Wild Edibles

The first days of spring bring the first signs of my favorite wild edibles. Even before the soil seems warm enough to support growth, shoots begin greening the landscape. Many of these, (even some weeds) are excellent wild edibles, from violet greens and chickweed, to daylily shoots and stinging nettle.
Read more about it my most recent article for the lovely Mountain Xpress, accompanied by my favorite original recipe using freshly foraged nettle. Dig in!

Spring Equinox

"Again she thought of a pear- 

not the everyday gritty kind

 that hung on the tree in the backyard,

 but the fine kind

 sold on trains and at high prices,

 each pear with a paper cone

 wrapping it alone-

 beautiful, 

symmetrical,

 clean pears

 with thin skins,

 with snow-white flesh,

 so juicy and tender

 that to eat one

 baptized the whole face...."

 -Eudora Welty, The Golden Apples (1949)

Excerpt printed as Food For Thought in April Issue of Saveur

Snacking, Downton Abbey, and Diabetes:

Downton Abbey has become a personal obsession for a handful of reasons; 1920's couture, news making its way by paper and ink and the art of conversation revisited.
I was struck a few episodes ago, not only by the absence of iphones and careless "status updates", but by the lack of snacking. During this time period, snacking virtually did not exist, with exception of a sit-down tea. There were no cliff bars, or bottles of coconut water tucked into every person's lapel. Mealtime was a sacred time, where one dressed in their finest before gathering around the table. (Perhaps not the peasants, but surely they washed up prior).

We have come so very far from this standard in merely a handful of decades. The reasons are obvious, and still mounting. Today, food has been belittled to little more than what will make us the most or least fat, broken down into calories and ingredients lists.  Why would we dress up for supper when most often it comes frozen from a box, and makes us feel like crap?
The fanfare is long gone. Doubtful many of us actually enjoy eating anymore, since so much of it is overshadowed by guilt and fear.

While waiting in line at my favorite local coffee shop, I overheard the barista telling his co-worker about a diet which consisted of eating small meals every two hours to ward off hunger. He said it worked well for his friend except when it came time to sleep, when the eating schedule posed issues. This is not only a highly dangerous way to eat (I will explain below) but it made me think of how silly such a concept would look 100 years ago. How would anyone get anything done if they had to stop and eat every two hours?
Or try explaining to your tribe leader that you prefer to eat continuously throughout the day rather than help hunt and gather because it just makes you feel better and keeps you from getting too hungry? Do you think the tribe would be happy to oblige? Most likely you would be offered to a pack of wolves.

Here is the science behind what's happening with our desire to graze rather than sit down to proper meals. As food has become less nutritive, and generally centered around simple carbs, it has indeed lost staying power between meals. The core issue concerns the very important role of the pancreas. It's job is to crank out insulin after consuming a meal or snack to balance blood sugar levels. This is a normal and crucial function. But, the pancreas can easily become overburdened if what we eat not only carries a hefty glycemic-load, but if we are causing it to regulate our blood-sugars each time we snack. A hunter-gather pancreas would be called upon a fraction of what it is today.

Look at it this way: We wake up, eat breakfast (the pancreas goes to work). Mid-morning our pop-tart has been completely burned up, so we succumb to the break-room doughnut box (another call on our pancreas). Lunch break rolls around and we have a sandwich (pancreas, again please). Mid-day we are feeling burnt-out and grab a double mocha from Starbucks (pancreas, could you give us a hand here). By the time we get home from work and crack open a beer or grab a handful of jelly-beans (you know the drill) our precious insulin-regulating organ has literally put in a full days work, and then some. This is even before dinner and dessert, minus the midnight snack.

This type of assault on insulin production is what makes us depend on each bite as fuel instead of burning stored fat, which burns cleaner and longer than what we get from continual snacking. This is also what sets us up for insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and then diabetes. If you feel desperately hungry just 2 hours after eating a meal, your pancreas has been working too hard. This means your body has already used up the meal you gave it 2 hours ago and is not functioning off of body fat.

The good news is that you can turn the ship around (if you don't wait) by resiting the urge to eat something in between meals by eating meals with a lower glycemic-load, and snacking on low-glycemic foods until you don't feel the need to snack between meals any longer. This will stabilize the peaking and crashing associated with modern day eating, and give your pancreas a much needed break. It will also help you maintain a healthy weight (excess insulin goes straight to the mid-section as stored fat), balance your energy (once you are burning body fat instead of sugar, you will feel calm and stable), and make you a much healthier individual.

The migration away from designated mealtime is not only a lost piece of our culture, it is deconstructing  our society's health. Snacking should not be treated so casually if we are concerned about such issues. Snacking is so prevalent because convenience foods are highly profitable and promoted heavily by the food industry. Who knew devaluing sacred habits would be such a money maker? Yes, even the health food industry gains. I guarantee you, you do not need that Kind bar in your purse.

The bottom line is, three meals a day is plenty of food for an adult human. We are of the intelligence caliber to eat food with high nutritive density. Grazers such as cows and sheep must eat grass all day long to gain the quantity of nutrition they need for proper function (mainly to maintain body-mass, not reach neurological heights). Most of us would function poorly on grass without a few more stomachs to help improve it's quality and with less of a demand for advanced neurological fitness specific to the human species.
In summation, enjoy your food and resist the urge to eat like cows and sheep by resuming the tradition of sitting down for a real meal (with our without your jewels and silks). The table is a place of divine happenings.

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Few sides are more dear than a heap of mashed potatoes, with a happy little well of butter or gravy. But mashed potatoes air on the side of playing it safe. Few would protest their appearance on the dinner plate, but why not add an element of surprise?
When my folks tried the Adikns diet (way back when), I remember scoffing at my mother's replacement of the beloved mashed spud with a whipped cauliflower version. A pro at eye rolling back then, I gave this side dish my best display. Who was she trying to fool?
Had she sensed even a hint of how much I actually enjoyed the dish, I would have been mortified, promising myself I would take my secret approval to the grave before admitting I was wrong.
Well, here I am admitting I was wrong (it was the one and only time in all my teen years).
Mashed cauliflower has actually become one of my favorite winter side dishes. Its sweet nuttiness goes well with a creamy binder (Greek yogurt) and pungent garlic. And it will even hold up against a butter-well.
This is not to knock potatoes, rather an invitation to add more diversity to standard tendencies.
White vegetables are very important for many reasons, and often under-enjoyed.
Dr. Adkins allows cauliflower to replace potatoes simply because cauliflower is extremely low in carbohydrates, suitable for his low-carb diet theory and for those with diabetes. Cauliflower has more going for it than this. It contains cancer fighting phyto-chemicals including sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. Vitamins and minerals include: B1, B5, B6, B3, C, and K; manganese, copper, iron, potassium, and calcium. And members of the Brassica family contain DIM (Di-indolyl-methane) which has been known as an anit-bacterial/anti-viral compound, boosting immunity.
If this isn't enough reason to try it, how bout it just tastes real good, and we'll leave it at that?

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower: (makes 4 side servings)
*1 large cauliflower head, core removed and cut into large florets
*4 tablespoons whole Greek yogurt or sour cream
*4 tablespoons quality unsalted butter
*1 small garlic clove, peeled
*sea salt
*black pepper

Fill a medium saucepan or pot 2/3 with cool water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add cauliflower. Reduce heat to a gentle boil. Cook until cauliflower is tender when periced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain water and return to same pot.
Add the yogurt, butter and garlic pressed through a garlic press. Whip with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve while hot.

Alaskan Salmon Avocado Cups

We've surfed through the holidays on a buttery cookie and eggnog swell, coasted through the new year with champagne and who knows what other debauchery, only to arrive in the cold, stark month of February, forced to eat chocolate roses from behind a mountain of romantic bubble bath, hoping to conceal our blossoming muffin tops. The white flag is waving. Peace....please. 

The vitality of wild Alaskan salmon, blended with Greek yogurt and crunchy celery nestles into the welcoming well of halved avocado. May our former trespasses be forgiven. Onward friends!

Alaskan Salmon Avocado Cups:

*3 6oz wild caught salmon fillets (otherwise 3 fillets about the size of your palm)

*3 celery stalks, leaves included, finely chopped

*1/2 cup whole Greek yogurt

*1/4 cup high quality mayonnaise

*2 tablespoons grainy mustard

*2 scallions, chopped (optional)

*sea salt 

*fresh ground black pepper

*3 avocados, halved lengthwise and pitted

Rinse salmon fillets. Place on a baking sheet and broil until just cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Flake salmon from its skin and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped celery, Greek yogurt, mayo, and mustard. Blend with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Add additional yogurt if needed to desired consistency. Add scallions, sea salt and black pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. 

Scoop salmon mixture into the center of avocado halves. Garnish with any remaining scallion greens or chopped parsley. Serve with spoons.


*Check out KidChef's crab stuffed avocados.

Wild Sockeye and a Recipe for Gravlox

*This article appeared in print a couple weeks ago for the Citizen Times. I have been fortunate enough to dine on Heidi and Steve's wild caught sockeye for a few years now, and relish the opportunity to write about it. Check out the recipe for homemade gravlox following the story.* 

For most people, summertime is filled with relaxing beach vacations and sips of lemonade in the shade. But for Heidi Dunlap and Steve Maher of Asheville’s Wild Salmon Co., it’s the busiest time of year, when millions of wild sockeye salmon return to Bristol Bay, Alaska, to spawn.

Bristol Bay has been a biologist-monitored fishery since 1940. There, a fixed number of fishing licenses are allotted to secure the health of future salmon populations and prevent over-fishing.

Dunlap began fishing there at age 6, receiving one of the limited licenses as a gift from her fisherman father at 16. She’s been traveling from her home in Asheville to fish Bristol Bay waters ever since. She and her partner Steve have not missed a season in 19 years.

Though it would be tempting to fantasize about life as a professional fisher, this career is nothing short of burly. The hours are long, and conditions are often dangerous and far from glamorous.

Catching the fish is not the end of the journey either. Preserving the catch is a tedious, time-sensitive task.

Despite this, I have never run across such beautifully packaged sockeye — deep red fillets nestled in pairs, expertly sealed and ready for the table. Taking well to marinades or applewood smoke, or unseasoned on its own, each bite of their wild sockeye is sheer pleasure.

My Uncle John, a geologist and global climate-change expert (and also an avid fly fisherman), has spent generous time all over the world catching and eating fresh fish. We served sockeye from The Wild Salmon Co. during his stay and received his educated approval.

In contrast, farm-raised salmon, with its artificially colored flesh and unnatural marbling, is a decoy for the gastronomic experience salmon was intended to be. Wild salmon has the benefit of tasting wild: firm fleshed from a life lived with vigor, deeply hued and kissed by the cold, briny water it was pulled from.

Salmon aquaculture pales greatly in comparison, while putting wild populations at risk, introducing disease and chemicals to fragile ecosystems.Whether it’s eating responsibly or simply a matter of taste, Heidi and Steve keep their clientele from choosing between the two. With their help, those on dry land receive the opportunity to partake in a tradition as old as time, and to fully understand why it’s worth going wild.

HEIDI'S GRAVLAX

1 lb. center-cut sockeye fillet.
1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1 heaping tablespoon sugar
Fresh-ground pepper
1 tablespoon of dry gin or tequila (optional)
Fresh dill sprigs

Place thawed salmon fillet, flesh side up, in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Mix salt, sugar, black pepper and tequila together a small bowl. Rub evenly into salmon. Top with dill.

Wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic wrap. Wrap filet again with a second sheet of plastic wrap.

Place wrapped and seasoned fillet on a plate, then place another plate on top and weight with two cans. Place in refrigerator. Flip every 12 hours and cure for 2-3 days.

Remove fillet from wrapping, discard dill and rinse entire fillet. Pat dry with paper towels.

Slice the gravlax thinly with very sharp knife with the grain of the belly. Serve with crostini (toasted french bread), cream cheese and fresh dill.

Leg of Lamb with Apricots and Rosemary

Just now getting around to posting this, which would have been a clever idea pre-holidays, but it was a whirlwind this year with the blessing of visiting family while also recovering from a nasty bout of bronchitis.
The good news is, leg of lamb is actually super simple, makes excellent leftovers, and can stand in on any weekend or weeknight as a memorable meal. The following article accompanied this recipe specially written for the Asheville Citizen Times. They have been generous to publish my ramblings on food and the memories which ultimately tag along for the ride.
May your new year be filled with such moments, gathered around your table with pleasant fare before you, and most importantly, with peace and contentment in your hearts! Happy New Year!

Beef: It’s what’s for dinner. Sound familiar? More importantly, taste familiar?

While I rank a grass-fed burger among some of the better pleasures in life, I adore lamb. Not only has lamb dodged a government-funded slogan, demanding attention without a campaign, it takes mealtime to greater heights without any more effort than ordinary chicken or beef.

Although many cultures enjoy lamb on a daily basis, skewered and rubbed with spices or roasted in earthen ovens and served as street food, it remains on the fringe of public discovery here in the United States — though it sometimes makes an appearance during holidays and special occasions.

It’s partially a matter of geography: Countries with less land devoted to large-scale cattle ranching benefit from lamb’s lighter agricultural footprint. But here in the U.S., beef is king.

Regardless, meatloaf is strictly of the lamb variety at our house, as is stew. Until I became acquainted with East Fork Farm and its beautifully raised lamb, that wasn’t always the case. Since visiting the farm and acquiring a taste for the earthy, fragrant meat, lamb has become a staple in my kitchen.

My grandfather, Dr. Cort, a prestigious yet down-to-earth man who never wasted words, maintained a few strict traditions. In his Florida home, where he graciously hosted our family’s holiday gatherings, bloody Marys were mixed with militant execution, by him and only him, to our numerous (and thirsty) crowd. Grapefruit halves were served each morning, carefully sectioned and drizzled with honey.

And Christmas supper was always leg of lamb with mint jelly.

In the naivety of my youth, I often refused my serving of lamb, too intimidated by the unfamiliarity of the dish. As an adult, I look back on those Christmas dinners with a new appreciation.

My grandfather was not only providing his family with nourishment, but between the tender bites of roasted lamb, he was creating an invisible yoke around each of us, tethering our lives together in the name of tradition.His leg of lamb was a symbol of the legacy he left behind.

Although my extended family has not gathered the way we once did when he was still alive, of all the gifts I’ve received over the years, I remember none of them better than his.

Here’s my adaptation of the classic leg of lamb, updated with apricots and fresh herbs.

Roasted leg of lamb with apricots and rosemary
1 leg of lamb or lamb shoulder
kosher salt
black pepper
2-3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 onion, cut in half and sliced lengthwise
1 cup dried apricots
3/4 cup water or dry red wine
Preheat oven to 450. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with parchment.
Rinse lamb, and pat dry with paper towels. Place in baking dish. Season on all sides with salt and black pepper. Rub with rosemary. Add onion and apricots to baking dish, surrounding the lamb. Add water or wine. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350. Roast until a meat thermometer reads approximately 140 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours. (Roasting times will vary depending on the thickness of the lamb.)
Transfer to a serving platter. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Spoon apricots and onions over lamb, and serve.