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taste of health A love affair of food and literature COOKING WITH THE MUSE RECIPES A love affair of food and literature RECIPES T he Table of Contents for Cooking with the Muse reads like poetry… Braised Sunchokes with Fennel, Olives and Thyme; Warm-Hearted Pea Cakes with Sesame Crust and Piquillo Peppers Sauce; Mango Chia Seed Pudding with Coconut Cream… these are words that roll gently around the tastebuds, as well as the imagination. The authors freely inter- sperse recipes with historical and artistic references, lore and verse to inspire your culinary liaison. The richness of the text ensures the recipes will nourish soul as well as belly in this love affair of food and literature. Beautiful Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in a hot tureen! Who for such dainties would not stoop? Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! —Lewis Carroll Spring Greens Soup Green and glimmering, velvety and creamy, deep and complex, this soup defi nes an enchanting way to eat your greens. It opens the emerald doorway to the limitless possibilities of spring. Mix any varieties of young spring greens, from mild escarole to pleasantly bitter mizuna or mustard greens to tender chard or spinach or its wild cousin, lamb's quarters. You can taste a whole garden in every spoonful, from earthy garlic bulbs, to stems and newly minted leaves, to clouds and butterfl ies fl ickering in the distance. Just as every garden is unique, change the greens and you'll have a slightly different soup each time; but they'll all taste delightful. Start off with a nourishing stock and stir in the herbed butter, or add a dollop of sour cream or a spoonful of shaved Parmesan at the end. (Serves 4 to 6) Tarragon-Dill Butter 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon Soup 2 tbsp ghee, aroma-free coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil 1 c chopped leeks (whites and light greens only) 1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger 12 garlic cloves, peeled 4 c chicken or vegetable stock 3 tbsp white rice (basmati or any other type) Salt 1¼ to 1¾ pounds spring greens (2 to 3 bunches, depending on size; a mix of bok choi, mizuna, escarole, mustard greens or chard), washed, stemmed and roughly chopped (12 to 16 cups loosely packed greens) 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice Freshly ground black pepper 1. Make the butter: Place the butter in a bowl and use a spoon to smash in the dill and tarragon. Transfer the herb butter to a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll it into a log. Refrigerate until fi rm. (This can be done up to a week in advance.) 2. Make the soup: Warm the ghee in a medium pot over me- dium-low heat. Add the leeks, garlic and ginger, and cook until the leeks are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and simmer covered until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. 4. Stir in the greens (stuff them in and put the lid back on) and cook over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. 5. Transfer the soup to a blender and buzz until smooth. (You may have to do this in batches.) 6. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and a gen- erous sprinkling of pepper. Taste, and add a pinch more salt if necessary. 7. Serve hot, with a tablespoon of herb butter swirled into each bowl. Spinach-Sorrel Pancakes with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce Spinach is one of the fi rst greens to show up in large quantities in spring farmers' markets, when the "dark-green juicy" leaves are what the poet Mông-Lan calls "close to their original glo- ry." These exotic, exciting and healthy pancakes sing of spring, with a hint of lemony tartness from the chopped sorrel, a bit of sweetness from the currants, and a little zestiness from the ginger. They're tender-fi rm and hold together perfectly. The herbed yogurt and cilantro sauce is both cooling and piquant, and it's as gentle in texture as a sea-green foam that sinks right into the pancake. Serve the pancakes as appetizers, a vegetable side or a sa- vory breakfast. (Makes 12 pancakes) Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce 1 c plain full-fat yogurt ½ c chopped fresh cilantro ½ c small serrano chili, stemmed and chopped 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 tsp fresh lemon juice Salt 18 wholelifetimes.com