Long before everything was blogged, print ruled
the sentences. Here’s the culinary history of Avanti & the musing of
Chef Mark Cleveland in culinary fun stuff from before any #face had been
#book-ed
January 15, 2003
February 2003 Whole Life Times Food Column
Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have You a New Year Feast!
Ringing in the Chinese New Year of the Black Sheep on
February 3, 2003
According to legend, before the Buddha headed up to Nirvana’s
blissful emerald joyscape, he called a confab for the animals of the
world. All were welcome, but only
13 showed up. The order in which
they arrived for the party gives us the lunar year sequence. The industrious rat came first, but later,
when the persnickety kitty cat lost focus and attempted to turn citizen rat
into a tartar taste treat, that cat was banished, missed the finer points of
the enlightenment lecture, and our cycle became one of 12 years.
This year is 4700 in the Chinese calendar and the sheep is
black since she’s a water sheep, and water is equivalent to the color black in
the five-element system. This
black sheep year has fewer internal conflicts than the black horse of last
year. She tends toward peaceful
resolution, but is destined to address, at least until autumn, any business
left unfinished by the tempestuous and fiery horse of 2002.
To ring in the new year right, wok up a feast fraught with
portent. The Chinese word for Bamboo
shoots is pronounced similarly to “wishing that all be well,” and so bamboo is
included in auspicious menus. A
variety of nurturing vegetables signify abundance and health. The numerous seeds of the eggplant
suggest prolific success and fertility.
Long noodles are eaten on new year’s throughout Asia to encourage longevity.
In the spirit of peaceful interaction
this new year, I’ve collaborated with Robert Wemischner
on the tea smoked mushroom & eggplant recipe. It’s a sumptuous centerpiece to a festive meal. You’ll find more tea inspired creations
in Robert’s book Cooking With Tea.
May the peaceful spirit of the black sheep inspire our
actions for a joyful 2003!
Eight Treasures
Recipe By: Mark
Cleveland
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Time: 1:00
Categories: Chinese
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation
Method
3 whole bean
curd sticks
1/2 cup dried
black mushroom
3 medium waterchestnuts fresh,
or jicama
2 tablespoons grapeseed
oil
3 medium shallots rings
2 cloves garlic sliced
2 tablespoons ginger minced
1 1/2 cups baby
carrots
1 cup baby
corn
3 medium baby
bok choy julienned
3/4 cup cashews
SAUCE
2 tablespoons white
miso
1 tablespoon soy
sauce
1/4 cup saki
2/3 cup green
tea
1 teaspoon chili
paste or
more
1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
Soak the bean curd sticks and dried black mushroom in hot
water for about an hour until softened, then julienne. Whisk together the sauce ingredients
and set aside. Heat oil in wok or
large skillet over med high heat.
Add shallots and toss until they begin to color, then add garlic and
toss a minute longer. Add ginger,
toss then add the carrots and toss again.
Add baby corn, bok choy, bean curd & mushrooms. Toss until hot and glistening. Add the cashews, toss again for a
minute, then add the sauce, heat until bubbling and thickened.
Notes: Bean
curd sticks, dried black mushroom, chili paste, etc. are available in Asian
markets. Use about 2/3 cup
julienned jicama if you can't find waterchestnuts.
Per serving: 372 Calories; 22g Fat (52% calories from fat);
21g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 448mg Sodium
_____
Buddha's Bliss
Recipe By: Mark
Cleveland
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Time: 1:00
Categories: Chinese
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation
Method
3/4 cup ginkgo
nuts
1 cup lotus
roots thin
slices
2 medium carrots julienned
1 small bamboo
shoot fresh
3 large shiitake
mushrooms fresh
1 1/2 cups snow
peas
2/3 cup lily
buds
3/4 cup Chinese
chives 1
inch pieces
3 tablespoons grapeseed
oil
1 tablespoon ginger
2 tablespoons sherry or
black tea
SAUCE
2/3 cup green
tea
1 teaspoon sesame
oil
1 tablespoon sesame
seeds
1 tablespoon dark
soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
Remove ginkgo nuts from shells and boil for 20 mins. Cool then remove skins, pull in half
and remove any interior stems. Set
aside. Peel bamboo shoot down to
tender part. Slice thinly and soak
in cool water. Soak lily buds in
warm water for 30 mins. Drain and set
aside. Cut the shiitake into thin
slices. Remove string from snow
peas. Julienne the carrot and
prepare the Chinese chives. Whisk
together the sauce ingredients.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet, add the ginger and toss, then
add the lotus root and carrots and toss, add bamboo and shiitake and toss
again. Next add the snow peas,
lily buds and ginkgo nuts. Stir in
the sherry and toss until it's evaporated. Add the sauce to the center of the wok and stir until
thickened. Toss in the Chinese
chives and serve.
Notes: Preparing
the ginkgo nuts is a bit labor intensive, but you only need 3/4 cup and after
all, it is New Years!
Per serving: 172 Calories; 9g Fat (45% calories from fat);
4g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 290mg Sodium
_____
Tea Smoked Mushrooms & Eggplant
Recipe By: Mark
Cleveland & Robert Wemischner
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Time: 1:30
Categories: Chinese
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation
Method
FOR
THE SMOKER
1/3 cup brown
rice
1/2 cup black
tea
2 tablespoons China
5 spice powder
3 tablespoons brown
sugar
5 slices ginger
root
VEGETABLE
MEDLEY
3 medium Chinese
eggplant sliced
3 large shiitake
mushrooms sliced
8 ounces enoki
mushrooms pulled
apart
12 medium crimini
mushrooms sliced
MARINADE
5 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons mushroom
soy sauce
2 tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup Shaoxing
sherry or
dark sherry
3 whole scallion thin
slices
black
pepper
Line a wok w/ foil and layer the smoking ingredients in the bottom
of the wok. Cover loosely w/
another piece of foil and set a rack over that. Whisk together the marinade and marinate the mushrooms and
eggplant for about an hour. Turn
the heat on medium under the wok and remove the eggplant and mushroom mix from
the marinade w/ a slotted spoon and place on the rack. When smoke curls up, cover the wok and
smoke for 10 mins. Turn off heat
and allow to cool in wok for another 10 mins. Heat marinade in small skillet and allow to bubble, reduce
slightly and cook off raw alcohol.
Combine vegetables w/ sauce.
Serve w/ long noodles
Per serving: 275 Calories; 6g Fat (19% calories from fat);
7g Protein; 51g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 371mg Sodium
_____
Toshi Koshi Soba
Recipe By: Mark
Cleveland
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Time: 0:30
Categories: Chinese
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation
Method
1 1/2 pounds long
noodles
2/3 cup green
tea lukewarm
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy
sauce
1 tablespoon white
sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black
sesame seeds
1/3 cup fresh
shiso julienned
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water
until just tender. Meanwhile,
whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside. Drain noodles and toss w/ sauce.
—————
Notes: For
Chinese New Year, get the longest noodles you can find -- whole wheat,
buckwheat, green tea -- the longer the better!
Use any fresh Asian herbs if you can't find shiso -- or use
a combo of basil and mint.
Per serving: 466 Calories; 3g Fat (7% calories from fat);
16g Protein; 90g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 362mg Sodium
Eating Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win
Situation!
Eat, Live & Party Well
Blog post by Chef Mark Cleveland
Avanti is the longstanding leader in organic,
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Meaning 'forward' in Italian, Avanti Natural is a culinary
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