chapter seven

RAW-ISH

This is a chapter of sprightly recipes with pure, clean flavors. It relies heavily on fresh, often raw, vegetables, as well as seaweeds and naturally fermented foods. The hope is that they will make you feel well nourished and lively rather than weighed down, or—worse—hungry. Any dishes that are on the light side have made the cut because they possess natural health benefits and, most importantly, taste wonderful as they are, not because I tried to bend, strip or twist them to fit. In essence, this chapter isn’t about denial; rather, it is about balance, big flavors and considered eating with health in mind. Many of the recipes are naturally gluten-free, if that’s a consideration for you, while dairy is also a rarity. Lots of the food here—minus any eggs—happens to be vegan, too.

You will find cold-pressed oils, avocados, nuts and seeds used with a free hand, and I have tried, unlike in other chapters, not to roast the latter groups unless the recipe begged for a toasted flavor, keeping the ethos raw-ish. So-called “good fats” and natural oils are everywhere you look in fresh ingredients, making it easy to avoid the hydrogenated vegetable oils (sometimes incorrectly known as trans fats) found in store-bought cakes and cookies, ready-made meals and their ilk. When cheap oils are processed at high temperatures to prolong shelf life, they harden and are known to raise “bad” LDL or low density lipoprotein levels in the body. (Contrary to popular belief, it is the lipoproteins carrying cholesterol around our bloodstream, rather than the cholesterol itself, that possess the “good” or “bad” traits.)

The issue of saturated (solid at room temperature) versus unsaturated (liquid at room temperature) fat is less clear-cut. Saturated fat, found for example in dairy products and coconut oil, has been linked to high cholesterol, but that isn’t necessarily a problem as the increase is due to raised levels of “good” HDL or high density lipoprotein carrying cholesterol around the body. Numerous studies have been unable to significantly link saturated fat to heart disease. Moreover, low-fat diets have been shown to cause no significant reduction in heart disease among healthy people, and, to add another twist, replacing saturated fats in the diet with vegetable oils has even been shown to increase the incidence of heart disease. Conclusion? Healthy people need to eat unsaturated and some saturated fat from natural sources, and to avoid processed oils and fats.

Natural fats will help you to feel satiated, as well as benefiting your body in myriad ways: balancing blood sugar levels and nourishing skin, hair and nails, for example. Use precious cold-pressed oils to drizzle and dip rather than to cook with, as heat destroys their antioxidant profiles and in most cases their flavors, too. I also use grass-fed butter to add rich flavor, but obviously that isn’t an option for vegans. Hopefully, we have become less frightened of these good fats now that sugar is the devil du jour.

And what about sugar? Do we need to be constantly on guard against it? Well, no. Eating well, at least most of the time, can and should be simple. Personally, I choose to avoid the thickeners, emulsifiers or bulking agents that are usually present in low-fat and artificially flavored dairy products, in favor of unadulterated ingredients. In practice that means, say, passing over artificially thickened and low-fat yogurts to enjoy a spoonful or two of the natural, luscious and full-fat equivalent. On a similar note, I prefer to use a few crushed dates, fresh fruits, sweet vegetables or a spoonful of honey to sweeten where necessary, instead of relying on refined sugar. The exception that proves the rule—and one of the only instances, in fact, of its use in this whole book—being the kombucha tea recipe, where white sugar is essential to brew the probiotic tea simply and successfully at home.

To quite literally grow your own vitamins in concentrated form, try sprouting seeds or grains (see Sprouting and How to Do It). These powerhouses require little more than a twice-daily rinse and a few days to grow, bringing texture and beauty to your plate. In this chapter, I also cover iodine- and umami-rich seaweeds, and fermented foods abundant in beneficial bacteria and flavor.

If you value exciting, fresh flavors, I’d urge you to gravitate toward cuisines and dishes that are naturally rich in vivid, fresh and often raw ingredients. Chase the sun to Asia. Southeast Asian food so frequently hits the vibrant notes that naturally healthy food needs to keep our interest. It is impossible to tire of those verdant herbs combined with contrasting textures and temperatures, light dressings and accents of chile heat.

Creating an authentic balance between salt, hot, sweet and sour, while also keeping an eye on the sugar content, is a challenge in Thai- and Vietnamese-style dressings, but there are ways around it. For instance, I find including a sweeter vegetable or fruit in a salad allows for a sharper dressing. Making sure there is a good amount of protein helps, too, as your body absorbs protein slowly and its presence—regardless of other ingredients—will help to prevent a spike in blood sugars.

I make no unscientific claims, in this chapter or elsewhere, about lemon juice detoxifying your body or the like. This is exciting, delicious and invigorating food. It just happens to be good for you.

A New Green Salad

With a little care and forethought, a simple green salad can be exceptional. Think of this as a gentle reminder and guide, rather than an etched-in-stone recipe. Peppery, crunchy, soft and bitter leaves and herbs can be balanced to create interest, while crunchy vegetables, avocados, seeds and sprouts lend layers of substance. Vary the leaves all year round: In winter add delicate chicory, endive or dandelion greens; in summer, pea shoots.

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 large head soft, green lettuce

• 1 small head crunchy green lettuce, such as Cos or Little Gem, leaves separated

• Handful of peppery leaves such as frisée or wild arugula

• 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced

• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks

• Handful of soft seasonal herb leaves, any stalks removed

• 2 tablespoons mixed seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds), toasted in a dry pan

• Handful of sprouts, such as alfalfa or purple radish

• One of the Four Essential Dressings

Start by plunging the soft, crunchy and peppery leaves into a large bowl of ice water. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up, then drain thoroughly and spin the lettuce dry. If you don’t own a salad spinner, put the leaves in a large kitchen towel, bring the edges together, go outside and whizz the towel in circles above your head for a minute.
Put the leaves in a serving bowl with the cucumber, avocados, herb leaves, toasted seeds and sprouts. Spoon the dressing over and toss lightly to coat every leaf. Serve immediately.

Four Essential Dressings

The combinations that follow—herb, yogurt, mustard and sesame-soy—will make easy dressings to fit most moods or ingredients. Each version will make enough to dress a salad or steamed vegetables for four to six people, depending on how generous you are with dressing. Do play with the sharp notes (vinegar) and any sweet elements (honey, sugar and so on), adjusting them to taste as you wish.

Herb

Serves 4 to 6

• Handful of soft herb leaves, such as basil, chervil chives, cilantro, dill or parsley, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

• 1½ tablespoons cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• Pinch of unrefined sugar, if needed

• 5 to 6 tablespoons mild olive or canola oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mustard

Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

• 1 to 2 teaspoons honey, to taste

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt

Serves 4 to 6

• ¼ cup (60 g) mild plain yogurt

• ½ garlic clove, crushed

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chive, cilantro or mint leaves, optional

• Squeeze of lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sesame-Soy

Serves 4 to 6

• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed

• 1 red or green chile, deseeded if you like, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make any of the 4 options, shake the ingredients together in a lidded jar to emulsify, adding 1 tablespoon of water to each. Alternatively, whisk everything together in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, adding the oil in a thin stream while whisking, and season to taste. The splash of water adds lightness.

In the case of the herb dressing, use a hand blender to blend the ingredients until smooth, if you like. You can then use this as a dip for crudités as well as a dressing.

Shaved Fennel Salad with Maple Dressing

A naturally sweet and crunchy salad without so much as a lettuce leaf in sight. It’s a fabulous dish, popular with all, I find. If there was ever a time to buy a cheap Japanese-style mandoline (and a hand guard if you value your fingerprints), it would be to make this; the mandoline renders it very easy. Cooked and cooled spelt or farro grains go well here, folded through at the end. As does a slab of crumbled feta.

Serves 4

For the salad

• 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed

• 2 dessert apples, such as Braeburn, Gala, Jonagold or Granny Smith

• Squeeze of lemon juice

• 2½ cups (200 g) trimmed brussels sprouts

• 2 heads red chicory or endive, trimmed

• Handful of Greek basil leaves, chopped (use Italian basil if Greek basil is not available)

• ½ cup (50 g) pecans, quite finely crushed

For the dressing

• ⅓ cup (75 ml) extra virgin olive oil or canola oil, or to taste

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard, or to taste

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Halve the fennel bulbs and slice very finely using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Reserve any fennel fronds. Sweep the fennel slices into a bowl of ice water and set aside for 15 minutes to crisp up.
To make the dressing, shake all the ingredients together in a lidded jar with 1 tablespoon of water. Season to taste and adjust any of the components if you wish, remembering the apple and pecans are naturally sweet, so the dressing should be on the tart side.
Quarter and core the apples. Again, slice very finely with a mandoline or a sharp knife. Immediately toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Finely shred the brussels sprouts and roughly shred the chicory heads.
Combine the drained fennel and sliced apple with the shredded sprouts, chicory and basil in a serving bowl. Chop any reserved fennel fronds and add these, too. Toss the dressing through and scatter with the crushed pecans to finish.

Puntarelle with a Black Olive Dressing

Substitute shredded chicory or endive and fennel, or arugula and kohlrabi, for majestic Italian puntarelle, but it’s worth buying if you see it. Look out for a large, chicory-like vegetable with whitish stems and flashes of green, jagged leaf. Inside these outer layers, the stumpy shoots are blanched white and crisp. For a more celebratory salad, serve a whole or—slightly less extravagantly—half burrata on each plate.

Serves 4

• 1 head puntarelle (see recipe introduction for substitutions)

• ½ head frisée

• 1 preserved lemon

• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

• 1¼ cups (150 g) pitted black olives

• 1 green chile, deseeded if you like, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the larger outer stems from the puntarelle, leaving the short, squat (and tender) stems in the center. You won’t be using the outer leaves here, so save them for a stir-fry later. Cut or break the core up into single stems and slice these finely from top to bottom. Transfer to a bowl of ice water. Set aside for 40 minutes. The stems will curl up slightly. Drain and dry gently with a kitchen towel. Separate the frisée leaves, discarding any very dark or bitter outer leaves, then rinse and dry them.
To make the dressing, quarter the preserved lemon and slice the flesh and white pith away using a sharp knife. Roughly chop the rind and put it in the small bowl of a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of water, the olive oil, one third of the olives, the chile and garlic. Blend, using the pulse button to roughly chop. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and parsley, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the puntarelle stems and frisée leaves on a large platter and spoon the dressing over. Toss through very gently to distribute evenly, then add the remaining olives.

Thai-Style Tofu Salad

Handfuls of summer herbs are one of my favorite salad ingredients, and a Thai-style recipe shows them off perfectly, making them a vital part rather than an accent. If you can’t find Thai basil, use only cilantro and/or mint. By tamarind water, I mean the strained liquid from soaking one part seedless tamarind pulp in six parts boiling water. If you use jars of tamarind purée, dilute it with an equal amount of water.

Serves 2

For the dressing

• 2 or 3 green bird’s eye chiles, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon palm sugar

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons tamarind water (see recipe introduction)

• 2 tablespoons Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce, or light soy sauce

For the salad

• 1 lemongrass stalk

• 1 fresh kaffir lime leaf

• ½ cucumber

• 14 ounces (400 g) store-bought marinated tofu cubes (ideally those in tamari)

• 3 red Asian or regular shallots, thinly sliced

• Large handful of mixed cilantro, mint and Thai basil leaves

• 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, crushed

To make the dressing, pound the chiles and sugar with a mortar and pestle to form a rough paste. Stir in the lime juice, tamarind water and “fish” sauce and check the seasoning.
Remove the tough outer layers from the lemongrass stalk and finely chop the tender core, discarding the fibrous top part of the stalk. Roll the lime leaf into a cigar shape and slice into tiny shreds, avoiding the central stalk. Either shave the cucumber into wide ribbons with a vegetable peeler or slice it finely.
Toss the lemongrass, lime leaf, cucumber, tofu, shallots and herbs together in a bowl. Add the dressing and half the crushed peanuts, gently toss again and serve with the remaining crushed nuts scattered over.

Vietnamese Coconut and Pomelo Salad

The trouble and the beauty of East Asian salads lies in the preparation and, specifically, the chopping. The trick is to get the chopping done first, then make the dressing, concentrating on getting a good balance of hot, sweet, salty and sour. Putting the salad together then becomes a joy, and this one is particularly beautiful, with its luscious pomelo and a coconut dressing.

Serves 3

For the dressing

• 1 tablespoon uncooked basmati rice

• ½ cup (60 g) chopped cashews

• 2 lemongrass stalks

• 3 tablespoons palm sugar or coconut sugar, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger root

• 2 red chiles, finely chopped, or to taste

• ⅔ cup (160 ml) coconut milk

• 3 tablespoons Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce or light soy sauce, or to taste

• Juice of 2 limes, or to taste

For the salad

• 1 large carrot, peeled

• ½ cucumber, peeled

• 1 pomelo or 2 large pink grapefruits

• ⅔ cup (50 g) unsweetened toasted coconut chips

• 2 Thai red shallots, halved and very finely sliced

• Large handful of mixed cilantro, mint and Thai basil leaves

Start by making the dressing. Put the uncooked rice in a dry frying pan. Set it over medium heat and toast the rice, stirring, until it turns a pale golden color and smells nutty and fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind to a rough powder. Toast the chopped cashews in the same way, tossing the pan until they are burnished and fragrant. Transfer on to a plate.
Trim the woody ends from the lemongrass stalks and peel away the outer layers to reveal the softer core. Finely slice this.
Spoon the sugar into a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of water and place over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved and the pan begins to simmer briskly, add the chopped lemongrass, two thirds of the chopped cashews and the ginger and chiles. Continue to cook, without stirring, for a couple of minutes, then stir in the coconut milk and “fish” sauce. Simmer for a minute or so, then remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste the dressing. It should be hot, sweet, salty and sour and needs to pack quite a punch. Adjust the sugar, chile, “fish” sauce or lime juice to tweak it to your liking. Cover and set aside.
Use a vegetable peeler to pare the carrot into ribbons. Do the same with the cucumber, discarding the seedy, central core. Slice the top and bottom from the pomelo. Score it from top to bottom, then break it open, picking or peeling the pith and membrane away to reveal each clean segment. Break these into large pieces. If using grapefruit, use a sharp knife to pare off the skin, following the curve of the fruit to reveal the pink flesh. Cut between the membranes to release the segments. Either way, add the citrus to a bowl with the carrot and cucumber ribbons.
Throw in the coconut, shallots, herbs (reserving a few leaves) and the dressing. Toss to combine and pile onto serving plates. Finish with the remaining cashews, the toasted rice powder and reserved herb leaves.

Thistle Salad

To explain the name: Artichokes and sunflowers belong to the thistle family, which is a subfamily of asters, to which also belong lettuces and marigolds. It’s a whimsical association but, regardless of name, this is a beautiful, light salad with a tarragon and toasted sunflower seed dressing. I have used tiny raw artichokes, but, outside their season, substitute store-bought marinated artichoke hearts to great effect.

Serves 4

For the dressing

• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ⅓ cup (75 ml) cold-pressed sunflower oil

For the salad

• 1 lemon, halved

• 14 ounces (400 g; about 10) tiny, tender artichokes

• 1 head romaine lettuce

• 4 fresh marigold flower heads, optional

• 3.5 ounces (100 g) hard goat cheese

To make the dressing, toast the sunflower seeds in a frying pan set over medium heat, shaking the pan often until the seeds are pale golden.
Add a good pinch of salt to a mortar and pestle with the whole garlic clove and crush to a paste. Add half the sunflower seeds and crush to a rough paste. Stir in the shallot, tarragon, lemon juice and mustard, then gradually whisk in the oil to make a dressing, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and stirring in 1½ tablespoons water to lighten the texture.
For the salad, fill a bowl with cold water and squeeze the lemon juice in, dropping in the empty lemon halves.
Peel or snap the outer petals from the artichokes, paring any tough customers away with a knife. Slice off the tops of the leaves, leaving only tender parts behind. The artichokes should be too young to have formed any bristly choke. Peel and trim the stalks and pop the prepared artichokes into the lemon water bowl to stop any blackening. When they are all trimmed, drain the artichokes and dry with a kitchen towel. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, finely slice the artichokes.
Trim the base of the romaine lettuce and thickly shred the head. Toss the artichoke slices with the lettuce in a serving bowl. Pull the petals from the marigold heads, if using, and toss most of them through the salad with the dressing. Shave the goat cheese over with a vegetable peeler and scatter with the reserved sunflower seeds and more marigold petals to finish.

Fresh Cheeses with Flowers and Herbs

Once these tangy and fresh yogurt cheeses are made, they can be stored in an airtight container, submerged in good olive oil. Covered and chilled, they will keep for up to three weeks. Save the drained, slightly acidic whey from the first straining step to make Dill-Pickled Green Beans. Serve them with a selection of antipasti or good bread.

Makes 6

• 42 ounces (1.2 kg) Greek yogurt

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, optional

• Handful of parsley, chive or chervil leaves, chopped

• Sea salt

• Soft herbs, leaves and edible flowers, to serve, such as borage, chives, garlic chives or wild garlic, pea shoots and flowers, roses, sweet cicely, thyme . . .

• Cold-pressed oil, to serve

Line a very large sieve or colander with a square of muslin or cheesecloth. Spoon in the yogurt, set over a large bowl and chill for about 16 hours. Gather the cloth up every now and then and give the bag a squeeze to encourage it to drain. The yogurt should reduce in volume drastically.
Transfer the strained yogurt into a large mixing bowl and fold in the garlic, lemon zest, if using, and chopped herbs. Add a generous pinch of salt and taste, adding more seasoning if you wish, though remember the yogurt will lose more volume and all the flavors will concentrate as it does so.
Line six 5-ounce (150 ml) ramekins or dessert molds with squares of muslin or cheesecloth. The fabric squares should be large enough to generously overhang the molds, ready to fold back over the tops of the cheeses with room to spare. Spoon the herb-flecked cheese into the lined molds. Fold the excess fabric over and weigh each mold down with a heavy object such as a potato or a jar. Set aside in a cool place for at least an hour or overnight to firm up as much as you would like. Turn the delicate cheeses out and unwrap the damp muslin or cheesecloth.
Serve the cheeses with herbs, leaves and edible flowers and cold-pressed oil.

Grated Brassica and Date Salad

It’s no secret that the plants of the brassica family are all incredibly good for you, but to make them easy to eat raw, a bit of care is needed at the cutting stage, as I detail below. I know it’s hard to imagine greatness from a glance at the ingredients list, but this is a beautiful, simple recipe, well worth making. It goes well with salty fried or grated halloumi or salted ricotta, if you need an extra element.

Serves 4

• 1 largish cauliflower

• 1 small head broccoli

• 4 ounces (120 g) kale (about 6 or 7 leaves), coarse stalks removed

• ½ cup (90 g) pitted Medjool dates

• ⅓ cup (60 g) sesame seeds

• 3 tablespoons mild canola oil

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• Juice of 2 limes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced

• 1 red chile, deseeded and chopped

• ½ pomegranate, seeds only

Use a box grater to grate the outer parts of the cauliflower and broccoli florets, shaving the crowns down a bit in the process. Now go in with a sharp knife or a mandoline, if you have one, taking your time to finely slice the remaining florets and any tender stalks.
Stack a couple of kale leaves up and roll into a cigar. Slice very finely, avoiding any remaining stalk, to create thin shreds. Repeat with the rest of the kale. Put all the prepared vegetables in a large serving bowl.
Chop the dates.
To make the dressing, put half the chopped dates in a powerful blender or mini food processor with 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds, the canola oil, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and lime juice. Give it a good blend to make a smoothish paste, then add 3 tablespoons of water and blend again. You should have a dressing with the texture of heavy cream. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing through the bowl of brassicas; the easiest way to do this properly is with clean hands. Don’t be too dainty about it; you can afford to bruise the kale a bit. Add the remaining dates, remaining sesame seeds, the scallions, chile and pomegranate seeds. Toss through to finish.

Raw Salad of Jerusalem Artichokes with Walnuts

It’s far more common to see Jerusalem artichokes—or sunchokes—in cooked form, but they make an elegant salad, especially with this gentle walnut dressing. Be sure to slice them very finely and immediately soak in a lemon-water bath to crisp up. A mandoline will do you great service here, but you can get the same effect with a sharp knife and nifty skills.

Serves 3 to 4

• 1 lemon, halved

• 6 large Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)

• 8 ounces (225 g) pole or runner beans

• 2 yellow zucchini

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon mild honey

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tablespoons mild canola oil

• 2 tablespoons walnut oil

• 1 cup (100 g) sprouts, such as alfalfa, lentil or chickpea

• ⅓ cup (50 g) walnut halves, crushed

Fill a bowl with cold water and squeeze the lemon juice in, then drop in the empty lemon halves.
Peel the Jerusalem artichokes with a vegetable peeler. Using a mandoline if you have one, or a very sharp knife and some patience if you don’t, slice them paper-thin. Put them in the lemon water as you slice to firm them up and keep them from oxidizing.
Trim the pole beans, removing any strings from their edges, and cut them in half across their middles. Cut as thinly as you can from top to bottom to make shred-like slices.
If you have a shredder tool, use it to shred the zucchini. Otherwise, use a grater. Scatter lightly with salt and set aside for 5 minutes, then squeeze the shreds or gratings out in a kitchen towel to remove excess water.
To make the dressing, mix the vinegar, mustard, honey, chives and garlic in a bowl. Whisk in the oils with 1 tablespoon of water until well combined. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Drain the artichokes and combine with the pole beans, zucchini and sprouts in a large bowl. Toss the dressing through the salad with the crushed walnuts and serve immediately.

Diminutive and delicate they may be, but sprouts contain huge quantities of essential nutrients, including vitamin C, magnesium and chlorophyll, which promotes calcium absorption. They are also rich in the nourishing enzymes we rely on to metabolize food and assimilate energy. In short, they are one of the most nutritious and complete foods . . . and incredibly easy to grow.

There are other benefits besides: For the cook, there is no greater boon than natural flavor, and sprouts deliver that in spades, from soft and fragrant to spicy and peppery. The nature of a seed or a full-grown plant is a good clue to the taste of its sprout. For example, in sprouted form, peppery radish or curried fenugreek taste as you might imagine, but fresher, greener and more concentrated. Perfect for scattering over salads and dips, as you might herbs; you won’t get a shorter harvest-to-plate time.

There is no need for any equipment, space, soil, or fuss and the results are swift; all sprouts need to grow is a few minutes of daily attention.

WHAT, AND HOW MUCH, TO SOAK IN EACH BATCH

Small seeds: Soak for 8 hours, sprout for 1 to 2 days. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of alfalfa, broccoli, fenugreek, mustard, radish, sesame, watercress and so on.

Grains and small pulses: Soak for 12 hours, sprout for 2 to 3 days. Use ⅓ cup (75 g) whole lentils, mung beans, oat groats, quinoa, wheat grains and so on.

Large legumes and nuts: Soak for 24 hours, sprout for 2 to 5 days. Use 1½ cups (200 g) almonds, chickpeas, dried beans, peas, peanuts and so on.

Sunflower seeds (prolific and easy): Soak for 8 hours, sprout for 1 to 3 days. Use 3 cups (400 g).

HOW TO DO IT

Put your chosen seeds in a large wide-mouthed glass jar (2 if you are sprouting lots of sunflower seeds) and cover with plenty of cold water.
After the soaking time, firmly secure a piece of muslin, cheesecloth or gauze, or a cut-up pair of tights, over the top of the jar with a rubber band. The material must be loosely woven to allow the air to circulate freely, otherwise you risk the dreaded mold.
Invert the jar and drain the water away.
Prop the jar up at a 45-degree angle, opening-end down and with a tray underneath to catch any drips. Leave in a cool place, out of direct sunlight. The seeds should now be evenly spread out down one side of the jar.
Twice a day, rinse the jar out with clean, cool water and return it to its angled position with the material or tights resecured over its mouth. This rinsing will keep the sprouts fresh.
Depending on your seeds, shoots can start to grow in as little as one day. Do keep rinsing and swirling them with cool water twice every day to keep them fresh as they grow.
Refrigerate the finished sprouts whenever you like the look and taste of them (too long at the growing stage can make them bitter, so be aware) and enjoy over the next couple of days on soups, salads and dips, or in sandwiches, or juices.

Shaved Beets with Sprouts, Kefir and Dukkah

Raw beet, so mesmerizingly beautiful when in candy-striped form, is, I think, most enjoyable when sliced wafer-thin or grated. This elegant salad combines delicate, uncooked shavings with sweetly roasted beets, seeded dukkah and a mild kefir dressing. Substitute buttermilk or even thin yogurt for the kefir, if you prefer.

Serves 4 as a starter

For the salad

• 16 small, mixed-colored beets, scrubbed, leaves trimmed off (any tender young leaves reserved)

• 1 garlic clove, skin on

• 3 sprigs of thyme

• Handful of sprouts or microherbs

• Handful of young beet or chard leaves

For the dukkah

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I used black and white)

• 1½ tablespoons coriander seeds

• 1½ tablespoons cumin seeds

• 1 tablespoon blanched hazelnuts

• 1 tablespoon mixed seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds . . . )

• Pinch of dried thyme

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• ¼ cup (60 ml) kefir

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon blossom honey

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Put 8 of the freshly washed beets in the center of a large square of foil. Add the garlic and thyme and bring the foil up, scrunching the edges together to form a loose, tightly-sealed package. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes, until the beets are tender to the point of a knife. Leave to cool slightly before peeling them—the skin will just rub off—and cutting them in halves or quarters, depending on size (reserve the garlic clove). It’s nice to chop the odd beet here, too, to add more interest and texture to the finished salad.
To make the dukkah, toast the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat, until fragrant, then let cool. Either roughly pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse very briefly in a food processor, to make a coarsely ground mix. Toast the mixed seeds separately, until fragrant, then stir into the mix with the dried thyme and a pinch of salt.
Slice the remaining beets into very thin rounds of 1/16-inch (1 to 2 mm) thickness. The best way to do this is with a mandoline, but a very sharp knife or the slicing attachment of a food processor will also work well.
Mash the roasted garlic in a small bowl and whisk in the remaining dressing ingredients. Season well. Kefirs vary in consistency, so add 1 tablespoon of water to the dressing to loosen it, if yours was on the thicker side.
Toss the cooked and raw beets together with the sprouts and beet leaves. Arrange on serving plates, spoon the dressing over and finish with a scattering of dukkah.

In simple terms, fermentation describes the conversion of carbohydrates—namely sugars—into alcohol and acid. For many Westerners, a certain squeamishness persists toward the bacteria facilitating this conversion, and no wonder when the wrong sort can do us great harm. So-called “good” strains of bacteria are essential to our health, however, even if we are not aware of them. If we drink wine, eat yogurt or olives, soy sauce, tempeh or kimchi, to name a few examples, we will be ingesting Lactobacillus acidophilus, the good bacteria needed to enable our bodies to minimize inflammation, produce vitamin K2 (essential for cardiovascular health) and assimilate energy, among other things.

Kimchi, the fiery-sour, pungent Korean pickle, is a perfect introduction to fermenting at home, because it’s almost impossible to get wrong. It’s an example of lactic fermentation, where bacteria convert the sugar in vegetables into lactic acid, which acts as a preservative. And the results are delicious. Start with my Ruby Red Kimchi. If you are timid, keep the fermentation levels low by refrigerating your jar and eat the kimchi as a pickle. It will still be terrific. Once you get into the swing of it, you can experiment with other vegetables and a slower fermentation to develop complex flavors. Kombucha, a fermented, flavored tea, is a slightly more advanced project, but not hard; it just needs more attention to create the ideal environment for the culture to flourish (Kombucha).

Aside from all the health benefits, the range of fermented foods available to us either to buy or make will add untold interest to your cooking. Most are complex in flavor, adding depth to the simplest dishes. Miso, for example, the rich and salty paste made from fermented soybeans, can be found in myriad incarnations, from sweet and mellow white through to deep, sharp rusty red. It is an excellent vegan source of umami in soups, sauces and relishes; a mere spoonful adds a barely perceptible accent.

A note or two on fermenting at home: Sterilization and cleanliness are essential to prevent unwanted strains of bacteria multiplying, so make sure all (heatproof) containers and lids are put through the hot wash of a dishwasher, or washed in hot, soapy water and dried out in a low oven. Secondly, if a recipe calls for water, use bottled mineral or filtered water, as the chlorine in tap water will inhibit fermentation. Fermentation will be more successful and resonant if it happens slowly, at cool room temperatures, so don’t be tempted to rush things along in a hot room. This is slow food from a forgotten time, after all. Beyond these simple pointers, the possibilities are endless, so go forth and multiply. . . .

Raw Summer Rolls with Tempeh

When tempeh is perked up with a simple marinade, a rainbow of fragrant accompaniments and buttery avocado, its pleasingly sour flavor comes into its own. You could, of course, substitute its marinated or smoked cousin, tofu, if you want. Shiso, a heart-shaped, frilly-edged leaf often served with sushi, is a revelation: peppery and perfumed. The world won’t end if you can’t find it; just increase the other herbs.

Makes 12

For the tempeh and dipping sauce

• ⅓ cup (60 g) unsalted peanuts

• 7 ounces (200 g) tempeh

• 1- to 1½-inch (2.5 to 4 cm) piece fresh ginger root

• 1 large red chile

• ¼ cup (60 ml) tamari or light soy sauce, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons palm sugar or light brown sugar, or to taste

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

• Juice of 2 small limes

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

To assemble

• 1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled

• 4 scallions

• 12 large round rice paper wrappers

• Handful of bean sprouts

• Handful of shiso leaves

• Handful each of Thai basil and cilantro leaves

• Handful of sprouts or microherbs, such as alfalfa or cilantro

• 1 small container of mustard cress, snipped

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the peanuts out on a baking sheet and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly, then crush or chop quite finely.

Slice the tempeh into chubby matchsticks. Peel and finely grate the ginger and finely chop the chile, deseeding it first, if you like.

Combine the tempeh in a bowl with half the ginger, half the chile, half the tamari and a pinch of the sugar, mixing to evenly blend it with the flavorings. If time allows, leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes or—covered and in the fridge—for up to 2 days.

Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Sear the tempeh pieces on all sides, turning with tongs, until golden all around. Set aside.

Combine the remaining ginger, chile, tamari and sugar with all but 1 teaspoon of the lime juice, the sesame oil and a splash of water to make a dipping sauce. Taste and adjust the sugar, lime or soy sauce, if needed.

Slice the avocado into chubby matchsticks and toss with the reserved 1 teaspoon of lime juice to prevent browning. Trim the scallions and slice them finely lengthwise.

Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water, dip a rice paper round into the water, turning it until just soft enough to bend without cracking, then shaking off the excess. Lay the pliable rice paper flat on a clean, damp kitchen towel. If you can, work with 2 or even 3 dipped wrappers at a time to make the rolling process quicker. Either way, have all the filling ingredients prepared and close at hand.

At the end of the rice paper round nearest to you, arrange a couple of avocado sticks, some sliced scallion, bean sprouts, shiso leaves and other soft herbs, sprouts and cress. Top with a couple of pieces of tempeh and a pinch of crushed peanuts. The total volume should be about 2 tablespoons or so; any more and you risk overfilling and splitting the rice paper.

Fold in the left and right vertical sides to cover the ends of the line of filling and roll the rice paper up from the base, taking the filling with it, to form a squat, tight, sealed cylinder. Set aside and cover loosely with a damp cloth to stop the finished rolls drying out. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Eat immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 hours. Serve with the dipping sauce and the remaining peanuts, the idea being to dip into the sauce then into the crushed nuts before eating.

Ruby Red Kimchi

This is a full-flavored kimchi, with the addition of inauthentic apple instead of added sugar. I’ve given you two choices here for the fermentation, one for old hands and also a beginner’s introduction. Buy the sweet, smoky, hot Korean red pepper powder from East Asian food shops or online. It is essential for kimchi, though you could try using chile flakes and a whisper of hot smoked paprika, I suppose.

Makes 1 large jar

• ½ small head red cabbage

• ¼ head napa cabbage

• 2 tablespoons sea salt

• About 2 quarts (2 L) bottled mineral water (see note on Fermenting)

• 3 tablespoons tamari sauce

• 2 teaspoons Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru)

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

• ½ teaspoon kombu seaweed flakes, optional

• ½ apple, grated

• 1 small carrot, shredded

It is extremely important to start with a sterilized jar. Either put a large (at least 1½ quart/1.5 L, preferably larger) jar and lid through the hot cycle of a dishwasher, or wash both in hot soapy water and dry out in a low oven.
Core and chop the red and napa cabbage into bite-size shreds. Toss with the salt in a large bowl, using clean or plastic-gloved hands to really work the salt into the leaves. Add ¾ cup (200 ml) of the bottled water and set aside for 20 minutes; it will become crisp. Drain in a colander and rinse well with bottled water. Drain again and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Combine the tamari, gochugaru, ginger, garlic and scallions in a mixing bowl, including the kombu flakes if you want to increase the umami flavor. Add 1 tablespoon more of the bottled water and mix well, followed by the cabbage, apple and carrot, tossing and “massaging” to mix through. Leave for 5 minutes, mix again, then transfer to the sterilized jar; it should not come right to the top, to allow room for carbon dioxide to form. Cover with the lid—barely screwed on—and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 days to allow to ferment slightly and develop in flavor.
You should see little bubbles at the top of the jar. Taste and see if it is to your liking; it should be pleasantly sour and smell very strong (but not repugnant). You can leave it to ferment for a further 2 to 3 days to increase that sour fermented flavor but, if this is your first time making it, I would screw the lid on tightly and chill the jar at this point to slow the fermentation. Ideally, chill the kimchi for 5 days to allow the flavors to develop, though you can use it immediately if you are impatient.
When you are happy with the flavor, keep the kimchi jar covered and chilled. It will last for several months and will mellow and settle, but if you develop a habit of adding it to any noodle bowl/rice/salad/sandwich/stir-fry/soup, a single jar is unlikely to last very long at all.

Dill-Pickled Green Beans

Pickles don’t have to be sugar-laden. This naturally fermented recipe uses the whey drained from yogurt after straining to make cheeses or ice creams. You can replace it with a scant tablespoon of salt and a little extra water, but the pickles might need a couple more days fermenting. These are good with fried eggs and polenta, or in a salad with feta, roasted squash and lima beans.

Makes one 24-ounce (600 ml) jar

• 6 ounces (175 g) very fresh green beans

• 1 banana shallot or large shallot, sliced

• 1 garlic clove, sliced

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

• 4 sprigs of dill

• 2 slices of bird’s eye chile

• 1⅔ cups (400 ml) bottled mineral water (see note on Fermenting) or as needed

• ¼ cup (60 ml) whey (see recipe introduction)

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Slice off the hard ends of the beans, then cut them into roughly 2-inch (5 cm) lengths. Blanch them in boiling water for 2½ to 3 minutes, or until only just tender. Drain and refresh under cool water (to be really fussy, use bottled water to refresh rather than tap water, but this isn’t strictly necessary here).
Put the beans in a sterilized 24-ounce (600 ml) lidded jar (see step 1 opposite), layering them up with the shallot and garlic slices, peppercorns and sprigs of dill. Tuck in the chile slices to finish.
Mix the bottled water, whey and sea salt in a large container, stirring well. Pour into the jar, stirring the container as you do so to make sure any undissolved salt is evenly distributed in the liquid. Make sure there is a gap of 1 to 1½ inches (3 cm) between the top of the liquid and the jar lid and that the vegetables are completely covered. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well.
Leave the jar in a very cool, dark place for 7 days, then unscrew the lid and reseal, to release any gases. Leave for a further 3 to 5 days before eating. At this point, the bean jar should be transferred to the fridge, where the pickles will continue to ferment at a much slower rate. Eat them up within a month.

Kombucha

The kombucha culture—known as a scoby—that you need to brew this flavored, naturally fermented tea is a bizarre-looking slimy disc. I bought mine online and followed the accompanying instructions pretty closely. They recommended starting with just one small glassful of the probiotic tea each day, until your body is used to it. Use nonmetallic utensils to handle kombucha, as metal can affect the brew.

Makes 1 large jar

• 6 best-quality green, black or white tea bags

• ¾ cup (175 g) granulated sugar (essential for the scoby to brew)

• 1 medium, fresh scoby (see recipe introduction)

• Assorted flavorings, optional (see recipe method)

Put the tea bags and sugar in a large, very clean (ideally sterilized, see note on Fermenting) jar or similar container (2¼-quart/2.2 L minimum capacity). Bring 7½ cups (1.8 L) of water to a boil and pour on to the tea. Stir, leave for 30 minutes, then remove the tea bags with a spatula. Leave until just cool. Add the scoby and place a square of muslin or kitchen towel over the jar opening to cover, tying it in place with a rubber band. Leave in a warm room out of direct sunlight—an airing pantry or warm kitchen at a constant 68 to 73°F (20 to 23°C) is ideal—for 6 to 10 days to brew. Mine took 6 days and I started tasting it after 4 days (removing a little with a plastic ladle), replacing the muslin or towel each time. The tea is slightly cloudy and tastes pleasantly fruity or fizzy.
Pour it into a large container and chill to all-but-halt fermentation, leaving enough behind after transferring to cover the scoby. I find it easier to put the scoby in a holding bay of a smaller container with about ¾ cup (200 ml) of his brew while I make another batch in the jar, re-adding him and his brew to the new, cooled tea to continue the cycle. You may even get kombucha babies growing after a few cycles; these can be used to start their own teas, so you can have various flavors going at any one time. If you don’t want to brew again immediately, the scoby—in his brew-bath—can be covered for a couple of days without any harm, before you start again.
Your chilled, slightly fizzy tea can be bottled up (keep it chilled) and enjoyed plain, but I prefer to infuse it. My favorite flavorings are:
- 7 ounces (about 1¼ dry pints/200 g) fresh, ripe berries, slightly crushed
- 2 ripe peaches, chopped, with 1 split vanilla pod
- 1 cup (200 g) ripe chopped pineapple, with 2 bruised kaffir lime leaves
- 1 ripe pear, chopped, with 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger root
Add your chosen aromatics to the tea and chill for 2 to 3 days to infuse. Strain before drinking, bottle up if you like and keep chilled.

Miso Soup with Dulse and Winter Vegetables

A very simple soup to reset your inner balance in cold weather, proving once again that comfort food doesn’t have to be laden with bread and molten cheese, though it often helps. . . . Butter adds rich flavor but is easily swapped for a flavorless oil, or coconut oil if you like the taste.

Serves 2

• 2 leeks, trimmed

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 celery stalk, finely sliced

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, bruised

• 1 red chile, slit open

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 1 parsnip, scrubbed

• 1 sweet potato, peeled

• 2½ cups (600 ml) weak vegetable stock

• ¼ sweetheart (pointed or hispi) cabbage, thickly sliced

• Small handful of shredded dulse seaweed

• 1 tablespoon yellow miso paste (a mellow one)

• 1 tablespoon mirin, or to taste

Finely slice the white and light green parts of the leeks only. Rinse to remove any grit and drain well. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over low-ish heat and add the leeks, celery, bruised ginger, slit chile and bay leaf. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then cover and leave to braise for 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, chop the parsnip and sweet potato into smallish cubes. Uncover the pan and stir them in with the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover, adding the cabbage after 10 minutes. Cook for 5 minutes more, until the vegetables are soft.
Remove the bay, chile and ginger with a slotted spoon; they have done their job now. Stir in the seaweed and leave to soften for a few seconds, then add the miso to cloud the broth, seasoning with the mirin. Taste and add more mirin if it needs more sweetness to balance it (this will depend on the sharpness of your miso). Ladle into 2 large bowls and serve.

Spiced Turmeric Broth with Roasted Vegetables

I find this very special bowl, a fragrant curry of sorts, is the vegetarian equivalent of a chicken noodle soup, both for comfort and health benefits. Add more coconut cream or milk if you would like more of a soup-y feel; the recipe here provides more of a sauce at the base of the bowl. Curry leaves can be tricky to find fresh, but are transformative; try Asian food shops, large supermarkets and the Internet.

Serves 4

• 6 small carrots, scrubbed and thickly sliced if on the larger side

• 2 parsnips, scrubbed and thickly sliced

• 1 small celery root, peeled and roughly chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh turmeric

• Small handful of cilantro with roots

• 2 shallots, finely sliced

• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves

• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

• 1 dried red chile

• ¾ cup (200 ml) coconut cream

• Juice of ½ lime

• 1 cup (200 g) cooked wild rice

• Red amaranth greens or other herbs to serve, optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the root vegetables out in a large roasting pan, season well with salt and pepper and crumble 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil over them (or pour, if it is warm and liquid). Roast for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to toss the vegetables, distributing the melted oil evenly. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes or so, until soft and caramelized.
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the ginger and turmeric. Finely chop the cilantro roots and stalks. Set the cilantro leaves aside.
Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a deep frying pan or medium saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt and fry gently for a few minutes, stirring now and then. Increase the heat and cook until they are beginning to catch at the edges, then add the mustard seeds and cook for a minute or two; they should pop and sizzle. Add the ginger, turmeric, cilantro roots and stalks, garlic, curry leaves, cardamom and dried chile, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut cream with ¾ cup (200 ml) water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the lime juice to brighten the flavors.
Divide the roasted vegetables between serving bowls with the cooked wild rice. Ladle the broth over the top and finish with the cilantro leaves and any other Asian herbs you have, such as red amaranth or Thai basil.

Winter Rolls

Colorful rolls filled with chile-ginger seared mushrooms, roasted sweet potato spears and raw kale. If you don’t want to make the satay-style sauce, just mix a quick, cool dip from lime juice, tamari sauce and a touch of palm sugar or maple syrup to take the edge off. Stir in chopped chile or grated fresh ginger root. If you can find or grow them (see Sprouting and How to Do It), sunflower sprouts are delicious in place of the bean sprouts.

Makes 10

• 12 ounces (350 g) sweet potato

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds

• 2 cups (150 g) sliced button mushrooms

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

• 1 red chile, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon tamari or light soy sauce

• 20 tender, palm-size kale leaves

• Handful of bean sprouts

• Handful of sprigs of cilantro

• 10 large round rice paper wrappers

• ½ batch Caramelized Peanut Sauce

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel the sweet potato and slice into chubby fries. Toss with half the oil, season with salt and pepper and lay out on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then scatter with the sesame seeds and roast for 5 minutes more, until just tender. Set aside to cool.
Put the remaining oil in a large frying pan set over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until any liquid evaporates and they start to sear. Add the ginger and chile and cook for a minute. Add the tamari, cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat.
Trim the stalks from the kale and pile on a large baking sheet with the sweet potato, mushrooms, bean sprouts and cilantro, all laid out in piles.
Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water, dip a rice paper round into the water, turning it until just soft enough to bend without cracking, then shaking off the excess. Lay the pliable rice paper flat on a clean, damp kitchen towel. If you can, work with 2 or even 3 dipped wrappers at a time to make the rolling process quicker. Have the tray of fillings close at hand.
Lay 2 kale leaves on each soaked rice paper round and, concentrating on the end of the rice paper nearest to you, lay a few sweet potato sticks on top, followed by a spoonful of mushrooms, a few bean sprouts and a couple of sprigs of cilantro. The total volume should be about 2 tablespoons or so; any more and you risk overfilling and splitting the rice paper.
Fold in the left and right vertical sides to cover the ends of the line of filling and roll the rice paper up from the base, taking the filling with it, to form a squat, tight, sealed cylinder. Set aside and cover loosely with a damp cloth to keep the finished rolls from drying out. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Eat immediately with the peanut sauce, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 hours.

Almond-Stuffed Vine Leaves

A grape vine rampages across the top of my garden, a happy inheritance from owners past, so I’ve a ready supply of grape leaves to stuff. Packs of preserved vine leaves will work just as well in this raw spin on dolmades, or you could use any soft lettuce leaf or tender cabbage or kale leaf instead. This is a lovely little recipe, set off by a simple tomato salsa to spoon over the vine leaf cigars as you eat.

Serves 4 / Makes 20 to 24

For the stuffed vine leaves

• 1¼ cups (150 g) whole almonds (skins on)

• About 24 large vine leaves, fresh or brined

• ¼ cup (30 g) pine nuts

• 4 cups (400 g) cauliflower florets

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Small handful of dill fronds

• Small handful of mint leaves

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

• ⅓ cup (50 g) golden raisins

For the salsa

• 10.5 ounces (300 g) ripe tomatoes

• ⅓ cup (50 g) pitted green olives

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• Extra virgin olive oil

Put the almonds in a heatproof bowl. Boil a kettle and pour enough hot water over the almonds to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes. (If you have time, soak the almonds in cool water for 6 hours instead.)
Rinse and drain the vine leaves. Put them in a saucepan and cover with just-boiled water. Simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and refresh under cool water.
Put the pine nuts in a small frying pan set over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until pale golden all over. Let cool.
Drain the almonds thoroughly and put in a food processor with the cauliflower, garlic, lemon zest and half the juice, the cinnamon, dill and two thirds of the mint. Season well with salt and pepper and pour in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until evenly and very finely chopped. Add the raisins and blend briefly again to chop slightly. Transfer into a bowl and stir in the toasted pine nuts.
Lay a drained vine leaf out on a chopping board, veiny side up (shiny side down) and cut out the coarse lower part of the stalk, leaving the leaf as intact as possible. Place a scant 1 tablespoon of filling on the base of the leaf, fold in both sides and roll away from you firmly to create a neatly plump cigar. It gets easier with practice. Repeat to make 20 to 24 rolls, transferring them to a platter as you work.
Chop the tomatoes and green olives quite finely (you can do this in a food processor, but it will inevitably make the salsa more watery) and scoop into a bowl. Finely chop the reserved mint leaves and stir into the tomatoes with the shallot, remaining lemon juice and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside, or spooned over, the vine leaf cigars.

Summer Herb Broth with Cannellini and Pistou

A gentle, uncomplicated and nourishing soup to showcase the best summer herbs and vegetables. Cannellini, or haricot, beans give it body, and a lively vegan pistou spooned over when serving perks the broth up no end. Choose any soft summer herbs and leaves you like and can find easily. Basil, chervil, chives, dill, fennel, mint, parsley, sorrel, spinach and watercress would all be good options.

Serves 4

For the pistou

• ¼ cup (30 g) chopped almonds

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Large handful of soft summer herbs, chopped (see recipe introduction)

• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

• Lemon juice, to taste

For the soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

• 1 quart (950 ml) good vegetable stock

• One 15-ounce (400 g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups (200 g) halved sugar snap peas

• 1¼ cups (200 g) sliced green beans

• Handful of soft summer herbs and leaves (see recipe introduction)

Start by making the pistou with a mortar and pestle or in a mini food processor. Pound or blend the almonds and garlic with a pinch of salt until crushed. Add the herbs and pound or blend to a rough purée, pouring in enough oil to loosen to a spoonable consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spike with a few drops of lemon juice to lift the flavors.
For the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat and soften the garlic, shallots, celery and fennel with a pinch of salt. In about 15 minutes they will become soft and sweet. Don’t let them take on any real color.
Add the stock and cannellini beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently for about 15 minutes.
Add the sugar snaps and green beans and cook (a little less gently) for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat, throw in the herbs and season to taste. A squeeze of lemon juice will, again, perk up the flavors.
Ladle into warm bowls and finish with spoonfuls of pistou.

Zen Vegetables with Soy and Sesame

You steam a good quantity of vegetables here, so have a couple of bamboo or metal baskets to stack up over a simmering pan. Prepare the vegetables carefully; presentation is all when the recipe is this simple. Cut slower-cooking veggies, such as squash, into slim slices, so they cook in the same time as the greens (think bok choy, mustard greens, choy sum . . . ) and don’t remove the skins unless particularly thick. Offer steamed rice on the side to make this more filling, but no less Zen.

Serves 2

• ½ cup (125 ml) Kombu Stock

• ¼ cup (60 ml) tamari or light soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons mirin

• ½- to 1-inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• 2 sweet potatoes, sliced

• 1 winter squash wedge (about 14 ounces/400 g), deseeded and thinly sliced

• 1 small eggplant, thickly sliced

• 4 baby leeks, trimmed

• Large handful of robust Asian greens

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Put the stock in a small saucepan. Add the tamari, rice vinegar, and mirin. Warm through over medium heat, until the mixture is piping hot, but not boiling. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside to cool. Once the dressing has cooled, stir in the ginger.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and divide the vegetables between 2 steamer baskets: the sweet potatoes and squash in 1 basket; the eggplant, leeks and Asian greens in the other.
Steam the lidded sweet potato and squash basket for 6 to 7 minutes, then stack the second steamer basket on top and replace the lid, being careful of the steam as you do so. Continue to cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes, until all the vegetables are just tender or cooked to your liking. Serve straight from the steamer baskets, scattered with sesame seeds and with the dressing on hand to spoon over each serving at the table.

Seaweed is finally entering the mainstream. It is coming to the attention of more cooks in the Western world, who are trying to catch up with the experts of the Far East. About time, too, especially for vegetarians, as seaweed is a rich and cheap source of the iodine that a plant-free diet can lack and is also a plentiful food, if sustainably harvested. Look for hand-harvested seaweeds to support sustainable practices, if you can.

As well as iodine, seaweeds boast intense umami flavor and high levels of B vitamins, namely thiamine and niacin, needed for healthy eyes, nails and skin. Despite their diminutive weight, dried seaweeds are very dense in minerals such as calcium and iron as well as amino acids and protein, though you’d have to eat an awful lot to greatly enhance protein intake.

You can gather your own fresh seaweeds from safe sources, and some specialty shops sell chilled varieties, but they are most commonly sold dried. These make a practical choice, as they store well in cool airtight containers and are simple and quick to rehydrate when needed. (Incidentally, if you grow herbs, they love being watered with mineral-rich seaweed soaking liquid.)

I would wager that nori is our best-known seaweed in the form of toasted sheets, usually wrapped around sushi rice. Toasted or not, it makes an excellent wrap for so many other foods—crunchy raw shredded veggies with avocado, crushed nuts and smoked tofu, for example—and children love its mild, grassy flavor. Scatter nori flakes or powder over roasted root veggies or soups, or use scissors to snip into shreds over rice or noodle bowls.

Kombu is an easy variety to use and a natural flavor enhancer. I often throw it into the water when simmering legumes, as it’s said to soften their skins, making them more digestible and reducing any unwelcome effects. I give a simple kombu stock recipe (see Kombu Stock [or “Dashi, No Tuna”]) elsewhere; to add more depth, throw in a few dried shiitakes, which combine well with all seaweeds.

It is worth mentioning agar agar, a virtually tasteless, clear seaweed with gelatine-like setting properties, useful for vegetarian jellies and mousses. Other varieties include purple-red and tangy dulse; wakame, a deep green and soft seaweed ideal for soups or sprinkled over my wholesome version of bibimbap (see Brown Rice Bibimbap Bowls with Smoky Peppers); and hijiki with its black strands and buds. (Food agencies in the US, Canada, and Britain have advised against eating hijiki, warning of high levels of inorganic arsenic. Always buy a variety that has been grown in uncontaminated waters and is safe for human consumption, and be careful not to consume more than 2 tablespoons of hijiki per week; you may also substitute with arame. For more information, visit edenfoods.com/hiziki.)

Rather than using seaweed as the central part of a dish, you could begin by using it as an accent or a seasoning, much as you would salt. There are plenty of ideas in this chapter and peppered throughout the book.

Smoky Kombu and Kale Chips

Easy to make and far cheaper than package versions. You can buy a kaleidoscope of ready-to-serve kale chips from supermarkets and health food shops, but here is something a little different: seaweed chips. I’ve used a smoky coating of paprika and sesame that suits both kale and kombu well, but you could use curry-style spices, grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, or finely chopped rosemary instead.

Serves 2 to 4 as a snack

• 1 large piece kombu seaweed (about 2×4 inches/5×10 cm)

• 5.5 ounces (150 g) kale (about 8 leaves), washed and dried

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

• 1 scant teaspoon sea salt

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse the kombu and soak it in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain well and slice into bite-size pieces.
With a knife or kitchen scissors, cut the kale leaves from the thick stems and tear them into bite-size pieces.
Spread the kombu and kale out on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, paprika and salt, tossing to coat evenly.
Bake for 5 minutes, then shake the pan well and scatter with the sesame seeds. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the kale edges brown slightly, but are not burned, and the kombu appears crisp.

Vegetable, Nut and Seaweed Fritters

Dried dulse flakes, found in health food shops and online, add an umami oomph to these forgiving, gluten-free fritters. You could replace it with grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese or a teaspoon of miso. Cooking fritters is all in the technique: You want the middles to steam gently, binding with the eggs, so leave them be as they cook; turning them before they are ready will leave you with a hash.

Serves 4 / Makes about 16

• 2 tablespoons whole almonds

• 1 small zucchini, trimmed

• 7 ounces (200 g/about 1½ medium) sweet potatoes, peeled

• 3.5 ounces (100 g/about 2 small) carrots, scrubbed

• 7 ounces (200 g/about ½ small) celery root, peeled

• 1 small red onion, halved and finely sliced

• 2 tablespoons dried dulse seaweed flakes

• 1 heaping tablespoon chickpea (gram) flour

• 1 red chile, finely chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• Olive oil

• Salad leaves, to serve

• Lemon wedges, to serve

If you have time, soak the almonds for a few hours before chopping. Chop them quite finely and set aside.
The easiest way to prepare the vegetables is with a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment, but you could as easily use a box grater to shred or grate them all. Put all the shredded or grated vegetables, the onion, dulse flakes, chickpea flour, chile and chopped almonds in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper, add the eggs and mix well to combine.
Pour enough oil into a heavy-based frying pan to lightly coat the base and set it over medium heat. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the fritter mixture into the pan, pressing them down with a spatula to flatten slightly. Working in batches, cook the fritters for 2 to 3 minutes undisturbed, until crispy and browned underneath, then carefully flip them and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the low oven while you cook the rest, adding more oil if needed.
Serve hot with handfuls of salad leaves and lemon wedges.

Seaweed, Shredded Roots and Avocado Salad

A toothsome salad of roots you might not ordinarily eat raw, with a vibrant poppy seed dressing and ripe avocado. The seaweed of choice here is hijiki, which you can buy quite easily in black, dried form. A little goes a long way, as it swells right up after soaking, so don’t be tempted to start with too much. (See Seaweed for more about hijiki safety.)

Serves 4

• 0.2 ounces (5 g; about a handful) dried hijiki seaweed

• Juice of 1 large lemon

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon mellow miso paste

• ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large carrots

• 2 parsnips

• 2 beets

• 1 pound (450 g) celery root

• Large handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

• 1 ripe avocado, finely chopped

Put the hijiki in a large bowl and cover it with warm water. Set aside for 30 minutes, until it has swollen up and softened. Pour the hijiki into a sieve held over the sink and rinse under running water. Drain thoroughly.
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, ginger, poppy seeds, honey and miso in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil with 1 tablespoon of water to make a dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
The easiest and quickest way to prepare the roots is with a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment. Otherwise, use a grater or a shredder tool to grate or shred the carrots, parsnips, beets and celery root. Combine all the vegetables in a bowl and toss with half the dressing to keep them from browning.
Now add the hijiki, mint and avocado to the bowl and toss through gently to mix. Serve with the remaining dressing.

Silken Tofu with Seaweed Dressing

This is a simple dish that relies on its contrasting textures and the very freshest ingredients, so do look out for chilled, silken tofu in Japanese food shops, Asian markets or similar. The silken tofu found in little boxes in most supermarkets will do in a pinch . . . but I wouldn’t choose it if you have other options. If you can’t find dulse, simply snip some toasted nori seaweed over to finish.

Serves 2

• ½- to 1-inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root

• 2 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon mirin

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 14 ounces (400 g) silken tofu, drained

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• Very small handful of dulse seaweed ribbons

• 1 scallion, finely sliced

Peel the ginger and slice it into fine matchsticks. Combine the tamari, mirin, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl.
Put the tofu on a small plate that will fit into a steamer basket, being very careful not to damage the block in the process. Bring the pan of water for your steamer to a boil and sit the covered steamer basket on top. Leave the tofu to gently steam and heat through for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, put a frying pan over high heat and add the peanut oil. Add the ginger and dulse to the pan and fry briskly, stirring often, until the ginger is beginning to brown lightly. Transfer onto paper towels to drain and crisp up.
Remove the tofu plate from the steamer, dabbing any moisture on the plate away with paper towels. Pour the dressing over the top and scatter with the scallion. Finish with the crisp ginger and dulse and eat immediately.