Super Natural Every Day (13 page)

SERVES 4–6

White Beans & Cabbage

PARMESAN, POTATOES, SHALLOTS

This is the sort of simple dish I find myself enjoying on the most blustery of San Francisco afternoons. I use whatever type of beans I have on hand. Creamy, thin-skinned Mayacobas or flageolets are my favourites for this particular preparation, but well-drained tinned cannellini beans or chickpeas are reasonable substitutes as well. If you’re in the mood for a stew, stir any leftovers into a cup or two of good-flavoured vegetable stock.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or

60 g
Clarified Butter
or unsalted butter

115 g potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes

Fine sea salt

1 large shallot (eschalot), thinly sliced

340 g cooked white beans (see
A Simple Pot of Beans
), or 1 x 425 g tin white beans, rinsed and drained

225 g green cabbage, finely shredded

A bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan over medium– high heat. Add the potatoes and a big pinch of salt. Toss, cover, and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Be sure to scrape the pan and toss the potatoes once or twice along the way so all sides get colour. Stir in the shallot and the beans. Allow the beans to cook in a single layer for a couple of minutes, until they brown a bit, then scrape and toss again. Cook until the beans are nicely browned and a bit crispy on all sides. Stir in the cabbage and cook for another minute, or until the cabbage loses a bit of its structure. Serve sprinkled with parmesan.

SERVES 4

Broccoli Gribiche

ROASTED POTATOES, RED WINE VINEGAR, CAPERS, MUSTARD

This is one of the most appetising ways to get roasted potatoes, broccoli, and eggs onto the same plate. Think French-dressed egg salad meets potato salad, punctuated by plenty of broccoli. Feel free to swap in asparagus or leeks for the broccoli when in season, and use the tiniest potatoes you can get your hands on. If you can’t find the variety of fresh herbs called for, just use an equivalent amount of the ones you can find.

680 g small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and dried

150 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt

340 g broccoli florets

4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled (see
box
)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped

2 shallots (eschalots), chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil or chives

Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6) with two racks in the top and middle of the oven.

If the potatoes aren’t tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb. Use your hands to toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, and turn out onto a baking tray. Roast until they are cooked through and starting to brown, about 30 minutes. About 15 minutes before you think the potatoes are done, toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt, arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and place in the oven as well. You are aiming to have the potatoes and broccoli finish cooking at (roughly) the same time. I like the broccoli a touch charred.

To make the dressing, mash just the yolk of one of the hard-boiled eggs in a medium bowl. Very, very slowly, add the remaining olive oil, beating constantly; the dressing should look smooth and glossy. Whisk in the vinegar, then the mustard. Stir in the capers, shallots, herbs, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Coarsely chop the remaining eggs and egg white, and fold them into the dressing. Put the warm potatoes and broccoli in a large bowl and gently toss with threequarters of the dressing. Taste, adjust the flavours, and add more dressing, if needed. Serve turned out onto a platter or in a bowl.

SERVES 6

Wild Mushroom Tacos

GREEN CHILLI, GARLIC, PARMESAN

There aren’t more than a handful of ingredients at play here, but they come together to create my favourite tacos. Steve Sando, the guy to thank for all the Rancho Gordo ingredients I love, taught me to make them. In his tacos, he uses beautiful chanterelle mushrooms. But I can now say they’re still pretty darn great with just about any sliced mushrooms: mixed wild mushrooms, porcini, or even plain little brown ones. I’m a fan of a good amount of chilli heat, but if you’re sensitive to spicy foods, scale back and use less than 1 chilli. Steve says it best, “Serranos are technically hotter than jalapeños, but they have a much more lovely heat that attacks your whole being, not just your mouth. I like jalapeños, too, but they’re a little like being kicked in the mouth by an irritated donkey. I always tell people who think they don’t like heat to start with the serranos, even though they’re supposed to be hotter.”

The mushrooms are also great in crepes , over quinoa, in risotto, or over pasta.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

40 g unsalted butter

½ white onion, finely chopped

1 small hot green chilli (such as serrano or jalapeño), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Fine sea salt

340 g mixed wild mushrooms, sliced

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

8 soft corn tortillas, warmed

30 g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. When hot, add the onion, chilli, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent, a few minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the mushrooms, stir well, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, and then brown, about 5 minutes more. Stir a few times along the way, but don’t overdo it; you want the mushrooms to be deeply browned. Remove from the heat, then rub the oregano between your palms and let it cascade down into the mushroom mixture. Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed.

Spoon the mixture into the warmed tortillas and sprinkle the parmesan over all of the tacos.

SERVES 4

Orzo Salad

WHOLEMEAL ORZO, BROCCOLI PESTO, LEMON,
AVOCADO, CRÈME FRAÎCHE

	This is a stand-up way to put a couple heads of broccoli to use. I make a broccoli-based pesto, then mix it, along with the left-over florets, into a bowl of orzo pasta. Beyond that, it’s quite straightforward—a bit of avocado brings an element of creaminess and the pine nuts add a bit of crunch. If you can’t find orzo, substitute another tiny pasta, or even farro or wheat berries.
You can cook the pasta, blanch the broccoli, and make the pesto ahead of time, if needed. And, if you’re looking for something more substantial, top with a poached egg or two.