It’s that time of the year again when heavy jackets, rubber sole boots and furry hoods are accompanied by one of my favorite seasonal dishes – soup. Soup by definition is a liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, or vegetables with various added ingredients. In other words if you have the basic understanding of boiling water and flavor combinations then soup should be right up your alley. However, some may say that preparing a delicious and a well balanced soup is only reserved for the experienced and the professionally trained. I disagree and I am sure that there are many of you who watched your mothers and grandmothers prepare some of the most mouthwatering creations would disagree as well.

This post is not about the soup and sandwich special at your local lunch spot, but a warm and hearty interpretation that’s perfect for the freezing days ahead. The preparation is extremely simple, but the key is fresh and organic ingredients.

Carrots

Celery

Onion

2 striped bass heads

1 rainbow trout head

1 skate wing

Dashi Miso Soybean Paste

Vitasoy Firm Tofu

Konnyaku Yam Noodles

Cut Wakame Dried Seaweed

At this point, you are probably wondering about the fish heads, but don’t worry you can make your stock with the skate wing alone. I happened to have bought live striped bass and rainbow trout and saved the fish heads for this very purpose. So, throw some carrots, celery, an onion and fish heads into a pot, bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, At this point, add the skate and continue to cook on simmer for the next 40 minutes. After an hour of cook-time, remove the cooked vegetables from your stock and add Dashi Miso, Firm Tofu and Yam Noodles. Cook for an additional 10 minutes and you’re done.

A couple of cooking point when preparing my version of the classic miso soup. Add Dashi Miso one tablespoon at a time and make sure that it’s completely dissolved before going forward and adding more. And be careful with the quantity of seaweed, less is always more when it comes to this ingredient.

Enjoy!

It’s that time of the year again when heavy jackets, rubber sole boots and furry hoods are accompanied by one of my favorite seasonal dishes – soup. Soup by definition is a liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, or vegetables with various added ingredients. In other words if you have the basic understanding of boiling water and flavor combinations then soup should be right up your alley. However, some may say that preparing a delicious and a well balanced soup is only reserved for the experienced and the professionally trained. I disagree and I am sure that there are many of you who watched your mothers and grandmothers prepare some of the most mouthwatering creations would disagree as well.

This post is not about the soup and sandwich special at your local lunch spot, but a warm and hearty interpretation that’s perfect for the freezing days ahead. The preparation is extremely simple, but the key is fresh and organic ingredients.

Carrots

Celery

Onion

2 striped bass heads

1 rainbow trout head

1 skate wing

Dashi Miso Soybean Paste

Vitasoy Firm Tofu

Konnyaku Yam Noodles

Cut Wakame Dried Seaweed

At this point, you are probably wondering about the fish heads, but don’t worry you can make your stock with the skate wing alone. I happened to have bought live striped bass and rainbow trout and saved the fish heads for this very purpose. So, throw some carrots, celery, an onion and fish heads into a pot, bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, At this point, add the skate and continue to cook on simmer for the next 40 minutes. After an hour of cook-time, remove the cooked vegetables from your stock and add Dashi Miso, Firm Tofu and Yam Noodles. Cook for an additional 10 minutes and you’re done.

A couple of cooking point when preparing my version of the classic miso soup. Add Dashi Miso one tablespoon at a time and make sure that it’s completely dissolved before going forward and adding more. And be careful with the quantity of seaweed, less is always more when it comes to this ingredient.

Enjoy!

That sneaky chicken…

At some point, KFC, Popeyes Chicken or any other kind of fried chicken has tempted and lustfully conquered even some of the most discerning of pallets. If everything tastes like chicken and more specifically organic free range fried chicken then everything must be delicious. But, if you are like the rest of us who suffer from New York’s square footage malnutrition and live in tiny spaces with tiny dogs and tiny kitchens probably don’t have the ability or the desire to purchase a deep fryer for the occasional glutinous submersion. As you have no option, but to love The Roots and to enjoy the occasional clove cigarette, you succumb to the fast food industry’s siren-like call of the delicious and obscenely detrimental to your health fried chicken.

So, what’s the answer? Do you pack it in and invest in bigger pants in the anticipation of a greasy deep fried future or do you grab your laptop, throw your play list on shuffle and give an alternative a chance? The alternative is the right combination of spices, a little grape seed oil and a little grape seed oil and a little something on the side.

Chicken drumsticks

Butternut Squash

Hungarian Hot Paprika

Morton & Bassett Cajun Spice Blend (paprika, celery seed, garlic, basil, white pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme and parsley)

Chili Powder

Pangu Salt

Nigerian Cayenne Pepper

Grape Seed Oil

The preparation of this meal is extremely simple. Chop all of the drumsticks in half, season to taste with the above listed spices (use only a little bit of the Nigerian Cayenne Pepper), drizzle with grape seed oil and place in the oven at 450 degrees. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken and don’t be shy make sure that it’s covered in its own juices. Continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes. Peel, clean and cut butternut squash, place it in the pan right next to the chicken (do not season) and once again baste it with the chicken juices. Continue to cook for 15 minutes and you’re done.

The beautiful thing about this dish is that you can use as much chicken and butternut squash as you need. The most important part is that you cut the drumsticks in half and use the right spices; everything else is up to the chicken, that sneaky chicken. Enjoy!

What is the nature of the farmer’s market, the organic and the all-natural? I believe that it’s simplicity. If I may venture down the cliché alley, in my opinion it’s the simple things that make our lives worth living. The undemanding and the effortless welcome us in an array of circumstances and unanticipated probabilities; an unexpected smile, the laughter of a loved one or may be just a lazy Sunday walk at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Personally, the memories of my favorite meals are not set in bold Soho establishments, but are a part of treasured slide show filled with family dinners, friend’s apartments and my great aunt’s loving touch. Back in the day when organic was the norm, the farmers market was just a market and dinner conversation was not just a clever dialogue on ones favorite sitcom, meals were born and past down to our generation. I believe that we need simple recipes for simple markets with simple produce. The simple is the organic and the true. Today, I am going to introduce a simple recipe with ingredients that can be found at any market and prepared by any one.

Sauce

2 medium onions

1 green pepper

1 head of garlic

1/3 bunch of celery

2 yellow squash

2 zucchini squash

7 small tomatoes

Molasses

26.5oz Pomi strained tomatoes

Preheat a large pot with a little olive oil. Chop the onions, celery, eggplant, peeled green pepper, garlic, yellow squash and zucchini squash. Brown the vegetables over high heat. Add fresh tomatoes and continue to sauté. When the vegetables are ready and you’ll know when they are add 26.5oz carton of Pomi strained tomatoes and just as much water. Bring to a boil, add three tablespoons of molasses and reduce to simmer. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Continue to cook the sauce until it thickens to the desired consistency and add more water if necessary. If you are a vegetarian then your pasta sauce is ready and if you are an omnivore like myself add meatballs 10 minutes before the sauce is finished.

Meatballs

3 lbs ground pork

1½ lbs ground beef

1½ lbs ground lamb

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

1 extra large egg

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

½ cup of water

½ cup of chopped cilantro and parsley

Mix everything in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Shape the meatballs to your desired shape and size and place into an oiled aluminum pan. Preheat the over to 500º F and brown the meatballs. Add the meatballs to your sauce 10 minutes prior to completion.

Cooking does not have to be complicated and ingredients do not have to be expansive in order to prepare a delicious meal. All you need is the knowledge of a couple simple cooking techniques and the courage to use any ingredients that you think will work for you. And trust me, a couple of good friends and plenty of wine alongside your newly found love for the homemade is that one perfect and necessary garnish for any meal.