Homemade Vegie Broth--Come on, you can do it!

Really I began making my own vegetable broth because I just couldn't stand how much I was paying for a couple of cartons every week, like almost $3 per carton...and the price kept going up. And here I was tossing out all the veggie scraps...carrot tops, onion skins, soft celery from the bottom bin of the fridge. My vegetable bins seem to be more like little square coffins where odds and ends of various produce meet their demise. Sometimes they just lay limp at the bottom which is kind of sad but the ones that are forgotten in the back actually begin to decay and even leak a yellowish brown goo. Do not use these for stock! Remember, garbage in-garbage out.

Back to making your own stock. If you're home for a couple of hours I think you'll be surprised at how easy making broth actually is. I make my broth every other weekend and freeze it so it's on hand when I need it. The only problem I encountered was my canning jars exploding in the freezer. As if cleaning up the vegetable bins was not enough. I tried filling the jars on 3/4 of the way but they still expanded and cracked the glass. One chef I know, Karen Diggs, recommends using plastic wrap or parchment paper as a lid instead of a metal canning lid, still using the ring to seal the wrap in place. What I have found works for me is laying the jars on their sides so there is more room for expansion. We haven't had a problem since.

Now, IF you are going to use store bought broth, which I trust you will do only for an emergency, I recommend using Pacific or Imagine Organic. You can dilute them with water to stretch them a little. However, it's worth noting that in Cook's Illustrated June 2008 issue they blasted all organic cooking broths stating, "All the organic vegetable broths in our lineup tanked." Here are the ones NOT recommended: Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base, Emeril's All Natural Organic Veg Stock, Swanson Certified Organic Vegetarian Veg Broth, Imagine Org Veg Cooking Stock, Kitchen Basics Natural Veg Cooking Stock and Pacific Natural Foods Organic Veg Broth. Imagine Organic Veg Broth was "recommended with reservations" with tasters stating stating it had a "mostly carrot" flavor and being bland. Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon Cubes was deemed salty but on the okay list with College Inn Garden Veg Broth. So which one (and only one) unbelievably made it to the recommended list? Swanson Vegetarian Vegetable Broth (not the organic one)...and why are you NOT going to use this one? Because being conscious about what you put into your mouth you know that it doesn't make sense for a vegetable broth to have "flavor enhancers" like those found in Swansons: high fructose corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, MSG, disodium insodinate, disodium guanylate, and more.

All of that should be more than enough reason for you to want to make your own stock; it's going to taste better and it's going to make anything you use it in extra nourishing. There are literally hundreds of recipes for stock out there but the one I use is a modification of Rebecca Katz' Magic Mineral Broth. You know I love everything that comes out of her kitchen and her broth is no exception. If you're making a sipping broth please visit her website and make the exact version, it's a touch sweet which makes it especially soothing. But for my purposes, which mainly means using it as a base for soups and grains, I change a few things, including omitting the salt and using less yams/sweet potatoes. According to James Beard vegetables contain their own natural sodium so it can be added afterward.

There is such a thing as a roasted vegetable stock. It will give you a darker, deeper more earthy flavor. For a Roasted Vegetable Stock to use say as a base for Onion Soup check out this recipe. Anna Thomas in The Vegetarian Epicure (which is a great cookbook and you can pick it up on Amazon for a couple bucks) has a recipe for Dark Vegetable Broth and an Assertive Broth in which she has you saute the vegies first. What we're going for here is a light broth to use as a base for everything from soups to grains to add light flavor and lots of nutrients.

Now, one of the things you're going to see in this recipe is kombu. Kombu is kelp, yep that's seaweed my friends or as we called it in chef school "sea vegetable" because weed is such an ugly word. The Kombu package says it's an "Edible Ocean Plant." Whatever it's called, I don't want you to skip this ingredient. You can find it in most stores (see picture) you've probably just never looked. I promise you that your stock will not taste all fishy.

Kombu or Kelp, is a brown seaweed very rich in iodine. It is high too in potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium and also contains a highly important level of trace elements such as zinc, copper and manganese. According to Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods, kombu greatly increases the nutritional value of all food prepared with it. It has a high mineral content. In beans, the minerals help balance the protein and oil and increase digestibility. Kombu softens masses (anti-tumor), it has an anti-coagulant effect on the blood, is a natural fungicide, relieves hormonal imbalances, cools and soothes lungs and throat, and relieves coughing and asthma to name just a few benefits!

Lastly, if you want to know more about the difference between Broth vs Stock here is a decent explanation.

Ingredients:
3 unpeeled carrots with green tops, rinse off any dirt, cut into large chunks
1 medium yellow onion, skins on but cut off dirty root, quarter
1 leek, white and light green parts, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed, then cut into chunks
4 stalks celery, with tops if you've got them, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, tossed in whole, skins and all
1/2 bunch Italian parsley
2 medium red potatoes, unpeeled but scrubbed clean, eyes removed, quartered
1 Garnet yam, skin on, quartered
1 3x2 inch strip of kombu, rinsed
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
4 whole juniper berries

Method:
Toss all ingredients into an 8 quart stock pot and cover with cold water to about 2 inches from the top of the pot. Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Remove lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the stock and let cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

A Gift for Someone Sick: Chicken Noodle Soup Two Ways

Is someone you know sick? Make them some chicken soup and they are bound to feel better.

I have 2 versions for you. In version number one I use vegetable broth as a base and add one chicken breast at the end. It is totally enough chicken, easy on the budget and the digestive tract. This is the easier and faster of the two recipes. In version two, I use a crock pot and an organic chicken carcass to create a chicken broth as the base for the soup. Homemade bone broth has extra nutritional benefit and if you have the time on a chilly weekend it's worth the effort.

You know how I love fresh herbs so pick up some fresh rosemary sprigs to toss into these soups. Rosemary contains several potent antioxidants and is known to reduce inflammatory responses, making it beneficial for those with rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, and atherosclerosis (the build up of plaque on the inside of blood vessels). Rosemary increases circulation, improves digestion, and stimulates the immune system making it a great addition to our Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

You'll also notice a "secret" ingredient: fresh ginger. It adds a warming touch to the soup which feels really nice on a scratchy throat, and it helps with nausea and gastrointestinal distress, and has antioxidant properties.

Version I (using only a chicken breast)

Ingredients:
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 quart water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp organic butter
1 boneless skinless organic chicken breast, sliced thin
1 inch piece of ginger, quartered (no need to peel)
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 leek, light green and white parts, halved lengthwise, washed and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2-3 sprigs of Rosemary(about 6 inches, more will overpower the soup)
1/2 package of good quality egg noodles
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat olive oil and butter in your soup pot over medium flame. Saute onion, leek, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes until the onion is clear (do not brown). Add the stock, water, and ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

Return to boil and drop in raw chicken slices and rosemary sprigs. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove ginger and rosemary. Add the green beans, egg noodles, and Italian parsley and cook for approximately 10 minutes until noodles are done. It the noodles absorb too much of the soup feel free to add more stock or water to get the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Version 2 (using, dare I say, a whole chicken carcass...mmm, special!)
Ingredients:
1 whole organic chicken
1 crock pot or large soup pot
Water to fill
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp organic butter
1 inch piece of ginger, quartered
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 leek, light green and white parts, halved lengthwise, washed and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2-3 sprigs of Rosemary (about 6 inches)
1/2 package of good quality egg noodles
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
So you've purchased an organic chicken to the tune of about $16.00 and you're thinking this better be worth it! Not to worry, you're going to get two meals from this bird. The first thing I want you to do is cut off the breast, legs and thighs. Those can be used in another dish right away or frozen to use later. I used mine in a pan roasted chicken with white wine, kalamata olives, garlic, and lemon. I'll post the recipe for this separately. If you're not ready to do the soup you can throw the carcass in the freezer until you need it. It should still have a nice amount of meat left on the bones.

I put the carcass in my crock pot and add water to cover the bones about half way. Cook for about 6 hours on high or until the bones pull apart gently and cleanly. Remove the bones with a slotted spoon or tongs, place on a deep plate or pan, then let cool to the touch. Separate the bones from the meat. You will be surprised by just how much meat you get. Yes, it's a lot of work but remember, you're doing a great thing by using the whole bird and you get both dark and white meat, which adds a great flavor. In addition, bone broth has great nutritional value. It contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in a form that the body can easily absorb. To read more about bone broths check out Sally Fallon's site.

Set your bowl of chicken aside and let's work with the broth for a minute. The first thing I do is use a ladle to put it in one of those separator measuring cups that allows you to remove some of the fat. The second thing I do is line a mesh strainer with cheese cloth and slowly pour the broth through it to remove anything left floating around (skin, bones and god knows what else). Now you should have a beautiful broth to work with.

Next heat the olive oil and butter in your soup pot over a medium flame. Saute onion, leek, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes until the onion is clear (do not brown). Add the stock and ginger and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

Return to boil and add the cooked chicken and rosemary sprigs. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove ginger and rosemary. Add the green beans, egg noodles, and Italian parsley and cook for approximately 10 minutes until noodles are done. It the noodles absorb too much of the soup feel free to add more stock or water to get the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste and you're good to go.

Veg Medley w/Chard & Poached Eggs-Something different for Bkfst or Brunch

I created this recipe one weekend morning when I was in an "I don't know what I want" mood. I wanted something different, and as the odds and ends in the fridge began to fill the counter top this tasty dish emerged.

I used rainbow chard because I am just enamored by its colors. You'll want to remove that colorful stem which you can do either with a knife or by using your thumb and forefinger to strip the leaves off. Then put them in your salad spinner and give them a nice washing. Spin them dry, then just give them a rough chop.

Why throw chard in the mix? Look at its nutritional profile and you'll have your answer: It has carotenes, vitamins C, E, and K, fiber and chlorophyll. It is also an excellent source of minerals -- including magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese -- and B6, calcium, protein, thiamine, zinc, niacin, folic acid and selenium! With this profile chard is a particularly powerful anti-cancer food, especially of those that affect the digestive tract, such as colon cancer. The vitamin K provided by chard (388.9% of the daily value in 1 cup of cooked chard) is important for maintaining bone health.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, cut top to root, then into long quarter-inch strips
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed well with the back of your knife
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup of a variety of tomatoes, chopped (you can substitute 15 oz can of chopped organic tomatoes with juice)
1/2 cup frozen corn (I froze mine this summer so I'd have it on hand, but when corn is in season I use 1 ear, kernels removed from cob)
4 cups rainbow chard (1 bunch), stems removed, cleaned, spun dry and roughly chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp fresh oregano
1/2 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
thyme, 3 sprigs
lemon zest, 1 tsp
sea salt and ground pepper
3-4 fresh farm eggs

Directions:

• Heat 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and add olive oil. When hot, add onion slices and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and saute 2 more minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic.
• Add carrots and 1/4 cup of stock. Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer uncovered for about 6 minutes, until tomatoes begin to break down. Add another 1/4-1/2 cup of stock and the oregano, parsley, thyme and lemon zest. Stir to blend. Add corn, simmer for 3 minutes. Add chard and simmer until it wilts. Add salt and pepper. Mixture should not be dry, nor should it be a soup. There should be a tasty sauce developing with thin enough liquid to poach the eggs. If it needs more stock add that now. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  
• When you have a nice simmer going crack in the eggs and cover. Check after 3 minutes. Cook the eggs until the yolks are set to the consistency you like. Remove lid and sprinkle eggs with freshly ground pepper. Using a slotted spoon, scoop up an egg with a good helping of the underlying vegetables. Serve with corn tortillas or sprouted whole grain toast.

You're Going To Love These Green Beans with Chipotle Butter

This is an easy recipe with a big taste. It's made with a compounded butter and once the butter is made there is enough that you can also use it on other things such as broccoli. The flavor is smokey with a little heat but not overly so. We adapted this recipe after finding it in an old Bon Appetit magazine (Dec. 2006). We steam the beans instead of boiling them so we can preserve the vitamins and flavor and we give them a quick saute instead of stirring them in a pot. You can add a sprinkle of toasted pinons or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) if you'd like.

Ingredients: 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chile (you can buy a can of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce in the Mexican Food section of your grocery store--use what you need and freeze the rest)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 lbs of green beans, trimmed (feel free to use however many green beans you'd like and simply adjust the amount of butter, using enough to coat them all)

Directions: Blend butter, chile, vinegar, and salt in mini processor until smooth. Transfer to small bowl or jar. You can make this ahead of time and stick it in the refrigerator.
Next steam the beans for 3 minutes. Drain. Melt chipotle butter in large frying pan over medium heat. Add the beans and saute in the butter for 3-5 minutes until they just start to blister. Stir frequently. Season with a pinch of salt if needed. Transfer to bowl, top with nuts if desired and enjoy.

Delicious Food at Ubuntu in Napa

This blog has been neglected but I think you will understand. We are new parents to a baby girl we named Remi Anise Sterling. Her middle name (pronounced like Denise) came to me when I was recipe testing with Catherine McConkie for Rebecca Katz new cookbook. We were using Star Anise, a spice, and it smells so wonderful...sort of like licorice only better. Dylan agreed that it went well with Remi and the name stuck. Rebecca has claimed her our little Spice Girl!

So, yesterday we drove to Napa and left her with Chris's parents for our first real outing. There was a tinge of seperation anxiety but hey, our caregivers were a retired surgeon and a retired baby nurse and lactation specialist! So knowing she was in great hands and having cell phones on the ready, off we went to Ubuntu. The restaurant was recommended to me by a fellow chef, Jason, who works on their biodynamic farm.

The weather that day was warm and sunny and the food was beyond expectations. That shouldn't surprise anyone, Chef Jeremy Fox has many accolades including Rising Star Chef. So, what did we have to eat? Chickpea fries with herbs and romesco sauce. The chickpeas had been mashed and shaped to look like french fries and then lightly fried with the romesco as a dipping sauce. Then there was the hickory smoked grits topped with BBQ brussel sprouts, crunchy green apple and bronze fennel sprouts. Now that should make your mouth water. Dessert was poached pear with fennel and white chocolate, citrus and horchata. It was served in a martini glass with the white chocolate on the bottom, sliced pear and orange with hazelnuts next, topped with half vanilla ice cream and half citrus ice. On the one hand the ice was cleansing and on the other hand the ice cream was rich...wonderful combination. Okay, next time I will remember to get the camera out of the glove compartment and take pictures of the food for you. But hey, I'm a tired new parent and I was lucky to have my shoes on the right feet!
Please spoil yourself by visiting a wonderful restaurant on occassion - it really is worth every bite.

What's in Season for June? Bonus: Bruschetta Recipe

Woohoo! Summer fruits and vegies are on their way to a market near you! So, here's my version of Frida Kahlo's watermelon in Viva la Vida. There is an exhibit of her work at the SFMOMA starting this month. We were lucky enough to go to her house in Mexico City last August and be wowed by the art, the torturous devices she wore for her polio, and the brilliant colors inside the house and out...reds, blues, greens, yellows...just gorgeous.

All those colors have me thinking about the shades of summer fruits and vegies. Maybe you've noticed the first of the yellow corn showing up in your grocery store. It's still not at its peak yet but I have to admit I couldn't resist getting a couple of ears and testing out my new toy. It's the Kuhn Rikon Corn Zipper from Sur la Table and it's very cool. The monster teeth on this kitchen tool make stripping the kernels off the cob a breeze.

You should also be seeing green beans start to show up as well as cucumbers, those beautiful purple eggplants, your summer squash and even juicy red tomatoes are making an appearance. Those tomatoes look pretty right now but by July you'll get that great flavor that goes with those good looks. Yes, we already bought some of those too. I like the ugly heirloom ones. Dylan chopped them up and made some bruschetta for a great after work before supper treat. I'll let you in on her recipe below.

We are in fruit heaven as we move from strawberries to blueberries, raspberries, apricots, early peaches and nectarines and the first of the melons. Now, maybe I'm old fashioned but I still like the watermelon with the black seeds. I just don't think "seedless" watermelons taste as good...and anyway they're not really seedless, the seeds are just white and a little softer/smaller than the black ones. Remember growing up and spitting those seeds as far as you could while the juice was running down your fingers? Are we going to deny a whole generation of kids this thrill by feeding them seedless watermelons? Pffft. Let's not forget the grapes are coming out as well as black mission figs and of course you've seen those delicious deep dark red cherries or even the yellow-red rainiers. Now are you seeing that summer color palette?

So, on with the Bruschetta recipe.

Dylan emailed this recipe and it's dated 08/09/2001. I taped it to my refrigerator and would make it every year when tomatoes came into season. She tells me she got the recipe from a book entitled Vegetarian Cooking of the Mediterranean.

Getting Ready for those Tasty Tomatoes Bruschetta
1 medium tomato, diced
6 sundried tomatoes, chopped (I used the ones in oil, you can also used dried ones that are soaked in water until soft)
1/2 bunch of basil, cut into thin strips
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained, optional (I'm not a fan of them so I leave them out)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 French Baguette, sliced on the diagonal about 1/4 inch thick

Mix together all ingredients except bread. Let the tomato mixture sit so the flavors will marry while you toast the bread. Set over to 350 degrees F. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake in over until golden, 3-5 minutes. Turn bread over and repeat. (Note: We have been known to slap slices of bead in the toaster and "cheat".)

Red Potato Slices Roasted with Lemon and Olives

I know this sounds really weird, in fact it sounded so weird I had to try it! And guess what, it was really good. You can eat the lemon slices, rind and all, which I liked but dylan did not so she picked them out. The flavor here is wonderful and refreshing and quite spring like.

Red Potato Slices Roasted with Lemon and Olives
from The Best of Fine Cooking Fresh Spring/Summer 2006

2 lb. medium or large red potatoes (about 5 medium), scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbs. olive oil; more for the pan
1 lemon, very thinly sliced (discard the ends and seeds)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup pitted olives (Recipe called for oil-cured olives, didn't specify the type. I used water packed kalamatas because that is what I had on hand and it turned out fine).

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously oil a large baking dish (9x13, oval gratin, or you can use a cast iron skillet like I did).
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, the 3 Tbs. oil, lemon slices, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper; toss well. Spread the potato mixture in the baking dish so the potatoes are evenly layered (it can be rustic looking). Roast, turning the potatoes with a spatula every 20 minutes, until most of the potatoes are crisp and golden and the lemon skins are shriveled and caramelized, about 1 hour. Scatter the olives over the potatoes for the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking.

I served this with sauteed chard. Enjoy!