Beet and lemon zest hummus

Let's face it - hummus is an easy crowd pleaser. It's vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and dip-able, so ever since it's widespread usage in the U.S. you'll be hard pressed to find a party table absent of the chickpea-tahini spread. Variations on hummus, while not as common, are similarly appreciated and, with its bright eye-catching presence, this variation brings the party (my kind of party). The flavor is similar to classic hummus, but lighter and brighter with the beet and lemon zest. A more classic Middle Eastern take on this spread, lebna bil schwendr, includes yogurt and beet instead of chickpeas and tahini. Serve with crudités, crackers, toasted pita, or as a sandwich spread. Makes 2 cups.

• 1 large or 2 small beets, about 4 ounces, scrubbed clean

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas

• Zest of one lemon, about 1 tablespoon

• Juice of one lemons, 2-3 tablespoons

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Up to 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1-3 tablespoon(s) water

• Fresh ground black pepper to taste (optional)

1. Cut tops off beets and place into a small saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Slide skin off of beets while cooling under cold running water. Chop and add to food processor. 

2. Add chickpeas, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Blend until smooth. Drizzle in more olive oil and water until desired consistency is reached. Incorporate black pepper to taste. Hummus will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

There are many ways to eat this hummus!

Seared onigiri (Japanese rice balls) with pickled plum

The beginnings of umeboshi made from wild California plums.

Last year I was diligent enough to get my hands on some wild plums and turn them into a California-inspired version of umeboshi, the umami-rich pickled plum condiment from Japan. You can find more about umeboshi and how I made it here, but the most important piece of information in this blog post is that as a result of my making umeboshi, I might be invited on an - I kid you not - Japanese game show. "Who Wants to Come to Japan" is a show that essentially, sends people who are interested in a particular aspect of Japanese culture and have never been to Japan and films their experience. They came across my umeboshi post and reached out to me about being a contestant. Naturally, I jumped at this opportunity. I have never been to Japan and have always wanted to go to explore Japanese foodways and the culture in general. Given it's a Japanese game show, there's definitely a high probability of ridiculousness and, although I may be the brunt of the ridicule, YOLO amiright? 

Sometimes you need a little extra umeboshi paste.

So - to honor this momentous occasion (they're visiting tomorrow!) I decided to finally get around to posting my method for umeboshi onigiri, or rice balls stuffed with umeboshi paste - a delicious way to use up leftover rice! I like to sear my onigiri (technically yaki-onigiri), kind in the same vein as aracini, if you've ever had the Italian fried rice ball appetizer, but pan-seared instead of fried.

This recipe, in combination with other umeboshi dishes including asparagus with wild onion and umami and simply a corn-butter-umeboshi sauté, are so good that I am almost out of my umeboshi supply and sadly, didn't get around to pickling any this year. I guess I'll just have to savor what I have left!

The below recipe makes about 8 small onigiri and can be expanded as needed.

• 2 cups cooked short-grained rice (preferably sticky rice), cooled* - great way to use up your leftovers! Especially delicious is using leftover coconut rice either from a restaurant or made at home (cook rice with half water/half coconut milk). 

• 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds or furikake flakes (Japanese seasoning mix) 

• Sea salt

• 4 pickled plums (umeboshi), pitted and diced or smashed into a paste

• Grapeseed oil, for searing

• Soy or tamari sauce, optional (above photo was plain onigiri with umeboshi paste on the side)

1. In medium bowl, stir sesame seeds or furikake flakes into sticky rice to combine.

2. Wet hands lightly with water then spread a pinch of salt across your palms. Scoop 2 tablespoons of rice mixture from bowl and gently squeeze into ball. Flatten ball then form a well in the center. Add about 1/2 teaspoon umeboshi paste to well, then fold edges of rice over paste to cover. 

3. Gently squeeze into ball then flatten again. Continue process with more rice and umeboshi until rice is gone.

4. Lightly oil a cast iron pan and heat on medium-high. Once oil is hot, add onigiri and sear until lightly brown, about 1-2 minutes on each side. 

5. Serve with optional soy or tamari sauce (though you probably won't need it!)

*If rice isn't originally sticky and/or not sticky enough, you can make it "stickier" (technically, to be sticky rice, it must be a certain variety of rice that's high in a certain time of pasty starch) by heating pre-cooked rice on medium-low with 1-2 tablespoons water for about 5 minutes or until sticky, stirring occasionally. Here's a recipe for sticky rice, but I just cook rice as I always do then make it stickier after with this method.

Lebna bil Kusa (summery squash & cumin spread)

Hummus is the "king (or queen) of spreads", but lebna bil kusa makes a great princess!

I love me some hummus and it has been heartening to know that I am not alone in my enthusiasm - when you see a Super Bowl ad featuring a food, you know that it has truly been adopted by America. This love affair with hummus in the U.S. is so passionate that I even use it as a case study for examining the biocultural factors contributing to cuisine in one of the courses I teach at UC Berkeley. Hummus adheres to many current food trends - among other things, it's plant-based, Mediterranean, healthy, and snackable and, as this Wall Street Journal article discusses, demand has grown to the point that you'd be unlikely to attend any kind of potluck without finding some sort of hummus on the table. Many of the store-bought hummuses you'll find at a potluck however, are made from dried and powdered garbanzo beans, which are incredibly subpar in my opinion (though powdered hummus is great for backpacking). But, I digress - this post is supposed to be about another spread and I promise I'm getting there!

Typically, I'm a hummus purest. Give me a blend of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon, and salt and I am happy (please don't put garlic in my hummus). I worked for many years off-and-on at an "eclectic Mediterranean" restaurant in Berkeley that is now, sadly, closed. The owners are a husband and wife team, good friends of mine, and most of my Mediterranean cooking skillz I credit to the Iraqi husband. In addition to teaching me to not put garlic in hummus, he showed me that although hummus is still the king of spreads, there are some other contenders that give it a run for its money.

Lebna bill kusa (in Arabic, lebna means "yogurt" and kusa means "squash") is one of those contenders. As it's made with yellow squash, which is only available in summer months, one of the great things about LbK is that it is always a seasonal treat. As a side note, did you know that the straight yellow summer squash is also called "gold bar squash"? Pretty cool and appropriate. The yogurt in LbK nixes it from the list of dishes you can share with your vegan homies, but by upping the tahini/olive oil and adding some lemon juice you can make a vegan version that's almost - but not quite - as good. The recipe specifies a range of quantities because whenever I make it I just kind of mix and match until the consistency and flavor is to my liking. Feel free to add other herbs and spices as desired or make it as thick/thin as you like it! Zucchini would also work, but the color would not be as appealing. Makes about 2 cups.

Yellow summer squash (aka "gold bar squash" shown here) gives lebna bil kusa its bright hue.

• 1.5 pounds summer squash (about 3 medium "gold bar" squash or 4-6 pattypan or crookneck), chopped

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1-2 tablespoons tahini

• 1-2 tablespoons plain yogurt

• 1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

• Salt, to taste

Rustic bread or crackers from whole grains or crisp raw vegetables are a great way to dip up this spread.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. On a baking sheet, toss diced squash with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until soft and golden brown, tossing halfway through.

3. Using either a food processor or potato masher (food processor if you like your spreads to be smoother, potato masher for chunkier), blend squash with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon tahini, and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Continue adding more of these wet ingredients in small amounts in addition to cumin and salt until you have reached the desired texture and taste. 

4. Serve immediately with crackers, bread, or raw vegetables or store in refrigerator for up to one week. Garnish with paprika, herbs, and drizzled olive oil if desired. 

Turmeric-Spiced Cauliflower Couscous

I'll admit I was a skeptic when cauliflower rice came on the scene - it often feels unnecessary to mess with a good thing and I am certainly not "carbaphobic". As much as I love cauliflower (and I do love it so), even I'll admit I can overdo it with cruciferous vegetables occasionally (ever tried kohlrabi ice cream? definite skippable). I am, however, a big fan of deliciousness and vegetables and when these worlds collide my meal is complete, which is exactly what happens when cauliflower is pulverized into small bits, seasoned well, and served as a grain. In this case, I call it couscous because the flavoring is in the "couscous genre", one could easily call it rice, as it's the same process. Apart from being delicious and satisfyingly high fiber and phytonutrients, what's great about making cauliflower into a grain is that you don't even need the whole floret. If you have leftover cauliflower stems from another dish they can easily be tossed into the food processor and turned into rice!

Stems and cores can be used in addition to or in place of florets.

This recipe calls for heating the cauliflower after pulsing in the food processor, but it can also be served raw for a crunchier texture and application, such as chilled cauliflower tabouli salad. Additionally, although the flavor and color of turmeric is hard to ignore, cauliflower rice or couscous is also nice simply seasoned if paired with a dish that is flavorful, such as slow cooked spicy garbanzo beans or an eggplant tagine. When it comes down to it, cauliflower rice/couscous is incredibly versatile similar to...regular rice or couscous! Serves 4.

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds, stems and/or florets can be used)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 teaspoons turmeric

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup currants (optional)

• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Process cauliflower until it resembles grain.

1. Cut and/or pull apart cauliflower into large florets and chop core/stem into smaller pieces. If you have leftover cauliflower core/stems from another application, they can be pulverized and used as well.

2. Using a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until broken down into couscous-sized pieces, processing in two batches if needed. As cauliflower is processed, remove any large pieces that are not broken down, set them aside, and pulse separately. If you do not have a food processor, you can grate the cauliflower into couscous-sized pieces using the large holes on a box grater.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet with a lid on medium heat*. Stir in cauliflower, cover, and cook for 6-7 minutes, until desired softness is reached, stirring occasionally. Add turmeric, salt, and optional currants then stir to combine. Serve hot garnished with pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley.

Delicious reinvented side dish or main when paired with sautéed garbanzo beans or grilled lamb.

Plum-Rosemary Jam and Spiced Chutney

Preserves are a great way to preserve!

There are times that I especially appreciate how fortunate I am to live in California. Plum season is one of those times. During the months of June, July, and sometimes August, many neighborhoods in the Bay Area are literally dripping with plums. These plums are often there for anyone willing to put in the effort, as many plum tree owners can't seem to keep up with the production. While the small and tart wild plums that you can find in many parks and urban environments are lovely (especially for California wild plum umeboshi, recipe coming soon!), the Santa Rosa plums that are much-loved cultivated variety in the area are pretty ethereal. They are sweeter, but not cloyingly so, with beautiful flesh and an almost rose-like scent. When my neighbors told me that they had more of these plums than they could handle and told me to take as many as I could I knew I hit the plum jackpot. Low hanging fruit for sure! 

I gotta lotta neighbors with a lotta unused plums. 

There are many ways to enjoy plums like use them in place of apricots in this ginger almond galette or simply eat them fresh and let the juices run down your chin, but if you're in need of putting up (isn't that a great phrase?) a lot of them for later use, preserves (hence the name) are a classic way to go. When I have a bunch of fruit, I like to make both jams and chutneys because it's nice to have a classic jam for topping toasts and yogurt, filling pastries, and making cocktails, but chutney is great to have around for savory applications.  Serve it with blistered green beans or roast chicken eh, voilà! All of a sudden that ho-hum dish is exciting. The jam uses store-bought pectin - I used to only make my own pectin from citrus pith, but (although fun) it can be quite time consuming and the Pomona pectin is a faster way to success. The quantities and spices in both the jam and the chutney are adaptable to availability and preferences! 

Plum-Rosemary Jam

Makes about twelve, 8-ounce jars. Recipe adapted from Serious Eats. 

Glorious Santa Rosa plums.

• 6 pounds plums, pitted and chopped

• 2.25 pounds granulated sugar

• 1.5 Tbs Pomona's Universal pectin or other low-sugar pectin

• 2 Tbs calcium water (comes in pectin package)

• 2.25 ounces lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• 3 sprigs rosemary

1. Toss plums with sugar and pectin in large bowl. Cover, refrigerate overnight (optional - this may be helpful if you don't have time to make jam after picking fruit and want to save it until the next day).

2. Put two spoons in the freezer.

3. Heat in large pot on medium with calcium water, lemon juice, and rosemary sprigs, stirring frequently. Cook for 30 min - 1 hour, skimming off foam* and smashing to desired texture. An immersion blender can also be used to break down fruit, but rosemary sprigs should be removed before blending.

4. Check for doneness by putting jam on spoon and putting back in freezer for 2 minutes. When you run your finger through the jam on the spoon, it should leave a track and jam should cling to the spoon (rather than running off). The jam in the pot will also be a lot glossier/smooth.

5. While jam is cooking, wash and sterilize jars and rings by submerging under water and boiling for 10 minutes. Throw in the lids once they’ve boiled for 10min and turn off water.

6. Remove rosemary sprigs and fill jars, leaving 1/2 -inch headspace. Screw on rings loosely, submerge again in water for another 10 minutes to seal.

7. Store at room temperature. Jam is good for up to 1 year.

*The foam is tasty and has a cool texture, kind of like meringue! Next time I do this, I want to blend into egg white foam and see if it will set up into a cookie, but is great and fun on desserts regardless.

The flesh is yellow in color and the taste tart-sweet. Cut around the pit, as it does not fall out willingly. 

Spiced Plum Chutney

Makes about four, 8-ounce jars. Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver (with a lot more kick added!)

• 2.2 pounds plums, pitted and chopped

• 4 shallots, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed or vegetable)

• 3 fresh bay leaves

• 7 cloves

• 9 allspice seeds

• 1 tablespoon black or yellow mustard seeds

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional - this amount is pretty spicy)

• 1-3/4 cups brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons grated ginger

• Zest from 1 large orange

• Juice from 1 large orange

• 300ml cider vinegar or 200ml red wine + 100ml water

• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt

1. Cook shallots in oil on low until golden.

2. Add bay leaves and all spices except for ginger and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Stir in plums. Add sugar, ginger, and orange zest. Squeeze juice from orange into measuring cup, top off with cider vinegar or vinegar/water combination until it reaches 450ml. Add this to plums and bring to a boil. Simmer until thick about 30 minutes - 1 hour. Salt to taste. 

4. While chutney is cooking, wash and sterilize jars and rings by submerging under water and boiling for 10 minutes. Throw in the lids once they’ve boiled for 10min and turn off water.

5. Remove bay leaves and as many allspice seeds as you can and fill jars, leaving 1/2 -inch headspace. Screw on rings loosely, submerge again in water for another 10 minutes to seal.

6. Store at room temperature. Chutney is good for up to 1 year.

To label jam, I use old paper grocery bags - just trace the outside of a ring, cut out a circle slightly smaller than the outer edge, and then screw on top of the lid. 

Phases of plum.

Elder Almond Pound Cake

This nutty loaf cake uses both elderflower cordial and elderberries for the complete elder experience. Cordial can be substituted for any sweet syrup and elderberries for other berries, if you only happen to have one of the gifts from the elder tree on hand. The time for harvesting elderflower in the Bay Area is May through June/July and elderberry season is July through September. See related the Regal Elderlflower article for information on the elder tree and harvesting elderflower - more information on harvesting elderberries will be available soon as July approaches! Serves 8.

Elderflower

Harvest May - July.

Elderberry

Harvest July - September.

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 4 eggs

• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

• 6 tablespoons elderflower cordial (see Edible East Bay Summer 2016 issue for recipe or use St.Germaine or any other sweet syrup), divided

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup almond meal

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups fresh elderberries, washed and dried (may be previously frozen, can use other berries if needed)

• 1 cup whipped cream or crème fraîche (optional)

The line of elderberries in this pound cake is delicious as it is visually appealing.

Grease one 9 by 5-inch loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and granulated sugar until they are light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then incorporate the yogurt and 3 tablespoons of the elderflower cordial.

Wait for a golden crust and clean toothpick.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt and slowly whisk this into the wet mixture until incorporated. Pour half of the batter into the greased loaf pan(s). Toss elderberries with remaining 3 tablespoons elderflower cordial and spread evenly over the batter in the loaf pan(s), followed by the remaining batter. Bake for 1 hour or 30 minutes if using the mini loaf pans. Cake is done when top reaches a golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Remove cake(s) from loaf pan(s), slice into pieces to reveal berry layer, and serve with optional whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Mini loaf pans or a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan can be used. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche (optional).

Shaved Zucchini Salad With Parmesan and Toasted Pine Nuts

I never appreciated raw zucchini until I tried this salad. It was 2008 in Italy at the Terra Madre conference where I was fortunate enough to attend as a delegate. Before that fortuitous encounter, I believe undercooked zucchini to be a missed opportunity relegated to steam tables at low-budget buffets alongside poorly done chicken parmesan. However, slicing zucchini squash into delicate slivers, tossing with a fresh lemon-olive oil dressing, and pairing with toasted pine nuts and parmesan (as is done in this salad) totally transforms the texture and flavor to be something purely delightful. The other great thing about this salad? It's incredibly quick to make, requires ingredients you are likely to already have around, and is the perfect addition to a summer dinner washed down with rose. Below recipe serves 4, but can easily be adapted to more or less people. 

• 2 large zucchini (or summer squash)

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 ounce pine nuts

• 1 ounce parmesan

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Using a mandolin, shave zucchini into thin rounds or thing long slices*.

2. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Toss zucchini in dressing and add more salt/pepper to taste.

3. Toast pine nuts in a cast iron pan on medium high for about 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until golden brown.

4. Top zucchini with pine nuts, grated parmesan, and parsley.

5. Serve at room temperature.

Delicate rings of raw zucchini to eat by the forkful. 

Radish Greens Chimichurri

Do you have "radish greens remorse" every time you toss out delicious looking radish tops? Good news - it doesn't have to be this way! The green leafy tops of radishes and many other vegetables such as turnips, beets, and daikon are perfectly edible and delicious. You can use them as you would other green leafy vegetables, though radish greens in particular can be a little fuzzy and benefit from a bit of processing such as chopping, blending, sautéing, or the addition of an acid. 

Eating "root to leaves" with sliced radish, avocado, and radish greens chimichurri rye toast.

There are a lot of different words for somewhat similar green sauces: chimichurri, salsa verde, gremolata, chermoula... and at first I deliberated over what to call this particular green sauce. I settled on "chimichurri", as it has a similar combination of vinegar, garlic, and green that you find in traditional chimichurri, just with radish tops in place of parsley and oregano. This sauce can be made with pretty much any edible green that would otherwise be discarded, even wild greens such as dandelion or plantain! It can also be adapted in numerous ways - try adding cilantro or tarragon for more bright herbaceous notes or increase the garlic if that's your jam. The sauce works great on almost anything from grilled vegetables and meat to white beans or breakfast tacos. Really, every time I make it, I end up adding it to all my meals for a few days. You can also eat "root to leaves" by topping a sliced radish and avocado rye toast with a drizzle! Recipe makes 2/3 cup.

Don't toss those beautiful radish greens!

• 2-3 (loosely packed) cups chopped radish greens, washed

• 1 medium shallot bulb, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• Pinch salt

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Heat about 1/2 cup water in small saucepan until simmering. Add radish greens, toss to coat, and cook until softened and dark green (about 30 seconds).

2. Remove greens and squeeze out excess water. Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend greens with shallots, garlic, rice vinegar, salt, and olive oil until combined, but still coarse. Drain excess liquid if needed and keep chilled up to 4 days until use.

Chicken & greens Saltimbocca with Brandied Cherries & sage

Brandied cherries are a great complement to the savory chicken and prosciutto.

I have to admit that pounding boneless, skinless chicken breast into a thin sheet and rolling it up with other ingredients isn't something I would have come up with on my own. In fact, I pretty much never buy boneless, skinless chicken breast because it seems like a waste of flavor and texture, but this "transformed saltimbocca" (saltimbocca is traditionally made with veal and prosciutto, rather than chicken and prosciutto) is a great way to rethink chicken dinner and the ingredient combinations are endless. In this version, I used house brandied cherries (so fun to incorporate them into something savory!), spinach, and sage, but other possibilities that have come to mind include: Mashed butternut squash + black olive, gruyere + thyme, parsley + coriander + lemon zest, or even tatsoi + sesame + miso - as you can see, really endless possibilities! A little bit of sweet is nice in any combination, as it pairs nicely with the savory qualities of the chicken and prosciutto. Although the preparation may seem complicated, once you get the hang of it, it's really simple and the actually cooking time is very quick. Below recipe makes 2 generous portions or 4 smaller portions. 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4-8 thin slices of prosciutto (depending on size, see below)

• About 20 fresh sage leaves, divided

• 1.5 cups fresh spinach

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 3/4 cup chicken broth

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 3 tablespoons brandied cherry juice

• 4-8 brandied cherries (2 per serving)

Chicken cutlets layered with prosciutto, sage, and spinach before rolling up.

A meal of chicken brandied cherry saltimbocca, broccolini, and of course, wine.

1. Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 pieces and pound using a meat pounder or rolling pin to evenly flatten - pieces should be about 1/4-inch thick. If using a rolling pin, cover chicken with plastic wrap before rolling to prevent cross-contamination. 

2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and ground pepper and lay one slice of prosciutto on each piece of chicken (use more than one piece of prosciutto to cover chicken if needed) followed by 3 leaves of sage per chicken cutlet. Reserve remaining sage leaves.

3. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and briefly toss spinach with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of water. Cook just to wilt, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and chop. Arrange spinach in an even layer over the prosciutto slices. 

4. Beginning at the tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet like you’re rolling up a cinnamon roll. Secure with a toothpick.

5. Chop 4 of the remaining sage leaves. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven or deep skillet on high heat. Cook the chopped sage and chicken rolls until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and wine and scrape browned bits off bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Bring liquid to a boil then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

6. Transfer chicken to a platter and remove toothpicks. Continue simmering cooking liquid with 3 tablespoon brandied cherry juice over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup, or 5-7 minutes then toss in brandied cherries. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over the chicken. Serve on top of polenta or other starch with sage leaves and brandied cherries as garnish.

Polenta pairs well with saltimbocca because its soft, simple nature.

Classic Elderflower Cordial & Elderflower berry birthday cake

Any search for the culinary uses of elderflower will pull up elderflower cordial. By cooking the flower head in what is essentially a diluted simple syrup, you can pretty easily preserve its fragrance for future use. Which is great, because elderflower is an amazing, special plant that deserves to be savored. The most common way to enjoy elderflower cordial is by using it in cocktails (gin, elderflower, and lemon, is a tasty simple classic) or adding a bit to sparkling wine or even sparkling water for a nice kid-friendly afternoon refreshment. I also love drizzling elderflower cordial over any dessert for a quick and easy way to make that dessert oh-so-special (such as for my huckleberry-elderflower birthday cake below).

Elderflower cordial: Makes about 1 liter.

• 20 medium elderflower heads (about 2-3'' across)

• Grated zest of 2 lemons

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 4 cups water

• 3.5 cups sugar

• Note: Some recipes call for citric acid (about 1 teaspoon for this batch), which helps the cordial keep for longer.

Infusing water with elderflower essence.

Inspect the elderflower heads carefully and remove any insects. Remove flowers from most of stems (especially the large ones), wash by quickly submerging in cold water, and drain. Place the flower heads in a large bowl together with the lemon zest.

Bring water to the boil and pour over the elderflowers and citrus zest. Cover and leave overnight to infuse.

Strain the liquid through cheesecloth and pour into a saucepan. Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Use a funnel to pour the hot syrup into sterilized bottles and seal with a sterilized cap or cork. Bottles can be sterilized by washing with soapy water then plunging into boiling water for 5 minutes and allowing to air dry.

Allow to cool then store in the refrigerator or freezer. Cordial will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks and in the freezer for 1 year. I like to freeze the cordial in smaller batches so I can use it as needed.

Elderflower-Mulberry Birthday Cake: Serves 12.

Bottom half of the cake has been drizzled with cordial and is about to be spread with tart whipped cream.

For my birthday last weekend, I had an inkling to make a cake infused with elderflower cordial, but had a hard time deciding exactly what else to include - apricots and almonds? loquats and honey? lemon and poppyseed? Spring is a fun time to daydream about desserts! While walking through my surprisingly abundant neighborhood however, I was lucky enough to stumble upon some mulberries, which helped to complete my vision. My birthday party was a campout and the cake held up nicely for several hours, even though I was impatient and made the tart whipped cream earlier than necessary:) My photos do not show the final spread of whipped cream on the top, as it was too dark for photos when I added this piece.

• 1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 4 eggs

• 2 tablespoons yogurt

• 3 tablespoons plus up to 3/4 cup elderflower cordial

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup almond meal

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups fresh mulberries, washed and dried

• 3/4 cup whipping cream

• 1/2 cup crème fraîche

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease a 9-inch springform pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a mixer until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then incorporate the yogurt and 3 tablespoons of the elderflower cordial.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt and slowly whisk this into the wet mixture in 3 batches. Once its fully incorporated, pour half of the batter into the greased springform pan, then spread mulberries evenly over the top, followed by remaining batter and bake for 1 hour. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

While cake is baking, beat whipping cream until almost stiff, continue beating as you add in 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla and then lightly whisk in crème fraîche.

The gorgeous mulberry layer is revealed!

Once cake has cooled, cut in half to make two layers using a large serrated knife. You should be cutting right through the berry layer and at this point, you will be able to see all of the beautiful mulberries hiding inside. 

Drizzle up to 1/4 cup of elderflower over the bottom layer and top with half of the tart whipped cream, followed by the other half of the cake. Drizzle up to another 1/4 cup of elderflower (for both of these, it depends on how sweet/moist/elderflowery you want the cake) and spread the other half of the whipped cream over the top. Top with a sprinkling of fresh elderflowers if you have them and drizzle each piece of cake with a little more elderflower cordial before eating.  

This version is before the addition of the final tart whipped cream layer.

The Regal Elderflower

Processing elderflower for fermented cordial with the Nordic Food Lab crew. We were all covered in pollen after this flower-plucking session! Species of elder likely Sambucus nigra.

There's something truly special about the elder, or Sambucus, plant and I've always felt a special connection to it. Not only does it proclaim to the world that summer is approaching and provide culinary and medicinal benefits, but it also somehow manages to be both utterly wild and elegantly refined at the same time. The plant is likely called "elder" because it is so old that you can find varieties of it around the world. It's no surprise then that so many cultures have different symbolisms and uses attached to Sambucus including (but definitely not limited to) the below.

Symbolism

• Shakespeare: Grief (the "stinking elder"), yet also beloved

• Pagan: Superstitions around cutting it back or burning it (will cause bad luck)

• Danish: The elder Mother or "vegetation goddess" lives in the tree (HyldeMoer) - you need to ask her permission before cutting it.

• Sicilians: Kill serpents and drive away robbers

• Serbians: Good luck if used during the wedding ceremony

• England: Hold in pocket to ward off lightning, cross above animals to ward off evil

Supposed Medicinal Uses (Note: I have not looked into the scientific evidence supporting any of the below, but rather wanted to show the breadth of supposed medicinal uses)

• Bark: Purgative, emetic, diuretic, asthma (not consumed anymore due to toxins)

• Leaves: Bruises/sprains, wound healing, expectorant, diuretic (not consumed anymore due to toxins)

• Flowers: Tea for swollen sinuses, colds, flu, diabetes, constipation, rheumatism, influenza, relaxant, complexion, blood purification

• Berries: Hot wine for influenza, asthma, juice for antiviral/antibacterial

Food

• Flowers: Cordial (St.Germain is an elderflower liqueur), desserts, jelly, shrub, fritters

• Berries: Cordial, wine, syrup, desserts, jelly, etc.

The elder tree can grow up to 25 feet tall and has reddish bark and pinnate leaves opposite of each other. The tiny star-shaped flowers, which bloom in May/June, are a yellowish white/cream color and grow in clusters. The elder plant that you will find in Northern California (and most of the Western United States) is Sambucus cerulea, also known as blue elder for it's dark blue berries. The berries can be found later in the summer, are a bluish/black often with a whitish powder sheen and also grow in large clusters. 

ELDERFLOWER AND ELDERBERRIES MUST BE PROCESSED BEFORE CONSUMING. Don't just go around grabbing handfuls and consuming them raw like you would blackberries! However, the berries may be fine in small amounts and both berries and flowers are definitely safe after cooking or drying. When using the flowers, such as in this elderflower chive fritter recipe, it's best to remove as much of the stem as possible, but some stem is fine if cooked.

Notice tiny star-shaped flowers. This Sambucus nigra from Europe has larger clusters and whiter flowers than the Sambucus cerula of California. 

My first experience with elderflower (other than St.Germain) was during my stint as a visiting researcher at the Nordic Food Lab in Denmark. We spent a morning riding all over Copenhagen to forage huge clusters of elderflowers and stuffing them into sacks before plucking the flowers to be used in a fermented cordial. I still fondly remember being covered in pollen afterward while enjoying a well-deserved chocolate rye roll. Denmark is really a magical place and elderflowers unsurprisingly about there. The elderflowers you find in Denmark are most likely to be Sambucus nigra rather than the Sambucus cerulea that is found in California and are a bit larger and whiter, but both have the same beautiful fragrance and uses. As I left Denmark before the berries came out and just recently found a spot for elder in California, I have yet to experiment with the berries, but am greatly looking forward to doing so this summer!

Yellower, yet still star-shaped, flowers of the Sambucus cerula foraged from Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA.

Lamb Shank with Spruce Tips, Juniper, and Pink Peppercorn

Bright young spruce tips.

My time at the the Nordic Food Lab taught me that not only are pine, spruce, and fir tips edible, but that they are surprisingly delicious if harvested in the spring when young and still soft. I have every intention of gathering all three to post on identification and flavor subtleties, but until then, here's a helpful article. Just know that if you come across a "Christmas tree" in the spring with delicate, very bright green tufts of soft needles on the end of its branches (see photo to right), you have likely come across spruce or fir tips (pine needles are longer). Take a teeny tiny bit of a needle and give it a taste - it should taste tart and slightly resinous. If you've ever had the Greek retsina wine you will know exactly what I mean. 

Spruce tips pushing through their brown papery casings.

What I love about spruce tips is that they are so very seasonal that anything you use them in has a uniquely spring flavor and color. At Noma, the restaurant that many consider the best in the world, uses these fresh conifer needles in variety of ways and I specifically remember a fermented apple beverage infused with pine that was amazing. Additionally, they're very rich in Vitamin C and can be dried and used for a throat soothing tea. The flavor may not be to everyone's liking, but if you like it then you love like it and the tartness can really make other deeper flavors pop, as they do for this rich lamb shank recipe adapted from Cooking with Italian Grandmothers. I recently purchased a quarter of a lamb from Devil's Gulch Ranch, as I have done a few other times, and am always happy to have an excuse to make lamb in a variety of new, fun ways. Recipe makes enough for 2, but can be expanded. 

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 1 large lamb shank or 2 small (about 1.5 pounds total)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced (about 1-1.5 cups)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 rib)

• 5 juniper berries, finely crushed with a mortar and pestle

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• Water as needed

• 1 bay leaf (I used a foraged bay leaf, which imparts a stronger flavor)

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons whole pink peppercorn, crushed with fingers

• 7-9 fresh spruce tips, stems removed from most

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring wine to boil in a sauce pan. Reduce heat and simmer until wine is reduced in half, about 7 to 9 minutes. You should have about 1/2 cup - if you don't, just add a bit more wine and reduce again to get 1/2 cup. Set aside.

Season lamb shank generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once oil is hot, brown lamb shank on all sides and transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and sauté onions with a little salt until just softened, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, celery, and crushed juniper berries and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Add reduced wine, 1/3 cup of water, tomato paste, and bay leaf and stir, scraping up browned bits. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover with lid and place in oven. Braise for about 1-1.5 hours, until meat is almost tender.

Finish cooking on the stovetop over low heat for about 1/2 hour. If sauce is too liquid, leave the lid slightly ajar so it will reduce. Conversely, if it gets too dry, add water, a little at a time. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and transfer to individual plates or a serving dish. Top with crushed pink peppercorn and spruce needles and garnish with a few whole spruce tips.

Fennel, Fennel Everywhere

“Note: we’re currently gathering samples in the most industrial soils we can find to measure potential toxins - if the plant tissues from these soils haven’t accumulated toxins, pretty much any urban soil will be safe. More on that later! ”

Whether you've been looking for it or not, you likely come across wild fennel, or Foeniculum vulgare, quitefrequently. On a recent sample gathering in West Oakland, I was once again struck by just how rampantly wild fennel grows. Asphalt, cement, roadsides, or parking lots, wild fennel survives and thrives everywhere. 

Feathery leaves of wild fennel fronds.

Foraging wild fennel in a North Oakland median.

A member of the same family as carrot, parsley, and dill, fennel has thin feathery leaves that connect to a larger stem. The plants can grow very tall and may have delicate yellow flowers. On foraging walks, I always get very hopefully asked about how to harvest the fennel bulb, but alas, wild fennel does not have a large bulb as  you find with conventional fennel. Fortunately, the leaves are incredibly abundant and flavorful, as are the stalks, and flowers, pollen, and seeds in season. Fennel often grows alongside poison hemlock, which is in the same family, but has leaves more like carrot tops and purple splotches on the stems. If you are unsure if what you have is fennel, give it a smell - the smell will undeniably tell you if you have fennel. You can find fennel primarily in the spring through early fall, though I have seen it at all times of the year, and the flowers and pollen can be found in the summer.

Although you probably wouldn't want to make an entire salad of fennel, the sweet anise and licorice flavor works great as a garnish. Try it in sauces, on fish or chicken, in soups, in omelettes, desserts, and as a salad component. The pollen is lovely as a tasty condiment and the seeds are a digestive aid. 

When in doubt - smell the plant and if it's fennel, it will definitely smell like fennel.

The below is NOT FENNEL, but POISON HEMLOCK. Note the carrot-like leafy tops and purple splotches on the stem. The poison hemlock flowers are similar to fennel so be sure you carefully determine what you're picking and identify the fennel by the feathery, thin leaves and smell.

Photo credit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/

Cherry and Wild Fennel Clafoutis

Sometimes, a word for a dish or a food preparation method I have never used will come to me and I will not rest until I have experienced it. That is what happened with "clafoutis" - I have no idea where I was introduced to the word, but after we picked up some cherries on our way back from a wedding in beautiful Los Olivos, all I could think about was making a cherry clafoutis, while at the same time asking myself, "cherry clafoutis is a thing, right?" This is where the internet came in, helpfully proving that cherry clafoutis is, indeed, a thing and although I don't necessary need a reason to make special desserts, my mother was serendipitously visiting for Mother's Day. Using a recipe from Saveur as a base, I decided to decrease the egg because some comments complained of eggy-ness and I tend to shy away from really eggy desserts and include wild fennel (more on wild fennel including foraging here), as cherry and fennel go together in a delightful way.

There are a few great things about this dessert. The first is that it's easy - really easy. It's also visually impressive in the cast-iron pan and versatile in ingredient options (apricot + almond? pear + bergamot?) and, because it's not super sweet, it's also versatile in potential eating occasion. We enjoyed it with fennel whipped cream as dessert and again the next day with coffee for brunch and I'm pretty sure no one would turn their nose up to a clafoutis at tea time. So, now you have no excuse - get out there, forage some fennel (which is all over the bay area), buy some cherries, and make this deliciously easy puffed crepe-like cake! Recipe below serves 8.

“Cherries can also be unpitted, which provides a more rustic flavor and texture, but I did not this time, as I knew my mom wouldn’t like it!”

• 1 cup chopped wild fennel fronds, plus a few fronds for garnish

• 1/2-1 cup whipping cream, depending on how much your group likes whipped cream (optional)

• 7-8 tablespoons sugar, divided

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

• 1/2 tablespoon butter

• 1-1/4 cups whole milk (can be substituted for a combination of 3 parts reduced fat and 1 part whipping cream, if you happen to have these around like I did)

• 2 tablespoons kirsch or Luxardo (I had Luxardo, but think it would be better with kirsch)

• 5 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon medium coarse Kosher salt, divided

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 cups black or sour cherries, pitted (see post on how to pit cherries like a boss)

• Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Infuse whipped cream with wild fennel by allowing whipping cream to impart fennel flavor overnight.

To make fennel whipped cream: Place 1/2 cup chopped fennel in a mason jar, pour whipped cream over top, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove fennel then beat cream until whipped, adding 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla toward the end of beating. Refrigerate until used.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9'' cast-iron skillet and set aside. Whisk milk, sugar, kirsch or Luxardo, vanilla, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour batter into buttered skillet, then distribute cherries evenly over top. Bake until a skewer inserted into batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom of clafoutis, about 25 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with a dollop of fennel whipped cream, if desired.

Pit Cherries Like a Boss

Perfectly pitted without special equipment.

There you are, delicious and coveted cherry recipe in hand requiring pitted cherries (perhaps pitted brandied cherries, cherry fennel clafoutis, or cherry jam) and you without a cherry pitter. Worry not! If you have a large star pastry tip (I have Ateco 824) then you have a cherry pitter. The bonus is that you don't have to buy a special tool that you'll only use 1-2x per year and, no joke, this actually works better.

• Step 1: Twist pastry tip into cherry around pit.

• Step 2: Remove pastry tip along with pit.

• Step 3: Discard pit and repeat with a new cherry.

The Celery Sour cocktail

This drink is crazy, in a good way. You take all of these ingredients that are tasty on their own, but sound really weird together (when was the last time you mixed Fernet with elderflower liqueur?) and they combine into an entirely refreshing drink that, yes, tastes a bit like celery. This cocktail is why I bother with cocktail recipes. Enjoy!

• 1-1/4 ounces (5 parts) gin, preferably St.George Spirit's Terroir gin

• 1 ounce (4 parts) St.Germain or other elderflower liqueur/cordial, such as this homemade elderflower cordial

• 3/4 ounce (3 parts) fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 ounce (1 part) pastis, such as Ricard

• 1/4 ounce (1 part) Fernet Branca

• 2 dashes of Peychaud's bitters

• Lemon peel (garnish)

Shake all ingredients apart from lemon peel and serve up in a pre-frosted coupe. Garnish with lemon peel. 

Classic, Beety, Borscht

The dark red beetroot soup in this photo is complemented by radish flours, yogurt, and fennel fronds.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with the the beloved and ubiquitous beetroot soup of Eastern Europe? There are many ways to make borscht, from hot and hearty to cold and demure. Although hot borscht with chunks of beetroot and beef broth is comforting on a wintry day, this cold puréed version might be just what you're looking for as spring moves into summer and appetites are better pleased with brighter, lighter flavors. Serves 6-8.

“I’ve always been tempted to make borscht using golden beets, but as they tend to oxidize and turn black more easily, it always makes me nervous - if you ever do it, let me know! ”

• 1 pound red beets (about 3 medium), scrubbed cleaned

• 1 medium onion (about 1 cup), chopped

• 1.5-2.5 cups chicken broth (if not homemade, then low sodium)

• About 1 teaspoon salt

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup yogurt or sour cream

• Chopped dill or fennel fronds, for garnish

• Radish flowers, for garnish (optional)

The beet moves on.

Steam beets in a medium-large pot over about 2 inches of simmering water (about 2.5 cups). Cook beets for 20 minutes, add onions to water simmering below beets, and continue cooking until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit until beets are cool enough to touch.

Peel beets by sliding off skin under cold running water, dice, and add to the oniony water. Add 1.5 cups chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth, adding more broth and salt as needed. Blend in lemon juice once desired texture has been reached.

Allow soup to come to room temperature then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with black pepper, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and fennel fronds. 

Borscht is great paired with avocado rye toast dusted with smoked paprika.

The Schoolyard cocktail

As I mentioned in another post with more general information about wild chamomile, I used to smell and sample wild chamomile (Matricaria discoidea), otherwise known as "pineapple weed" on the schoolyard, hence the name for this drink. Now I forage it where I can (which is pretty much everywhere in the spring and early summer), wash it, and make a wild chamomile simple syrup with it to be used in cocktails. I played around a bit with this cocktail, including other liquor such as Salers or adding grapefruit bitters, but ultimately it was best to let the wild chamomile syrup shine by keeping it simple. Recipe below is for one cocktail.

• 1.5oz gin (Bar Hill gin or St.George Terroir would both be good choices)

• 0.5oz meyer lemon juice

• 0.5oz pineapple weed simple syrup

• Pineapple weed for garnish

Shake and serve up with pineapple weed flower.

Wild Chamomile Simple Syrup

Wild chamomile, or pineapple weed grows almost everywhere and is very distinctive.

Wild chamomile, Matricaria discoidea, has a wonderful fragrant aroma that makes for great cocktails. Learn more about this edible weed here. One simple way to incorporate the flavor into cocktails is by infusing a simple syrup with the flowers and leaves of the weed. Not only is this syrup fantastic in cocktails, such as The Schoolyard, but it's also lovely in lemonade, ice tea, drizzled over ice cream (or made into ice cream or gelato), cakes, tarts, etc. Below recipe is for about 1 cup of simple syrup.

• 1 cup washed pineapple weed flowers and tops of leaves: Flowers can be removed from the weed using scissors, some of the top leaves around the flowers are okay, but you want to make sure it's mostly flowers.

• 1 cup sugar*

• 1 cup water

Combine sugar, water, and pineapple weed in a small heavy saucepan. 

Use scissors to easily cut off pineapple weed flowers and leaves.

Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the syrup cool completely, then squeeze as much juice as possible from flowers, pour through cheesecloth into a jar or resealable container. Simple syrup will last 1 month refrigerated.

*You can also make a 2:1 (sugar: water) simple syrup that will last up to 6 months refrigerated. This 2:1 syrup is sweeter than most, so you will need to add less to recipes.

Wild Chamomile: Tasting Between the Cracks

Wild chamomile aka pineapple weed is easily uprooted from the ground.

In a way, I was foraging before I even knew what it meant. The schoolyard of my childhood did not have much grass. Okay, it didn't have any grass at all. When we weren't scraping our knees on the pavement playing football or foursquare, we were investigating whatever we could find poking out from the cracks in the pavement. I specifically remember a "game" we had with one weed in particular: Matricaria discoidea, or "pineapple weed" or “wild chamomile”. 

“Luckily, there wasn’t any poison hemlock growing from the cracks, though something tells me our intuition would keep us away from it. ”

The game went like this: I would instruct a schoolmate to envision any fruit of their choosing, then would have them smell the pineapple weed flower as I crushed it under their nose and voilà!, smell like that fruit it would. Sometimes I would also take a taste of the (strawberry, cantaloupe, grape, orange...) smelling fruit and, to my surprise, it also tasted like that fruit. Now, I'm not condoning tasting something that you have not identified, but it's fun to think that even young children can find food in a desolate landscape. 

“Between its unique look and distinct, fragrant aroma it is pretty easy to identify and can be found in the spring/summer in gardens, on trails and yes, even in cracks in the sidewalk.”

Like chamomile, wild chamomile can be dried and made into a tea and is in the Asteraceae family, which is the same family as daisy, dandelion, and thistles. It grows low to the ground, has thin, feathery, branching leaves and small yellow cone-shaped flowers that resemble a tiny pineapple. 

Abundant pineapple weed at the Peralta Community Garden - the members had no problem with my taking as much as I wanted.

Harvested wild chamomile.

On a recent visit to the Peralta Community Garden in North Berkeley for a wild food talk there was massive amounts of pineapple weed that the gardeners gladly let me pillage. I turned my bounty into a stock of wild chamomile simple syrup that is great in cocktails, lemonade, or for drizzling on pancakes. Other uses include scattering on salads, fish, chicken, or fruit tarts. I may have originally "discovered" this weed in childhood, but it's great to come back to it as an adult!