Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze

My son Stephen makes really great Gravlax and next time he does, I promise to post his recipe.  But, he usually makes it at Christmas time, so you'll see it around then.  But today, I'm just back from Europe and he made me a wonderful Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze that is the basis for his Gravlax Sauce.  And, it was divine.  It is a sweet and pungent sauce that is composed of two kinds of mustard, brown sugar and dill. To make it into a sauce for Gravlax, just add a bit of oil. But for this dish, you slather it on top of raw salmon and broil it. Once broiled, it bubbles and browns and infuses the salmon with a lovely flavor. This recipe makes a little extra to serve on the side and if you want more, it is easily doubled.  I hope you enjoy it!

Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze

1 pound Salmon Filet

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons French's Yellow Mustard

4 or more Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Dill Weed

Heat oven to broil.  Mix together the two mustards and brown sugar - reserve 1/2 of the sauce for serving.  Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Add in Dill Weed.  Put Salmon in a baking pan skin side down.  Spoon glaze over the salmon to cover thoroughly. Broil for about 10 minutes or until salmon flakes.  If the glaze starts getting too browned, move the salmon down lower in the oven or turn down the heat.  If you don't feel  like watching it, you can also  bake first at 450 degrees until nearly done and then turn broiler on to brown the glaze slightly.  Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Five Element Analysis

All fish belong to the Water Element, although salmon, being red adds a bit of fire too. Mustard and Dill adds the Metal Element and the brown sugar contributes the Earth Element.  Serve this dish with some Wood Vegetables and/or pasta and some lovely Fiery berries for dessert and you have a perfectly balanced meal!

Martin's Butter Steamed Cabbage

I've been in Copenhagen after teaching and learned a new technique for steaming cabbage that is very simple and incredibly good.  I'm not sure why this technique works so well, but it makes the cabbage really silky, full of flavor and really attractive on the plate.  The secret is to use butter in the steaming liquid and a lot of salt.  And, remember not to cook it too long - only 6 minutes max.  The kind of cabbage used was a pointy at the top and is called Summer Cabbage. It's more tender than the round kind. It's important to cut it into 4 to 6 lengthwise pieces and when served on a plate, makes a beautiful accompaniment on the side of the main dish. It looks very elegant, but does require a knife and fork. Don't forget to put the sauce on top as you serve it as that is the best part!

Martin's Butter Steamed Cabbage

4 Tablespoons Butter

2 teaspoons of salt

1 cup of water

1 Summer Cabbage cut into 4 -6 lengthwise pieces, outermost leaves removed and the very bottom of stem cut off

In a large saute pan with a lid, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil.  Add cabbage and cover.  Steam for no more than 6 minutes.  Remove lid, put on individual plates and ladle sauce over the cabbage.

Five Element Analysis

Cabbage belongs to the Earth family so that element is covered and summer cabbage.  The steaming method is very Watery and the butter and salt add even more so that element is fully represented.  Serve this dish as accompaniment to a meal that has Wood, Fire and Metal foods to create balance.  

Raw Cauliflower Couscous

I have been teaching in Denmark at this beautiful Buddhist Retreat Center on a half-island in Jutland.  So, I haven't been cooking much. But the cooks here have been making some really wonderful food and tonight I was served a lovely Raw Cauliflower Couscous Salad.  It really isn't made of Couscous or it wouldn't be gluten free - instead, the Cauliflower is cut up into very small pieces in a food processor and then dressed with a lemon olive oil dressing, seasoned with fresh herbs and bits of red onion. It was so good!  If you didn't know it was Cauliflower, you would be hard pressed to guess what it was made from. It has a lovely soft crunch and was simply delicious.  So, I begged for the recipe and I am sharing it with you today.

Raw Cauliflower Couscous

1 head Cauliflower, the florets separated from the stalk

1/2 small red onion, peeled and cut in chunks

Juice of 2 large lemons

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Tarragon leaves - can also use basil, mint, parsley, dill or other fresh herbs chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Put the Cauliflower florets, red onion and Tarragon leaves in a food processor and grind until it resembles small Couscous granules - it can also be chopped by hand.  Put into a serving bowl and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Five Element Analysis

Cauliflower, being white belongs to the Metal Element and the red onion and the Tarragon add even more. The lemon juice and olive oil bring in the Wood Element.  The salt adds just a hint of the Water Element and the Pepper gives the tiniest bit of Fire, but this dish needs to be served with some other foods that belong to the Earth, Water and Metal Elements to create balance.  

Sweet and Sour Greens

I'm about to go on another teaching tour so I'm eating as many fresh greens as possible as that is what is usually lacking in my diet when traveling.  I really don't know why airports don't have restaurants with more vegetables and I end up craving them when I go anywhere for too long.  I also needed to clean out the vegetable bin in the fridge as I went to the farmer's market and bought lots.  I still had a big bunch of mustard greens and about 1/2 a bunch of Swiss chard.  I decided to put them together because the chard is sweeter than the mustard greens - they can be quite bitter.  Swiss Chard is also really pretty with those streaks of red in them.  My favorite way of cooking mustard greens and actually many greens is to saute them quickly with lots of garlic.  I think bitter greens taste best with a dash of something sour - vinegar or lemon juice and then they also need a bit of sugar as that balances that bitterness. Greens are so incredibly healthy for your liver so if you need to add more to your diet, this is a good way to cook them!

Sweet and Sour Greens

1 bunch Mustard Greens, washed and bottom stems removed

1/2 bunch Swiss Chard, washed with bottom stems removed

2 garlic cloves minced

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 - 3 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar

1 - 2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the greens in a rough chop.  Heat oil in a large frying pan.  When oil is hot, put in the garlic and cook until you smell the garlic fragrance.  Add in the greens and stir until they are softened.  Sprinkle on vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper.  Put in chicken broth and cook stirring the greens for about 5 minutes.

Five Element Analysis

Greens are always part of the Wood Element and the vinegar and chicken broth in this dish make it very Woody. But the Mustard Greens also have a bitter taste so it does add in bit of the Fire Element and the sugar brings in just a touch of the Earth Element and the garlic adds the Metal Element.  So, in order to find balance, use this dish as a good Wood Edition to some other foods that bring in the Water Element like fish. 

Ropa Vieja and Yellow Rice

It doesn't look very much like summer here in Seattle as it is cold and rainy.  I'm leaving soon for England where unfortunately it is just about the same temperature. So despite the fact that it is early summer, I need some warm and comforting food. So yesterday I made Ropa Vieja, which means old clothes in Spanish and is a Caribbean stew of shredded beef, peppers and onions.  It is also the national dish of Venezuela and there it is called Carne Mechada. Last time I made this it was for my Venezuelan friend and I don't know why I don't make it more often because I love it!  I usually serve it on Yellow Rice that is made with cumin seeds, saffron and chicken broth (the recipe is included). Some people cook the beef in a braising liquid and then add in the peppers and onions, but I like to cook it all together so that the vegetables meld into the sauce - I will give you both versions.  It's a very good dish for a crowd as it can be made ahead and I think it tastes better if you serve it the next day. If you have leftovers, I think it makes one of the best burrito fillings around and my son thinks it makes amazing nachos.

Ropa Vieja

2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (I used Chuck Roast cut into large pieces - you can also use flank steak)

1 large onion, cut into 1/4" strips

1 large red pepper, cut into 1/4" strips

1 large green pepper, cut into 1/4" strips

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried Mexican Oregano

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

6 cups water

2 teaspoons or more salt

Fresh ground Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Option 1:  Put beef in a large pot with the water, oregano, cumin and salt. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until beef is fork tender. Cool, shred beef and reserve broth.  Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, add garlic, onions and peppers and cook until onion is soft. Add in tomatoes, shredded beef and 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes more.  Check seasoning and add more salt if necessary.  Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Serve over yellow rice.

Option 2:  Put oil in a large pot and add in garlic, onions and peppers.  Cook until onions are soft. Add in beef and cook until no longer pink. Add in tomatoes, water and seasonings.  Bring to a boil and cook uncovered at a simmer for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.  Cool and shred the beef with your fingers.  Reheat and serve over yellow rice.

Yellow Rice

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoons ground Achiote or Turmeric

2 cups rice (preferably long grain)

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a small pot and add Rice and Achiote or Turmeric and stir until Rice is coated in oil  Stir in Chicken Broth and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to low and cover, cooking for 20 minutes.  Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and the long cooking onions add to that element and this is a slow braised dish, which enhances the Earth Element even more. The spices and the rice bring in plenty of the Metal Element so that element is covered too. The red and green peppers along with the tomatoes contribute a lot of the Fire Element so that one is complete.  The chicken broth and olive oil represent the Wood Element so only the Water Element needs support.  So, the best way to add Water is to serve this dish with black beans as they do in Venezuela and Cuba.  Then it will be a very balanced meal!

Tequila Tomato Sauce with Chicken

I was in the mood for pasta last night, but not with an Italian or Asian sauce. I was actually craving something a little spicy since I would be serving the sauce on rice noodles, which definitely don't have as much flavor as wheat pasta.  I haven't been cooking much lately but did manage to make a roast chicken the day before and had used the cooked breast meat for a lovely Tarragon Chicken Salad so all that was left was the dark meat, which is actually my favorite as it is so moist and flavorful. So as my German grandmother taught me, I picked that chicken clean and put the bones on for soup. What to do with all that lovely dark meat? Well, I had some Roma tomatoes and decided to make a Mexican flavored sauce using tequila as the deglazing liquid and I seasoned the sauce with lots of garlic, onions, Mexican Oregano, chili flakes and Cayenne Pepper.  It was so good - it had just enough heat to make me notice that my lips were tingling and comforting as only a good bowl of pasta can be. Now, this sauce isn't saucy, it only lightly coats the pasta so the ratio of sauce to pasta should be higher.  And, I think you should continue the tequila theme and serve it with a Margarita!  I was really happy with this sauce as the Tequila (and I used a good one) gave it such a wonderful flavor.

Tequila Tomato Sauce with Chicken

Leg and Thigh Meat from a Roast Chicken – equals about 2 cups, cut into small pieces

12 Roma Tomatoes, cut into small pieces

1 small onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 cup Tequila

1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano

1 cup of Cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Pepper

¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes and extra for serving

1 Lime, cut into segments to squeeze on top

Optional:  Cotija Cheese (can substitute Parmesan)

½ pound of pasta of your choice (I used Tinkayada Rice Macaroni)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add in the garlic and onions.  Cook until onions just begin to brown.  Add in the chicken and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes start to soften and break down.  Pour in tequila and cook until it starts to boil.  Add in oregano, salt pepper, cayenne pepper and chili flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning.  Toss with the pasta of your choice and serve with lime and extra chili flakes and Cotija or Parmesan cheese.

Five Element Analysis

The Fire Element is fully represented in this dish by the Tomatoes, Tequila, Cayenne Pepper and Chili Flakes.  The chicken and olive oil contribute the Wood Element and this element will be further enhanced if you use traditional wheat pasta.  The Cilantro, Cotija or Parmesan Cheese, Garlic and Onions all bring in the Metal Element so that element is also covered.  Only the Water Element and Earth Element need some support so be sure to serve this dish with an Earthy vegetable – I made a marinated zucchini salad or a sweet dessert and you need something from the Water Element like a starter cup of soup or a Watery fruit for dessert or you can just make sure you have a Watery food at some other meal during the day to create balance in your diet. 

Dr. Bieler's Healing Broth

Many of you who have been involved in holistic health may very well already know this recipe as it has been around since Dr. Henry Bieler developed it. He was the author of Food is Your Best Medicine and he was quite controversial in his day, but his ideas agree with the principles of Ancient Chinese Medicine where food was and still is the first and best medicine.  I learned this recipe from Eileen Poole, an amazing nutritionist in LA and it has saved me on more than one occasion.  It is a wonderful detoxifying concoction composed of 5 simple ingredients:  zucchini, celery, green beans, parsley and water.  The amounts can vary and it can be made thicker or thinner.  It increases alkalinity in the body, restores optimal liver function and balances the adrenal glands.  It's also full of potassium and cell salts and helps the pancreas excrete excess sugar. What's not to like about it?  It can be used after overindulgence in food or alcohol or when you are feeling run down. I swear by it and so do many of my friends.  I forget to make it as often as I need to have it.

What does it taste like?  Well, my son when he was little declared that it tasted green and it really does and it grows on you until you get to the place where you relish it because you know how good it is for you. Since I just got back from Bangkok where I ate way too much, I made a big pot (I tripled the recipe) and have been having about 2 cups a day this last week. I find this soup so nourishing that I had to share this recipe even though it is not something I invented. I like to make it on the thin side so I can drink it out of a mug.  Some people like it better very thick.  I know you can add onion and garlic and other vegetables, but this original version from his book is still my favorite.  Once you start drinking it on a regular basis, you will start to notice how much better your skin looks and how much more energy you have. I hope you make this part of your regular diet.  Your body will thank you!

Bieler's Healing Broth

2 - 3 zucchini, ends removed and cut into chunks

3 - 4 stalks of celery, ends removed and cut into chunks

2 handfuls of parsley leaves

2 handfuls of green beans, ends removed and cut into smaller pieces

4 or more cups water

Put the water in a soup pot and add all the vegetables. Water should cover the vegetables (if you push them down by at least one inch). Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.  Puree with a stick blender or if using a food processor or a blender, put in 1/2 of the vegetables with about a cup of liquid and puree until slightly chunky.  Serve immediately and refrigerate the remainder. Reheat to serve.

Five Element Analysis

Both celery and green beans belong to the Wood Element so that element is represented.  Zucchini belong to the Earth Element and parsley contributes the Metal Element.  The fact that this is a soup brings in the Water Element so only the Fire Element is missing and having some tea some time in the day is enough to create balance.