Hot and Sour Seafood Soup

This recipe comes from a la Bangkok, a little Thai restaurant in Ellsworth, Maine. A friend asked for it while she was there; the owner generously obliging. The perfect recipe for those seeking a respite from traditional wintertime fare.

Fresh lime brightly punches through briny fish sauce, while shitakiis, dulce, and chicken broth boost your immunity with rich vitamins and minerals. Add fresh cilantro and sliced scallions to cap it all off.

A simple, yet deeply satisfying bowlful.

Hot and Sour Seafood Soup: (serves 2)

*2 cups chicken broth

*1/2 tsp. sea salt

*1 tsp. raw cane sugar

*4 tsp. high quality fish sauce

*2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

*white pepper to taste

*1 Tbsp. organic cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in a small amount of water (to slightly thicken broth)

*1 small white fish fillet, cubed or 1 cup peeled & deveined fresh shrimp

*1/2 small onion, sliced

*1 cup sliced shitakii mushrooms

*2 tsp. sesame oil

*1/2 block firm sprouted tofu, cubed

*1-2 Tbsp. dried dulce

*fresh cilantro

*2 scallions, sliced

In a large soup pot, combine first five ingredients over medium high heat. Meanwhile, brown sliced shitakii mushrooms and sliced onion in a cast iron skillet coated in butter over medium high heat. Remove and add to pot. Season with white pepper. Once liquid reaches a simmer, stir in cornstarch water. Add fish pieces or shrimp. Allow to simmer 2 minutes (or until seafood is just cooked through) before removing pot from heat.

Add sesame oil, tofu pieces and dulce. Stir.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced scallions. Serve with jasmine rice.

Lemon Turkey and Rice Soup

I look forward to this post-Thanksgiving soup almost as much as all the special dishes prepared for the holiday itself. I have fond memories of my mother picking all the leftover meat off the turkey and starting the bones to simmer in a large pot on the stove, while the last dishes were washed and second rounds of pumpkin pie were lazily served.

This soup also reminds me of my favorite Greek restaurant in Vienna, Virginia called Scorpios. We were devout customers originally introduced to the authentic fare by my Aunt Charlene who seemed to have an uncanny knowledge of where to take her hungry nieces and nephews when visiting. Scorpios' lemon chicken and orzo soup could bring one back from the dead. Its broth was rich and bright with citrus and herbs, and gently filling with the tender chicken and orzo. I will never forget it.

What I like most about this soup is how easy it is to throw together after the sweat and tears of Thanksgiving prep. After the bones simmer all day, producing the gelatin rich stock, just add turkey scraps, celery, carrots, herbs, lots of lemon and cooked brown rice. A bowlful soothes and satisfies without the heaviness of days prior. And it freezes well too, allowing you to thaw, sip, and reminisce on another blessed holiday past.

Lemon Turkey and Rice Soup: (serves 8-10)

*1 turkey carcass (preferably free-range/grass fed. This one came from East Fork Farm)

*water

*2 lemons

*4 celery stalks, sliced

*5 carrots, sliced

*2 bay leaves

*1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

*sea salt and pepper

*leftover roasted turkey meat, shredded (white and dark)

*1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

*3 cups soaked and cooked brown rice

*3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Place turkey carcass and stray bones in a very large soup pot filled 3/4 full with cool water. Add 2 Tbsp white vinegar and 1 lemon cut into wedges.

Simmer for 4-6 hours. Strain into a large bowl. Cool and/or refrigerate. Skim most fat from top of stock.

Return the stock to the washed soup pot. Add carrots, celery, bay leaves, and turkey. Season with sea salt and pepper. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add oregano. Continue to cook until broth reaches desired depth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add juice and zest from half of second lemon, parsley and rice. Add more lemon and zest to taste. Remove from heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Allow to cool slightly before ladling into bowls and serving.

*This post was graciously featured in the December 2010 issue of Plant Healer Magazine, a journal of traditional Western Herbalism.

Garlic Planting

Send out your autumn roots little cloves.

Anchor yourselves and slumber deep

like a stealthy fleet on quiet seas.

When your bed warms in months to come,

shake off your dreamy cloak.

Stretch.

Reach.

Up.

Mercury Reaches High Levels in Fish and a List of Safest Choices

This article comes from John Douillard's (Ayurvedic physician and one of my acclaimed teachers in nutrition school) most recent news letter. View entire article by following this link.

Did you know that a recent US geological survey found mercury in every fish sampled from 300 small streams? Two-thirds of these fish exceeded safe consumption levels established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fish sampled from lakes and reservoirs had an even more appalling turnout: more than half exceeded acceptable mercury levels.

The mercury levels gave gotten so high that 15% of all newborns in the US have dangerous levels of mercury in their blood, putting them at risk for neurological defects, according to the EPA in February of 2004. In that same year the FDA put out a Public Health Advisory stating that women of reproductive age should not consume swordfish, shark, mackerel, or tilefish due to levels of mercury deemed unsafe for human consumption.

Article at a glance:

• Which fish are safe to eat?
• What should you do if you love to eat fish?
• What are the symptoms of mercury toxicity?
• How can you find out if you have mercury toxicity?
• Can mercury be cleaned out of the body?

Mercury in history
The term “Mad Hatter” was used to describe the behavior of hat-makers contaminated with mercury in the 19th century. At the time, a mercury solution was used in the curing of animal pelts. Poor ventilation meant the hatters were breathing in the fumes, and residues of this highly toxic metal accumulated in their bodies.

Mercury accumulates in the liver, kidneys, brain, and blood. Even very low levels can affect the development of a fetus or infant.* At high levels, it may cause kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and genetic damage.*

Where is it coming from?
Nowadays, coal mine clouds blanket most of the United States. Seeping from coal and oil-fired electric plants, their smoke infiltrates the air, as well as our streams, lakes and rivers. Thus, humans and other living beings are exposed to mercury through the air we breathe and the water we drink—it even laces the best organic foods. We really cannot avoid this exposure. Amalgams and vaccinations are also sources of mercury exposure that need to be evaluated. The major source of contamination for humans, however, is the consumption of mercury-laden fish and seafood.

Some statistics
Are you a sushi lover? In 2010 the New York Times tested 44 pieces of sushi: they found 8 pieces that exceeded the legal action limit set by the FDA of 1.0 parts per million (ppm)—meaning they were not safe for consumption. That same year, Gotmercury.org did an undercover survey of fish being sold in sushi bars, supermarkets and farmers’ markets. The results were unsettling:

• 1 in 3 fish purchased in supermarkets exceeded the legal action limit set by the FDA.
• Almost 20% of tuna sold in sushi bars were over the legal action limit.
  
• Almost 20% of all sushi sold was over the legal action limit.
• Out of 184 samples of fish taken, all had detectable levels of mercury averaging 0.5 ppm.

Mercury toxicity in humans

Symptoms of low-level mercury poisoning can include:

• Hair loss.*
• Memory loss.*
• Mental instability.*
• Compromised immunity.*
• Numbness in arms and legs.*
• Learning disabilities.*
• Central Nervous System Damage.*
• Reduced motor skills.*
• Depression, anxiety, and other psychological effects.*

How do you determine your mercury levels?
If you are an avid fish eater and have any of the symptoms mentioned above, get a blood test to confirm your mercury levels. Also, gotmercury.org has a mercury finder that can help determine your potential risk according to your fish consumption (note this is not an accurate alternative to a blood test). It is also a great website to learn about the impact of mercury on wildlife and the environment.

Can mercury be removed?
If you have mercury poisoning, stop eating fish! Studies show that once we stop eating fish the mercury levels in the blood come down on their own. But mercury has a proclivity to store in the fat cells and in the brain, liver, and kidneys. So while the blood might show reducing levels it may still be hiding out in the fat cells. Thus, it is important to help chelate this stored mercury out of the fat cells and out of the body.*

Chelation: the process of removing heavy metals from the bloodstream by means of a chelate: a food or nutritional agent that attaches and removes heavy metals from the body.*

The best food-based chelators for mercury and other toxic metals are garlic, cilantro, andchlorella*. If you insist on eating fish or are concerned about mercury toxicity, include these foods regularly in your diet.

• Garlic has been shown by researchers to be beneficial in the management of heavy metal toxicity—especially lead, cadmium, and mercury.*
• Cilantro suppresses the deposition of lead and appears to aid in removing mercury from aqueous solutions.*
  
• Chlorella is a green algae that has demonstrated the ability to uptake toxic metals and thereby decrease their re-absorption in the gut.*

Sometimes it is difficult to eat these foods consistently enough to reduce your heavy metal load. Oral chelators such as EDTA, DMSA, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) are effective natural chelators of heavy metals.*

Protect yourself and your family: A consumer guide to mercury levels in fish
The list below details the amount of various types of fish that a woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant can safely eat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. People with small children who want to use the list as a guide should reduce portion sizes. Adult men and women who are not planning to become pregnant are less at risk for mercury exposure but may wish to refer to the list for low-mercury options.

Protect Yourself… and the Fish!

Certain fish, even some that are low in mercury, are poor choices for other reasons, most often because they have been fished so extensively that their numbers are perilously low. These fish are marked with an asterisk.
This list applies to fish caught and sold commercially. For more information about fish you catch yourself, check for advisories in your state.

Least mercury—Enjoy these fish:

Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder**
Haddock (Atlantic)**
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)***
Salmon (Fresh)***
Sardine
Scallop**
Shad (American)
Shrimp**
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting

Moderate mercury—Eat six servings or less per month:
Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)**
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Atlantic)**
Halibut (Pacific)
Jacksmelt
Silverside
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish**
Perch (freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate**
Snapper**
Tuna (canned chunk light)
Tuna (Skipjack)**
Weakfish (Sea Trout)

High mercury—Eat three servings or less per month:
Bluefish
Grouper**
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)**
Tuna (canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellowfin)**

Highest mercury—Avoid Eating:
Mackerel (King)
Marlin**
Orange Roughy**
Shark**
Swordfish**
Tilefish**
Tuna
(Bigeye, Ahi)**

**Fish in trouble! These fish are perilously low in numbers or are caught using environmentally destructive methods. To learn more, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Blue Ocean Institute, both of which provide guides of fish to enjoy or avoid based on environmental factors.

***Farmed Salmon may contain PCB’s, chemicals with serious long-term health effects.

Sources
The data for this consumer guide comes from two federal agencies: the Food and Drug Administration, which tests fish for mercury—and the Environmental Protection Agency, which determines safety of mercury levels for women of childbearing age.

The consumer guide is categorized according to the following mercury levels in the flesh of tested fish:
Least mercury= Less than 0.09 parts per million.
Moderate mercury=From 0.09 to 0.29 parts per million.
High mercury=From 0.3 to 0.49 parts per million.
Highest mercury=More than .5 parts per million.

References
gotmercury.org
greenmediainfo.com
Sea Turtle Restoration Project: seaturtles.org
Natural Resources Defense Council: NRDC.org

Black Mountain Chocolate

In-laws can be tricky. (A brief pause for you to laugh at my over simplification on the matter).

Thankfully, my best friend was born to my mother two years before I came along. This is enough luck to be satisfied with. Yet the the sister-in-law gods have also smiled upon me. Out of all the prospective women swimming around on the planet, my brother and brother-in-law happened to find two of the finest among them.

My western dwelling sister-in-law has influenced these pages before with her savory corn pudding (now a household staple recipe). And my local inherited sibling is not only inventive in the kitchen, but knows how to bring a gal the perfect treat right when she could use it most. Within her town of Black Mountain, special things are taking place, namely: artisan chocolatiering. Thanks to her I was recently introduced to Black Mountain Chocolate and their perfectly executed dark chocolate bars (made with ancient tradition in mind, bean roasting and all) dusted with local Celtic sea salt. This is as good of a marriage as those which additionally brought such special women into my life.

I couldn't photograph the lovely bar in its entirety due to a chocolate-eating thief who quietly crept into my home and devoured most of it before I could snap a shot. I swear it wasn't me. But it's not the image on the bar I'm impressed with. Reading more about how the company was founded couldn't have been more of a surprise. Visit their homepage to learn how a private golf club manager from Charleston became master of the chocolate making trade.

In the meantime, do yourself a favor and gift some local chocolate to the fabulous women in your life. I guarantee such offerings to be well received.

Jerky Man

Look it's Davy Crockett! Oh no wait, that's just my brother in a coon skin cap. Okay, he hasn't donned the coon hat since childhood (that I know of), but he is inching mighty close to owning the title "King of the wild frontier." After recently killing, field dressing and butchering a few antelope, Ben discovered the art of jerky. I might say he's become obsessed. As with anything this raw and pure in its interconnection to survival based on the rugged offerings of mother nature, Ben has rekindled the primal delights of intimately knowing his food. And it hasn't stopped at antelope. He has since dry rubbed and cured thin slices of all types of wild flesh, including goose and turkey.

I was lucky enough to see him for a brief visit recently, and like a fine guest, he came bearing gifts in the form of dried and perfectly spiced wild game taken down with his own hands from the plentiful mountains of Colorado's remaining wilderness. I was proud and utterly impressed with his new found culinary arousal. The jerky is good. Real good. Presented with three types: antelope two ways and goose, I honestly cannot figure out which is my favorite. The antelope has a grassy undertone due to a strict diet of prairie grasses. The goose is dark in color and has a hint of iron. Delicious.

Rehydrating the strips with eager mouth juices reconnects us with kin of centuries past. This type of food sustained humans from the earliest times, and continues to do so today thanks to the efforts and unearthed passion of someone whom I am honored to call blood as we chew on tradition, food obsession and sense-of-place in each flavorful, leathery strip.

Ben enjoying a piece of his goose jerky

Napping babies like jerky too.

Ben talking about jerky and his smokehouse construction plans

The End.

Wild Alaskan Salmon

Those with a taste for wild salmon consider farm raised versions a gastronomic joke. This may be because it is. If you place a fillet pulled from brisk Alaskan waters next to a fat marbled farm raised version, it would be hard to visualize that the two are cut from the same biological cloth. In essence, they couldn't be more different.

Wild salmon swim free in cold ocean waters. Farm raised do not. A species meant for the wild is susceptible to various complications when taken out of its natural habitat. Farm raising salmon produces a fattier fish, one higher in the inflammatory omega-6 and lower in the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids than wild versions. Salmon farms are also responsible for breeding parasitic salmon lice which now threaten wild species. This requires farms to use antibiotics and chemicals to treat parasites which inevitably end up stored in the fish's fat. Oh, and there is the artificial pigment added to fish feed to turn farmed salmon pink. Without it, your farm raised fillet would be an appetizing shade of grey. I could go on and on. All of this unpleasantness on salmon aquaculture really is just a tiny glimpse of its un-sustainability.

As for the good news: Alaska is home to some of the healthiest wild salmon populations due to stringent conservation efforts. Even more good news: because of some burly, hard working bad-asses (please excuse my language, there is no substitute on this one), some of the freshest wild Alaskan salmon is available to me, here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

For a true salmon lover, this is pretty much as good as it gets. I didn't even come close to wetting a line, yet I have 1o pounds of bright pink, firm, highly flavorful fillets nestled in my chest freezer. And I got a discount for buying in bulk. This is money well spent. My dollars go straight to those who deserve it most (no greedy middle-man) and I gain a product far superior to any other version; nutritionally, environmentally, and gastronomically.

Last night, fillets were simply seared and served over freshly harvested mesculn topped with avocado, sesame oil and tamari. Honestly, meals like this do not get much better. I could taste the vigor unique only to wild flesh swaddled in the sweetness only the ocean can deliver. A sincere thanks to Captian Heidi and the crew for their hard work and integrity. Visit The Wild Salmon Company to read more and make an order before it's all gone.