters at turning leftovers into entirely new dishes, like left over risotto into arancini balls or a risotto frittata.
Label your fridge well and keep it tidy. One huge cause of food waste is half-eaten jars that make their way to the back of the fridge and then are promptly forgotten. Label your shelves using washi tape and a sharpie so you can keep track of what you have. Designate one shelf for leftovers and food that needs to be eaten in the next few days. And label your jars of leftovers so you know what’s in them (particularly if your food is not in a transparent container). Adding the date can also be helpful.
Keep your vegetable peelings to make veggie scrap stock.
Start collecting zero-waste recipes and educate yourself about how to use all of the plants and animal products you buy. Did you know that pineapple skins can be transformed into a delicious infusion by soaking them, refrigerated for a few days in water? Or that strawberry tops are edible, nutritious and can be thrown into a smoothie? Pea and fava bean pods are completely edible when cooked the right way.
Start composting. These days there are composting systems that let you compost no matter whether you have a garden or not. You will be astounded by how much less trash you’ll be sending to landfill too.

Go plastic free

The plastic free movement has been gaining momentum for several years now, meaning it’s really easy to find good-quality plastic-free choices. As you wear out items in the kitchen, consider replacing them with biodegradable or less damaging alternatives:

Up-cycle glass jars to use as food storage containers for the fridge, pantry and freezer.
Invest in silicone zip-lock bags
Find alternatives for plastic wrap, such as using beeswax wraps or simply using a plate to cover leftovers like our grandmothers used to.
Kitchen sponges are made from oil-based plastics. Swap them out for cellulose sponges or wooden and natural fiber scrubbers. Coconut fiber scrubbers are long-lasting and combined with baking soda are really effective at cleaning hard-to-remove food from pots and plates.
Buy your dish washing liquid at a bulk bin store and transfer to a glass soap dispenser
Have a set of bamboo or metal cutlery and reusable plates reserved for picnics instead of single-use plastic cutlery.

Make recycling your last option

Less than 90% of plastic is actually recycled. So instead of seeing recycling as our environmental savior, think of it as the last possible option:

Avoid food that comes in disposable plastic packaging (bulk buy stores are now becoming more and more popular)
Repurpose your old packaging creatively by turning it into art projects for your kids
Buy biodegradable non-toxic baking paper and don’t throw it away after the first use. Just rinse it carefully, dry it and store it for next time.
Get rid of paper towel (it doesn’t recycle anyway) and replace it with reusable cloths – you can cut up an old sheet or get preloved napkins at a second-hand store

Avoid harsh chemical cleaners

Remember whatever goes down your sink goes into the water system, so be mindful of using harsh chemical cleaning products that will eventually become part of the water cycle. Just a handful of natural products are all that are needed to keep a green kitchen clean and healthy, and they can all be purchased package-free at a bulk bin store:

Baking soda can be used for everything to cleaning out your kitchen pipes to being used as a non-abrasive cleaner on surfaces.
Coarse salt is excellent for removing baked on food for non-delicate surfaces such as cast iron pans and the inside of glass bottles.
Create your own kitchen spray using a 1:1 white vinegar (14%) and water solution. Add a few drops of lemon or orange essential oil, or macerate lemon or orange peel in the solution for a few weeks to give it a fresh natural fragrance.

Nourish the Planet: Yellow Zucchini, Cucumber and Lime Soup with Basil Oil

Emily Buchanan June 10, 2021

As the days become hotter we are always looking for recipes where we don’t have to switch on the oven or cook over a stove. This zucchini and cucumber soup couldn’t be simpler and more refreshing and requires zero cooking. This soup is beautiful all on its own, but a swirl of basil-infused oil will give it a swift restaurant-quality make-over, and is a great zero-waste way to use up wilting basil.

Yellow Zucchini, Cucumber and Lime Soup with Basil Oil

Makes 2 servings | Equipment : a blender

Ingredients

1 large yellow zucchini (about 10 ounces, 300 g), sliced into thick coins
1/3 European cucumber (about 6 ounces, 180 g), peeled and sliced into thick coins
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 cup vegetable stock or water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the garnish (optional)

Basil oil (recipe below)
Basil leaves
Sheep’s milk yogurt

Method

Combine all the ingredients in the blender and process on high to a smooth, frothy emulsion. Garnish with basil oil, sheep’s milk yogurt and basil leaves. Serve immediately or if you prefer a chilled soup, transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.

Basil Oil

Makes 1/2 cup (125 ml) | Equipment: A 5-quart pasta pot fitted with a colander; a fine-mesh sieve; a food processor or a blender; a small jar with a lid.

This all-purpose oil has endless uses: drizzled on grilled eggplant or sliced fresh tomatoes, in place of mayonnaise in a sandwich, or as above as a garnish for soups. Briefly blanching and refreshing the basil in cold water will help it keep its brilliant green color. Make a large batch in summer when basil is abundant and then freeze it and infuse your meals with summertime vibes during the winter months.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.

2. In the pasta pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the basil leaves and blanch for 15 seconds. Drain the basil and transfer the leaves to a fine-mesh sieve. Dip the sieve into the ice water to refresh the basil and help it keep its bright green color. Transfer the basil leaves to a thick clean towel. Roll the towel and squeeze to dry the leaves.

3. In a food processor or a blender, combine the drained leaves, oil and fine salt and process until pureed and well blended. The oil should be tinged with green, with tiny green flecks of herbs floating in it. Transfer the oil to the jar. The oil can be used immediately. (Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Remove from the refrigerator at least 10 minutes before using if the oil has congealed. Shake to blend again before using. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.)

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan. The Basil Oil recipe was first published in My Master Recipes.

© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Nourish the Planet: Smashed Potato and Cauliflower with Lemon, Feta and Zucchini

Emily Buchanan June 4, 2021

Smashed Potato and Cauliflower with Lemon, feta and zucchini.jpg

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from the beautiful and noteworthy cookbook Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. Their Turnip Mash with Greens is described as a fridge-raid-of-leftovers recipe, and staying true to the original concept, this is our version, using what we had lying around, needing to be used up.

Making vegetables the centre of the plate can often leave people scratching their heads, wondering how to make a vegetable-only dish feel like a satisfying, fully rounded meal. One way is to layer several vegetables into a single dish, making use of different textures, cooking methods, spices and garnishes to make the meal feel complete. Here mashed potato is transformed into a whole new concept with the soothing bite of steamed cauliflower folded in and brightened up with yogurt, lemon zest and the sharp notes of feta. Cumin, sumac and lemon juice give the zucchini an extra kick, accompanied by a herbaceous garnish of dill, pea shoots and flowers and basil. Simple yet effective!

Smashed Potato and Cauliflower with Lemon, Feta and Zucchini

Serves 2 | Equipment: A medium saucepan, with a lid; a steamer; a potato ricer or masher

ingredients

For the potato and cauliflower
mash
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 pound (500 g ) potatoes, peeled and cut in half
¼ head of cauliflower (about 7 ounces, 200 g), cut into small florets
Zest of 1 organic lemon
3 tablespoons milk or plant-based alternative such as oat milk
2 tablespoons sheep’s milk yogurt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ ounces (75 g) sheep’s milk feta, crumbled

For the Zucchini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin, roughly ground
½ teaspoon sumac
1 large yellow or green zucchini (about 8 ounces, 250 g), thinly sliced into coins
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the garnish
A handful of fresh herbs such as dill, basil, parsley, chives, thyme or oregano

method

1. For the smashed potatoes and cauliflower: Bring 2.5 quart (2.5 l) of water to a boil in a medium saucepan covered with the lid (this will help the water to boil faster and save on energy). Add the coarse salt and the potatoes.

2. Place the cauliflower florets in the steamer, cover with the lid and set over the potatoes to steam until both are tender and are easily pierced with a knife, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Removed the steamer basket and set aside the cauliflower to cool. Drain the potatoes. In a medium bowl, mash the pototes with the ricer or masher. Add the lemon zest, milk, yogurt and oil and mix vigorously until well incorporated and the mash is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Roughly chop the cauliflower florets into small bite-size pieces and fold into the mash along with 2 ounces (60 g) of the crumbled feta, reserving the rest for garnish.

5. For the zucchini: In a medium frying pan, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the ground cumin and sumac and fry for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini coins, lemon juice and salt and toss to cover with the spices. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the zucchini is tender and beginning to color, about 5 minutes.

6. To assemble: Transfer the smashed potato and cauliflower to a large serving plate, flattening an area in the middle for the zucchini. Place the zucchini in the centre, scatter with the remaining crumbled feta and garnish with the fresh herbs.

Nourish the Planet: Chickpea Grissini

Emily Buchanan May 28, 2021

There are some pantry items that we don’t really ever consider making, opting for the simple and cheap store-bought versions. Grissini or breadsticks (invented sometime in the 17th century near Turin in Italy) tend to be one of those items. But on closer inspection of the ingredients, many commercial breadsticks seem like less of a bargain. They are made with palm oil or dubious vegetable oils, emulsifiers and additives, and almost universally made with industrial white refined wheat flour, that has been largely stripped of its nutritional value. Industrial wheat is farmed as a monocrop, often heavily sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers and this has serious implications for long term biodiversity and soil health. This is so often the case with cheap industrial food, the pricetag on the item in the supermarket so rarely shows the true cost of the food.

So when my good friend Suzanne recently shared with me her fantastic grissini recipe made with nutrient-dense chickpea flour and ground almonds, we were hooked. Her method is simple and only asks you to rest the dough for two hours before backing, requiring just a little forward planning. But the results golden, flavourful batons that are well worth the small extra effort.

These also happen to be gluten free, for those who are bothered by wheat-based products. Just made sure that the flours and yeast you buy are labelled gluten-free, to avoid contamination.

Chickpea Grissini

Makes ten 8-inch (20 cm) grissini | Equipment: A baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125 ml) lukewarm water
1 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup (30 g) corn flour
2 tablespoons (20 g) potato starch
2 tablespoons (20 g) sesame seeds
2 tablespoons (15 g) ground almonds
2 tablespoons (10 g) psyllium
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method
1. In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and set aside until the mixture bubbles and has a fragrant yeast aroma, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Stir well to combine. Add the yeast mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well-combined. The dough will be soft. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

3. While the dough is rising, center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C).

4. Divide the dough into even portions, each weighing just under 1 ounce (30 grams). Roll each portion into a ball. You should have about 10 balls. Using your fingers and the palm of your hand, roll each ball into sticks about 3/8-inch (1 cm) in diameter and about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Place each on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the breadsticks. Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C), return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow the grissini to cool. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nourish the Planet: Zucchini Galettes with Dill-Yogurt Sauce

Emily Buchanan May 22, 2021

These golden, airy, feather-like vegetable galettes or fritters are inspired by New York City chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin. His cookbook Vegetable Simple is a treasure-trove of uncomplicated, healthy vegetable creations and the perfect addition to your cookbook collection if you are trying to get more vegetables into your diet. The nutrient-rich zucchini is just coming into season in France and makes for an ideal Nourish candidate, since it is so versatile, healthy and one of the best no-waste vegetables around. Here, you can grate the entire vegetable, without even trimming it! Serve the galettes as a main dish at lunch or as a side dish to a main meal. One can play around with herbs and seasoning, making a curry-seasoned yogurt sauce and adding curry to the galette batter, or swapping fresh oregano, chives, mint, or cilantro for the dill.

Zucchini Galettes

Makes 8 galettes | Equipment: A box grater; an 11-inch (28 cm) nonstick skillet; a 1/4 cup (60 ml) measure

Ingredients

Sauce
1/2 cup (125 ml) organic sheep’s milk yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Galettes
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound; 500g total)
1 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 small red onion, diced
2 large organic and free-range eggs
1/2 cup (80 g) instant polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, and salt, and blend with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve the galettes.

2. On the large holes of the box grater, grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Combine the grated zucchini, onion, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt and toss gently. Set aside for 5 minutes. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the center of a clean kitchen towel and, over a sink, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the zucchini mixture, polenta, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix thoroughly.

4. In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Fill the 1/4 cup (60 ml) measure with the galette batter and pour into the pan, pressing down to form a galette about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Continue with 3 more galettes. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter. Serve warm with the yogurt-dill sauce.

This is adapted from a recipe by Eric Ripert for Nourish the Planet, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Find our more here about why we created this series.