Celery and sweetcorn chowder

Celery and Sweetcorn Chowder
www.cookingforhealth.biz

This simple, sweet, soup recipe was given to me by my cookery teacher Montse Bradford.  It can be served warm or cold.

Soup helps to relax us and prepare the digestive system for the rest of the meal. 

The basic ingredients of any soup are: a sea vegetable; two or more land vegetables; and usually one fermented seasoning, such as miso or soya sauce.  

Sea vegetables have numerous health benefits and are added to increase the mineral content of a dish and to enhance flavour.

You can use regular sea salt to season if you wish but this does not contain the other beneficial nutrients found in fermented foods like miso.

This soup contains celery, which has traditionally been used for a variety of medicinal purposes and contains vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients with numerous positive effects on our health.  

Ingredients

1 strip kombu sea vegetable, simmered in 4 cups water for 15-30 min

2 medium onions, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pinch sea salt

1 bunch celery, washed and chopped into small pieces

285 g/10 oz sweetcorn kernels

1 dessert spoon white (shiro) miso, dissolved in 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Place the dried kombu sea vegetable in a pan with 4 cups of water and simmer gently whilst you are chopping the vegetables
2. Chop the onions and celery and saute in olive oil with a small pinch of sea salt until the vegetables are soft and translucent.  The salt helps to draw water out of the vegetables and prevents burning.
3. Remove the kombu from the water and add the water to the chopped sauteed vegetables until it just covers them.  If you need to add more water at this stage you can.  Simmer the vegetables for 15-20 min or until soft.
4. Blend until smooth using a hand blender or food processor.
5. Add the diluted miso a little at a time until and taste until you achieve the level of seasoning you require.  If you do not have miso, you can use sea salt to taste.
6. Simmer the soup for 2 minutes and serve garnished with fresh herbs.  You can also serve it cold.

Sauteing the vegetables in a little olive oil

Nutritional information

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Purple Sprouting Broccoli Salad with Tahini Mustard Dressing

February and March are the best months of the year for eating purple sprouting broccoli. Eat it freshly picked if possible.

Though low in calories, broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. It is especially rich in vitamin C. A one-cup serving of broccoli contains about the same amount of protein as a cup of corn or rice but less than one-third of the calories.

Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins K, C and A, as well as folic acid and fibre. It is also a very good source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamins B6 and E.

It contains substances called glucosinolates, which have powerful anti-cancer properties, and the carotenoid lutein, which is a potent antioxidant and is protective against macular degeneration in eyes.

Recipe for Purple Sprouting Broccoli Salad with Tahini Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

• Broccoli (cut into florets). Ordinary broccoli can also be used.
• Sugar snap peas
• 2 red onions (cut in rings)
• ½ cup sweetcorn

Dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp white miso
• 1 tbsp apple juice concentrate
• Boiling water as required

Method

• Bring a pot of water to boil and add a pinch of salt
• Boil the vegetables one at a time for 1-3 minutes, depending on texture and size, leaving them crunchy and crisp, keeping the ones with the strongest colour and flavour to the end. When the red onion has been boiled (1-2 minutes), rinse under cold water, put on a plate and sprinkle immediately with umeboshi vinegar which will help to maintain the red colour
• If the vegetables are not to be eaten immediately, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain their colour and texture.
• Mix ingredients for the dressing and serve on the side.

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