we are at the very peak of stone fruit season.  apricots have been around for a while, peaches are just now getting good and cherries are the sweetest they can be right this very second!  for these few weeks of the year we can see nectarines, pluots, and apriums next to white, yellow and doughnut peaches, alongside baskets of red and rainier cherries.  so i gather them up while i can!

i often think of baking them into tarts, pies or cakes, but i must admit i feel guilty cooking such beautiful, fresh fruit.  i’m usually tempted just to eat it as is – raw and unaltered – to preserve its subtle sweetness and soft juicy texture.  but i wanted to find a recipe that accented these qualities while making the fruit more portable and even more palatable.

since the ripening of stone fruit makes me think of summer, and they have a similar texture to tomatoes, i decided to turn the fruit into a salsa i could enjoy all summer long as harvests yield different varieties.  instead of fresh cilantro i used big fresh basil leaves, which are so sweet smelling i melt whenever in the vicinity.  these compliment the sweetness of the fruit quite nicely, and the presence of all the other classic ingredients – garlic, onion, and a little salt, oil and citrus juice – leaves no question that this is still a true salsa.

mixed stone fruit salsa
3 c chopped mixed stone fruit
1/2 c chopped red onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp minced basil leaves
1 tsp kosher salt

you can pick whichever stone fruits you like, cherries, plums, pluots, peaches, apricots or apriums.  i just grabbed an assortment at the farmer’s market.

chop up all of the assorted stone fruit, removing any stems or pits, dicing everything up into small cubes.  mince the jalapeno (removing the stem, seeds an pulp first), onion, garlic and basil.  mix this all together with your lemon juice, olive oil and salt.  enjoy immediately or let sit in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavors meld together.

yields about 4 servings

when i posted about baked broccoli here before, i guaranteed that baking is the best way to cook broccoli.  it yields soft, tender stems and crunchy, flavorful florets.  and they are easy to toss in some olive oil and a few seasonings before roasting for less than a half an hour.  even better than the curry powder i flavored it with before, is a little agave, spices and sesame seeds.

this sweet and savory broccoli recipe has quickly become a favorite of mine, i’ve made it 3 times in the past week!  it was even approved as delicious by my roommate, a self-proclaimed broccoli hater.  so give it a go, i’m sure you’ll love it!

sweet baked broccoli
about 1 lb broccoli florets
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp agave
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sesame seeds

wash all the broccoli and shake dry.  cut off the florets, i like to leave a little bit of the stem but break everything into fairly small pieces.  then towel dry all the pieces to remove excess water.

in a large bowl toss the broccoli florets well with the olive oil and agave, letting them seep into all the little crevasses.  then evenly mix in the salt, spices and sesame seeds.

bake at 400F for 20 minutes, then stir and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the tops of the broccoli are all brown and crispy.  don’t let them cool too much before enjoying, they are most delicious when warm.

yields 2-3 servings as a side*

*or 1 serving for someone who loves broccoli as much as me

i have been working at juice bars for over 2 years now where we make fresh coconut milk daily.  its a tasty treat that isn’t too hard to whip up, just takes the confidence to swing around knives large enough to crack open the young thai coconut’s shell.  at one place i worked they required us to wear a chain mail glove on one hand to prevent the loss of any digits – a small price to pay for the light, sweet, creamy taste of freshly made coconut milk.

we would blend it into smoothies, or into raw soups and desserts, but its also great to cook with and a much healthier version than the stuff you find in a can.  the coconut water is extremely hydrating because it is rich in electrolytes, while the coconut meat is full of good fats.  you can make the milk into vegan ice cream, use it in a dressing or sauce, or cook it down with homemade curry powder and a load of fresh veggies like i have here.

fresh coconut curry
2 1/2 c homemade coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (see below)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 medium red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium portobello mushroom
1 medium carrot
1 heaping cup of chopped green beans
1 1/2 c chopped red cabbage
1 small head of broccoli
10 medium basil leaves

homemade curry powder
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
3 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp ground white peper
1 tsp garlic powder

the coconut milk:

make your coconut milk ahead of time so its ready to go.  this is pretty simple actually, you’ve just got to pick up some young thai coconuts at your local thai market, and get a little practice at cracking them open.

to do this, you must have a large knife with a little weight behind it, then sharpen it to reduce resistance. since i’m right-handed i hold the coconut steady with my left hand, and the knife in my right.  then i bring the knife down swiftly on the right side of the coconut, creating a little slit in the top of the husk and a tiny crack in the shell inside.  now turn the coconut 1/5th or 1/6th of a turn and give it another crack.  continue to do this until you have connected all of the cuts and created a removable lid.  if it doesn’t come off easily simply wedge it open with the corner of the knife.

if the water or flesh is even slightly pink, toss the whole thing or you’ll risk a little bout of food poisoning.

if the flesh is white, hopefully its thick enough to make thick enough milk, but not so thick that its hard to blend.  this coconut yielded the perfect amount, about 2 cups of water that made 2 and 1/2 cups milk when the flesh was blended in.  pour the coconut water into the blender and add in the meat as you scoop it out.  sometimes, if the hole in the top is big enough you can scoop it out of the whole coconut, but sometimes i need to make a series of cracks around the coconut, dividing it in half, then i pry it apart.

if the flesh is too thin or so thick its hard to spoon out, consider using a different coconut.  if the one you choose is too small, add another one.  and if the milk you make ends up being too thick you can always add a bit of purified water.  don’t worry about making too much milk, you’ll find a use for it.

blend on high for at least 2 minutes to insure all little bits have been broken up.  then run through a fine strainer in case any bits of the husk or shell are left.  luckily very little needed to be strained out of the mixture.

there’s no exact science to it, you’ll get the hang of it as you go.  and once you get used to making it you can use it in all sorts of different recipes!

the curry powder:

prep your curry powder beforehand as well.  i used whole coriander and fennel seeds, toasted them in a dry skillet over high heat, but if you can add in whole cumin seeds, peppercorns or peppers if you’d like your curry hot.

once toasted i toss them in my mortar to them grind up, but use an electric spice grinder if you have one.

then mix them with the rest of the powders.  store the extra in a sealed container.

putting it all together:

chop up all of your veggies and mince your garlic.  since i like my carrots cooked well i made sure to slice them thinly.  and i don’t much like broccoli stems so i just used the florets.

heat up 1 cup of the coconut milk over medium-high heat in a large skillet, then sprinkle in the curry powder and salt, and stir.  toss in the onion, garlic and mushroom and cook for 2 minutes.  add in the sliced carrot and cook another 2 minutes until they soften a bit.  add in the remaining coconut milk, as well as the remaining veggies and cook for 3 more minutes.  cut the heat and add in your basil leaves, stir until they wilt in.

serve immediately!

yields 3-4 servings

when people see green garlic for the first time they usually seem so perplexed, asking things like, “what do i do with it?”  well it’s not too much different than regular garlic, in fact if you chop off the top and let it dry it will become the dry garlic you find in the grocery store.  its a bit more plump so you can use some layers of the less papery skin, as well as the green stalk and leaves.  as long as it’s not too dry or fibrous, don’t be afraid to fry it up and eat it.  i use it like i would regular garlic but in even larger amounts.

if you still need some direction here’s a recipe for a simple soup made with green garlic.  flavored with italian seasoning and liquid aminos, thickened with a few potatoes and a handful of spinach to make it green.

and keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming recipe that is a nice compliment to this soup, and uses the top of the fresh garlic.

simple green garlic soup
1 bulb green garlic
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp dried italian seasoning
~1 lb potatoes
1 tbsp liquid aminos, tamari or soy sauce
2 c + 1 c water
1 handful baby spinach

coarsely chop up the bulb of fresh garlic, removing any layers of skin that are too papery, any leaves that are too dirty, and any stems that are too fibrous.  don’t worry too much about chopping the garlic too finely because it will all be blended later.

also, rinse and coarsely chop up the potatoes.  you can use any type you’d like.  i used young yukon golds which have a nice neutral flavor and a thin skin.

heat up the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat for a minute or two before tossing in the chopped garlic, salt and spices.  saute for 5 minutes until it is softened and starting to brown slightly.  then toss in the potatoes and saute for another 10 minutes over medium heat to brown.

add in the liquid aminos, tamari or soy sauce, to add a deep, savory flavor and a tad more saltiness.  then add the 2 cups water, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

meanwhile rinse your spinach.

once the soup has finished cooking, cut the heat and toss in the spinach.  stir until it has wilted.  then add in the other cup of water and blend – in batches if needed.  heat back up to serve or store for later, but it taste best right away.

enjoy!

yields 3-4 servings

i’m so sorry i’ve been away from the blog for so long.  after a very merry birthday, a bout of illness and some technical difficulties, cooking has been the last thing on my mind for the past few weeks.  it didn’t help that the produce at the market for the last few months has been dominated by dark leafy greens, root vegetables and oranges – lots and lots of oranges.  i had lost total interest in cooking, let alone posting.

but yesterday at the market, everything changed.  summer squash had made it’s first appearance the week before.  and the peas, green garlic and spring onions have been around for about a month already, but what got me absolutely thrilled was to see the summer fruits starting to show themselves.  i scurried over to sweet tree farms to get myself some stone fruits – white peaches, apriums and cherries – and with just a bite or two and perhaps a few whiffs of fresh mint and basil, i was totally revitalizes.  my mind began racing with recipes for all this fresh produce.  so stay tuned!

every year growing up my family would dye hard boiled eggs a few days before easter, then on sunday my mom would crack open all the remaining ones to mash them up in a big bowl of colorful potato salad.  nowadays i take my potato salad eggless and mayoless (unless it’s vegenaise), but that doesn’t means it can’t still be colorful and delicious!

these baby red potatoes were so cute at the market it couldn’t help but take them home.  they are so much more tender and sweet when small like this, and cook up quick too!  they went perfectly with a simple blend of lemon, cumin, coriander and fresh parsley leaves.  my tasty homage to my mother’s easter potato salad.

baby potato salad
2 lbs baby red skinned potatoes
1/2 c thinly chopped celery
1/2 c thinly chopped red onion
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

begin by bringing some water to a boil in a medium-sized pot, with just a pinch of salt.  rinse and scrub your potatoes until clean.  once boiling gently toss the potatoes in the water and let boil on high for 10 minutes.  then cut the heat and let sit in the hot water another 15-20 minutes while you prep everything else.

chop up your celery, onion and parsley.  toss it all in a large bowl.

then juice your lemon and mix up the lemon juice with the oil and spices.  mix this dressing in with the chopped veggies well.  this way the potatoes can be quartered and added in last.  preventing too much mixing will keep them stay in tact.

when you are ready for them strain the potatoes and run under cold water for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle.  slice them all in half once, then again, and gently toss in the bowl the remaining ingredients.  serve immediately or chill thoroughly.

simple, but so good.

yields 3-4 servings as a side

ever since i got an ice cream maker i have played around with different ice cream recipes.  the problem is the milk substitutes i was using are so much thinner than cream, they never thicken up in the machine, so they froze into a solid block in the freezer.  the beauty of this recipe is that in adding a full cup of almond butter, not only am i thickening it, but i’m also infusing the ice cream with a rich, toasty almond flavor.  and with chunks of 70% cacao dark chocolate swirled in, this has quickly become one of my new favorite ice cream flavors.

almond and dark chocolate chunk ice cream
2 cans (28 oz total) or 3 1/2 c coconut milk
1 c almond butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large bar of dark chocolate (about 100g)

you do need an ice cream maker to make this recipe, but like my juicer i acquired a small, but relatively new ice cream maker for just $15 at my local thrift store, so keep your eyes peeled.  my machine requires the bottom bowl – made of metal and filled with a liquid coolant – to be frozen for at least a day before so it is cold enough.  and i’ve used other machines that require lots of ice and epsom salt.  read your machine’s instructions so you’re not surprised when it comes time to make it.

in a blender mix up the coconut milk (i used the light kind from trader joe’s), almond butter, vanilla extract and brown sugar on medium-low for 30-60 seconds, or until blended evenly.  if you use full fat coconut milk it will be even creamier.

flip the ice cream machine on and in a slow and steady stream start pouring the ice cream mixture in.  let spin for 30-40 minutes, or until the contents are thick like soft serve.  i turn the machine off every 10 minutes or so to take the lid off, stir and turn back on, just because it can get a little thicker at the bottom.

while it’s mixing chop up your chocolate so there are no bits too big.

once thick, remove the top, scrap down the blades, and carefully pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container with a lid, and mix in the chocolate chunks before sealing and freezing immediately.  let freeze for at least 6 hours before serving. and like most vegan ice creams it still must sit and thaw for about 10-15 minutes before you can scoop it, but then it is creamy and soft and easy to work with.

yields about 1 quart

i recently experienced a bit of a culinary adventure when i volunteered to bar tend a private dinner party for a personal chef friend of mine.  among learning how to make a martini on the fly and tasting fresh black truffles for the first time, i got an invaluable little tip from someone who actually went to culinary school.  apparently, when making risotto it helps to fry the raw rice in the oil with your garlic and onion before you add water and boil it all down, it helps add a toasty flavor and hold the rice grains together.

i decided to toss in a bit of fresh ginger at this step and the dish adopted an asian-inspired variety of flavors from there on.  nori seaweed melts in to add an amazing depth of flavor, richness, and it’s own saltiness.  the “cream” is a thick blend of almond milk with cashews blended, no one will ever guess it’s vegan.  and like so many dishes in asian cuisine, it is then dressed with crisp, fresh veggies which are lovely in contrast to the savory richness of the risotto.

asian-inspired risotto
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1/2 medium red onion
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sweet brown rice
2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 c water
2 sheets nori wraps or a handful of shredded nori
1/2 c raw cashews
1 c almond milk

toppings
baby spinach
thinly sliced carrot
thinly sliced red or spring onion
chopped cilantro leaves
lemon wedges

before you start prepping anything else, put your cashews in a cup full of clean, purified water, and let soak for at least 45-60 minutes.

then set in to mince the garlic, onion and ginger, as finely as you can.

heat up the olive oil in a large pot over high heat for a minute or two, reduce to medium-high heat and toss in the garlic, onion, ginger and salt.  saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are a bit translucent.  toss in the brown rice to toast, cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

toss in the liquid aminos (or soy sauce) and lemon juice, and let them sizzle and infuse for a minute.  pour in the water, bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, cover and let cook for 45 minutes – or until all the water has cooked off, leaving a sticky, porridge-like rice.

while the rice is cooking, if your seaweed isn’t already shredded then cut it up with some scissors.  drop it in with the rice in the last 5 minutes of boiling.

also take this time to chop up any veggies you’d like to top the dish with.  besides the ones i used you could use thinly sliced celery, daikon radish, baby bok choy or maybe a few bean sprouts.

also take a few minutes to prep your almond and cashew cream.  simply drain the cashews and blend them with the almond milk for 1-2 minutes on high.  then strain that mixture to remove any clumps.  you’re left with a thick, super creamy almond and cashew cream that adds just the right texture to the risotto.

once the rice is done, pour the cream in and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring every few.  it should cook down into a very thick sauce, which makes the whole dish very sticky.  let cool for 5 minutes before dishing out and enjoying!

i suggest eating immediately, as the texture got a bit dry when refrigerated.  but with a friend or two around, that should be no problem!

yields 2-3 servings

before this year i didn’t know what a parsnip was.  it looks a bit like a blond-colored carrot that gets much wider at the top, and it tastes a bit like a carrot too!  but it has a clean fresh note to it as well, which really creates a bright flavor in any dish you add it too.  this dish is so incredibly simple, with just a few ingredients because the flavors of the parsnip really shine on their own.

this classic dish much resembles mashed potatoes, but it is thicker, smoother and more flavorful.  because i’ve seen other versions often topped with copious amounts of parmesan cheese, i mixed up a batch of my own version of parmesan.  this mixture won’t trick anyone into thinking it’s an actual dairy product, but it adds that lovely rich cheesey flavor that really fills out the dish and that texture of finely crumbled parmesan.  it’s also great over pastas, on top of casseroles or sprinkled on a salad.

parsnip purée
2 lbs parsnips
6 c water
1 tsp salt
1/4 c almond or other non-dairy milk
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp salt

almond parmesan
1/2 c almonds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt

peel the parsnips and chop them up into roughly evenly sized pieces.  the water with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil, drop the parsnip pieces in and boil on high or medium-high for 20 minutes until soft and tender, then strain.

while cooking, you can make the almond parmesan.  blend the almonds (cashews work too), nutritional yeast and salt in a blender or food processor until the nuts have broken up into a fine meal.  you’ll have some left over, so use it on other dishes too, but once ground store in the fridge and use within 1 week.

then blend or food process the cooked parsnip pieces with the olive oil, almond milk and 1 teaspoon salt, in batches if needed.  spoon into a bowl and top with the almond parmesan to be served immediately, while still warm.

yields 2-3 servings

the market isn’t all about fruits and veggies.  i’ve been talked into buying my weight in hummus, found really great imported olive oil and fair-trade maca, people even give massages at some farmers’ markets.  there are all sorts of artisan vendors, it varies so much from market to market.

i worked at the new sunday los feliz farmer’s market a few weeks back, and my stand was set up next to a classmate of mine with a tea cart.  she runs a small business that specializes in incorporating chinese herbs into accessible and delicious drink products.  she offered these flowering teas to me, which i had seen but never tried myself.

they are made up of bits of tea – green i think – tightly packed around a dried flower – chrysanthemum i think – secured with a small bit of string to hold it all together.  when hot water is added, the tea brews and unfurls into what looks like a bloomed flower.  for each bulb add about 16 oz (2 cups) of boiling water and let steep 3-4 minutes, enjoy!