Seared Halibut with Cilantro-Dill pesto, Sweet Potato Mash and Local Hazelmere Greens

Who’s on a cleanse? I am, but I ain’t starvin, that’s fo damn sho! The trick to successful cleansing is to be prepared. You do have to spend more time in the kitchen, but that can be seen as an opportunity to broaden your culinary horizons, and exert a little self-love and nutrition appreciation in the process!

Cleanse or not, this meal was epic. Local halibut is abundant on Vancouver Island these days, and there is increasing awareness around the necessity of promoting local foods. Hazelmere Farms is run by a local Taiwanese couple who grow an incredible variety of foods, including certified organic wasabi root, mountain yam, a bumper crop of celeriac, and the Worlds’ Best Salad Mix, with at least 12 varieties of usual and unusual greens. These are complimented beautifully by the rooting, grounding qualities of sweet potato. Enjoy!

serves 2

Preparation time: 45 mins, including pesto

2c cubed, cooked sweet potato
1 tbsp butter
3/4c onion, chopped
salt to taste

2 5oz halibut filets, or other local white fish
1 tsp butter

Salad Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flax oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Salad Greens


Cilantro Pesto:
see the very bottom of this blog for recipe. Substitute half of the cilantro with fresh dill, if desired and in season.


In a frying pan, saute the onions in heated butter with a pinch of salt. After about 5 minutes, when the onions start to turn translucent, add the cooked sweet potato. As you stir, also mash with the back of your spoon. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper liberally. When they’re close to done, heat 1 tsp of butter in a separate pan. Salt each side of the fish. Sear the halibut filets on med-high heat, for approximately 3 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of filet). Without fully tearing the fish, you can gently tease apart a bit of the centre of the filet to see if it’s cooked through. DON’T OVERCOOK YOUR FISH!!

For the salad dressing, simply combine all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigourously. This emulsifies the liquid, making it opaque, dissolving the salt and marrying the flavours.

To serve, toss the greens in the dressing. Plate even amounts of sweet potato, stack your halibut on top, and garnish with cilantro pesto. Accompany with copious amounts of deliciously fresh greens...
mmmMMMMM!!!!!

Creamasmic Potato-kale Soup

This humble soup took on a different dimension with the addition of some leftover white basmati rice... kinda like liquid mashed potatoes, with buttered popcorn, but without dairy! (save for the butter, which can be omitted). Pureed for easy pouring out of the mountain thermos, fresh off the slopes of another powder day... yes, this is my life!!

4 large potatoes, diced
water to cover, plus 5 cm more
2 stock cubes

1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 onion, medium-sized
3 cloves garlic
3 stalks celery
1/2 can coconut cream
1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 1/2c chopped kale, de-stemmed

fresh dill for garnish

Cook the potatoes in boiling water, with the stock cubes added. (This is my cheat, if you have homemade stock on hand, by all means...) Meanwhile, melt the butter, toss in the onion and garlic, and saute on medium heat. After about 10 minutes, add the celery and continue to saute. Once the celery has softened nicely, and the potatoes have cooked through, add the saute mix to the soup pot. Add the coconut and basmati rice as well. Toss in the kale and go for it with your trusty hand blender... bring back up to your desired heat and serve garnished with fresh dill! oh, if you keep truffle oil around the house, that’s a nice addition too.

may the fresh be with you,
ladyk

Borscht with Crispy Leek and Creme Fraiche

BORSCHT with ARUGULA, CRISPY LEEK AND CREME FRAICHE

The seductive quality of deep red cabbage soup is not lost on this woman, especially being partnered with a Russian man! Fall in the northwest brings a bounty of beets, cabbage, apples and dill... which inspired this satisfying soup. Be generous with the creme fraiche, as it compliments the astringency of the cabbage and beets beautifully.

6c water or vegetable stock
(if not using stock, substitute 1 veg. bouiilon cube)
4 cloves garlic
1/4c thinly sliced burdock
1 small beet, grated
2c julienned savoy cabbage
1/2c sliced apple
1 tsp sea salt
fresh dill and arugula for garnish
creme fraiche for garnish
fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 tsbp butter
2c julienned leeks
pinch of salt

Heat your stock/water and, if necessary, dissolve the bouillon cube in the water. Chop your garlic and toss it in when it has come to a boil. Follow closely with the burdock, as it takes a while to soften. Meanwhile. heat the tbsp of butter in a separate frying pan. When hot, toss in the leeks and a pinch of salt, and saute until caramelized. Remove from heat.
Back to the soup - grate the beet and toss it into your soup pot. This should be about 5 minutes after the burdock went in. Toss the savoy cabbage in and let the soup bubble on at medium temperature. Add the apple shortly thereafter and remove from heat after 3-4 minutes.

Chop your desired amount of arugula and add it to the empty soup bowls. Pour the soup in, top each with creme fraiche, dill and caramelized leek. Add fresh ground black pepper and savour!

Saffron Pilaf

Saffron is one of the most delectable, and difficult to describe, flavours that exist. Deep, earthy, rich and slightly bitter, saffron balances all doshas and is a potent aphrodisiac! This simple pilaf can be eaten on its own or be the base of any veggie dishes you want to serve. The bright yellow colour is enhanced by turmeric, a powerful root that is antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic. It's deep, bitter flavour is the basis for all curries, and also colours the robes of monks in India.

1 tbsp ghee
1 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seed
1/2c onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pinches of Spanish or Indian saffron (not American)
1/2c warm water
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2c basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
1 1/4c filtered water
1/2 frozen peas
1 tsp salt
fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat the ghee in the bottom of the pot that you will eventually cook the rice in. When hot, toss in the cumin seed and allow to brown, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft, about 7-10 minutes. It's ideal for the onion to be completely cooked before continuing this process, as otherwise you could end up with crunchy onion - eeeew. In the meantime, add the saffron to the 1/2 cup of water, which will allow it's colour and flavour to disperse.
Once the onion is cooked, add the rice to the pan and saute without water at first, toasting it in the pan and coating with the cumin-y ghee. After about 2 minutes of stirring, add the saffron water, the other 1 1/4c of water, the turmeric, peas and salt. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the pot from heat but don't lift the lid. Just before serving, garnish with cilantro and inhale with delight... this dish smells amazing!

Chickpea-tomato-coconut YUM!

The purpose of this blog is to publish my simple, go-to recipes that I eat on a regular basis. This dish is Indian in impression, although as far as I know it doesn't have a traditional name. Easy, hearty, wintery... perfect snowboarding food!

Time Required: 15 minutes
Put on some brown or basmati rice to start.

1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots (if we have em)
2 pcs celery, diced
8 oz.can tomatoes, diced
1 can chickpeas
1/2 can coconut milk
4 leaves of kale
at least 1 tsp salt
fresh cilantro for garnish
habanero hot sauce, to taste (not for pittas!)

Heat the ghee in the pan. Test the temperature by tossing in a couple seeds. When it's ready the oil will sizzle. Add the cumin, and when it starts to darken (not burn!), add the garlic and onion. Toss and cook on medium heat. When the onions start to become translucent, add the carrots and celery, and a pinch of salt. Saute for about 3-4 minutes, then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, and a bit more salt. After about 5 more minutes, add the kale and cook for 3 more minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish with fresh cilantro. YUM!

Hearty Miso-Adzuki Stew

Hearty is not usually what you think of when considering Japanese food. However, adzuki beans pack a nutritional punch, being especially good for supporting the liver, and the seaweed lends this soup delicious depth. In addition to being nourishing, this soup is super tasty and easy to make!

Time Required: 15-20 minutes, once you've cooked the beans

4c cooked adzuki beans
water
1/3c hijiki
1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
2 tbsp finely chopped/grated ginger
2 carrots, chopped
2c chopped green cabbage
2 ribs of celery, sliced
pinch of salt
4 leaves kale, de-stemmed and ripped into bite-sized pieces
1/4c miso, dissolved into a paste with hot soup liquid
green onion for garnish (optional)

Cover the beans in the pot with an extra inch of hot water and cook on medium heat. As soon as the water boils, add the hijiki. In the meantime, heat the ghee in a frying pan. When hot, toss in the ginger, carrots, cabbage and celery and saute on med-high heat. Add a bit of salt to help the vegetables to sweat. After 5 minutes, add the kale and transfer the veggies to the now-hot pot of water and beans. Allow the completed soup to marry for a few minutes. When the vegetables are almost tender to your liking, turn off the heat and dissolve the miso into a paste. Stir the miso into the stew. Add the green onion and enjoy!

Kale Saag

This is a surefire way to get greens into even the most stubborn vegetable-haters (they do exist, although i have a hard time identifying...) Spicy and creamy, my friend Cam declared that "This one's a keeper!!" Saag was also the easiest way to ingest greenery in India, where we westerners must eschew raw leafies or likely suffer a bout of "Delhi-belly," much to my chagrin... Traditionally mustard greens or spinach are used, but I often substitute kale because it's more readily available. In Northern India, it's traditional to use cream, but I substitute coconut milk for a vegan-friendly approach. In fact, I prefer the taste.

1 tbsp ghee (see recipe below)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ajwain seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic
1c minced onion
1 head of kale, mustard greens, or a combination: de-stemmed and chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp. maple syrup, or more to taste (hee-hee!)
3/4c coconut milk
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne or preferred hot sauce
fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat the ghee in a large, heavy skillet. Test the temperature - it should sizzle when you drop a couple of seeds into it. Add the cumin, ajwain (if you can find it) and mustard seeds. Toss in the oil until the mustard seeds start to pop like crazy. Then add the ginger, garlic, onion and a pinch of salt and continue to saute, until the onion starts to become translucent. Then add the kale, turmeric and maple syrup. When the kale turns bright green, add the coconut milk, salt, black pepper and chili. Allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes, and then turn off the heat and blend with a hand blender. Serve over basmati rice, or Saffron Pilao, garnished with fresh cilantro!