April 25, 2013 
Unfortunately we must postpone this event. The turnout was looking small, and some things came up personally for us as hosts. So we look forward to rescheduling this pampering event for later this year. Meanwhile here’s a recipe for one of the dishes we had planned to serve. I tried it out on unsuspecting guests last weekend…thanks to Liz for sharing her old Donna Hay magazines. They are such an inspiration!
Prawn Sushi with Pickled Cucumbers - Donna Hay Feb/Mar 2009
pickled cucumbers
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
To make the pickled cucumber, place the sugar, vinegar and salt in a non-metalic bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the cucumber and stir to combine. Set aside.
prawn sushi
2 cups (400 g) sushi rice
3 cups (750 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
400 g (14 oz) cooked prawns, peeled, tails removed, and halved lengthwise
wasabi paste and soy sauce to serve
Place the rice and water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a non-metallic bowl and stir until dissolved. Spread the rice over the base of a large, shallow non-metallic dish and sprinkle with the vinegar mixture. Stir with a spatula for 5 minutes or until cool to the touch.
Line a 20cm x 30cm tin with plastic wrap. Line the base of the tin with the prawns, (pink side down). Top with the rice and press down firmly. Place a sheet of non-stick baking paper on top and fold over the plastic wrap to enclose. Place a piece of cardboard on top and weigh down with cans. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Turn out, slice and serve with wasabi, soy sauce and the pickled cucumber. Serves 6.
Rylla Ramblings: Next time I would consider putting just a tiny bit of wasabi on the shrimp, then adding the rice, and perhaps drizzling soy sauce over the top once it is flipped over. I used a Pyrex dish to do this and it worked beautifully. I was worried it might fall apart when releasing it from the pan, but had no problems. It was so pretty coming out as a big rectangle that I served it like that, then sliced it when we were ready to eat. The variations on this are endless…and it is beautiful and lovely to serve to a crowd!
Do let me know if you try it; would love to hear how it goes!
And we will let you know when we reschedule this event. Happy cooking!
Rylla
My favorite second hand boutique in the area is Micaela’s in Riehen. I have found some lovely treasures there – and recommend it highly. Micaela now has a new location just down the street – Micaela’s Gifts, Accessories, Art, with gifts downstairs and a salon upstairs!
We get to share cocktails and pampering in her lovely new space. Art, sculpture, one of a kind scarves, colorful Italian gloves. Candles for spring and summer and more. Come and take a peek, shop if you like. Drink some tropical cocktails, eat some delectable nibbles, celebrate spring/summer with us.
And get pampered! You can make appointments for hair styling/cutting, manicures and pedicures and foot massage/reflexology (charged separately). Appointments are limited by space and time, so if you are interested, call Micaela’s as soon as possible. We will be there on May 18th from 2pm – 6pm, and appointments are available throughout. Here is the contact information. (If you want to speak English call the cell number.)
Micaela’s Gifts, Accessories, Art
061 641 08 32 – shop/salon
076 372 15 56 – cell
I am soooo ready for summer, and am eager to usher it in with you all. Hope you can join us!
Warmly,
TROPICAL TOOTSIES, COCKTAILS AND PAMPERING. DETAILS HERE.
Where: |
Schmiedgasse 10
4125 Riehen |
When: |
Saturday, 18th of May, 2013, 14:00 – 18:00 |
Cost: |
25 CHF in advance, 35 CHF at the door for cocktails and appetizers. (Salon services extra – contact Micaela’s for details) |
RSVP: |
By May 12th please, expatkochen@gmail.com. Space is limited. Payment info and directions will be sent via email. |
March 8, 2013 One week after we visited the Sri Lankan kitchen we found ourselves (some of the same Basel foodies, some different) in Rocio’s warm, inviting Mexican kitchen. The counters were filled with chips, salsa, cucumber and carrot slices sitting in a bed of sea salt, sprinkled with chili powder/salt mix. Beautiful, delicious, a little different = fabulous. We all began chopping the vegetables for the veggie and chicken fajitas that were to come. Conversation flowed along with the tangy hibiscus iced tea.
In what seemed like about 5 minutes, we were all sitting round the table helping ourselves to fajitas with a creamy spicy sauce (adding the sour cream into the sauce was a brilliant touch!), topped with beautiful guacamole and pico de gallo. Once again, my mouth was happy. I think it must be the spice and varied flavors that my mouth craves.
I was struck by how simple and delicious it was. Sometimes I get caught up in doing things the hard way, but here simplicity reigns supreme. A great reminder for me. This is such an easy quick meal anytime. For me it makes a perfect Friday night dinner. After a busy week here is an easy one dish meal that pleases all, is simple to prepare and clean up. Perfect.
Here is the recipe. Try it and see how it works for you and your clan!
Creamy Mexican Fajitas (Chicken or Vegetarian)
Enjoy your food,
P.S. Special thanks to Abi and Rocio for sharing themselves and their kitchens for these Foods of the World events! Next time Tapas!
February 27, 2013 Last month a group of Basel “foodies” met in a warm, welcoming kitchen filled with intoxicating, savory smells and delicious sounding sizzles. Upon closer inspection we found beautifully colored lentils, vegetables, fruits, herbs, peppers and spices, all waiting to come together into what would be our incredible Sri Lankan feast.
Times like this I see food as art – art that is part of daily life, the palette of colors, textures, shapes, smells and flavors just waiting to be blended into today’s masterpiece. Sometimes minimalist and simple, sometimes layered and complex, always unique. Add to people who love food to the mix and voila, an amazing vernissage (literally varnishing in French; used to mean the opening of a show, often an art show) and finissage (used in German to mean end of show) all in one. No stuffed shirts however, no art snobs – only those coming together for the sake of sharing the preparation and the eating of the art in community.
Years ago my nephew Tyler had an art school assignment – create art using found objects, found people. He did some amazing portraits of people living on the streets of Chicago on pieces of broken mirror, an old suitcase, whatever he had “found.” My son was with me at the opening and was about 2 years old. He walked up to the suitcase, picked it up and started walking across the room. There was a quick intake of breaths followed by sudden silence as everyone held their breaths, waiting to see what would happen. Then the artist spoke, ”It’s a suitcase. Of course he can pick it up.” Exhalations abounded and the acceptable din of noise returned. Tyler told me he thought art was not something to be revered, to be kept away from us, on a pedestal, separate, nor was it meant to last forever. A revelation to me – art to live with, not to be careful of. I love that thought. I wonder if we are surrounded by art? Food certainly can be art to me – art to live with, to enjoy in this moment.
Back to the feast we were enjoying in that moment. It was indeed an incredible site to behold, and the flavors – pungent and spicy – made my mouth happy. Looking around, breathing it in, tasting it, listening to the happy conversations – it wasn’t just my mouth that was happy. I am indeed a fortunate woman to be surrounded by such abundance.
The recipes you say? Here they are. And please check out Ami’s Vegetarian Delicacies for lots more!
Seeni Sambol (Caramalised Onion with Ceylon Spices)
Red Lentils Curry
Coconut Sambol (Grated Coconut Salad with Chili)
This was such a hit we did it again the next week, Mexican with Rocio. Look for the post about that soon, plus join us for Spanish Tapas with Lar next month. Watch here for details!
Enjoy your food,
February 13, 2013
AWC Tea – a Pre-Valentine’s Treat
Last week we were asked to do a presentation for the Basel American Women’s Club annual tea. This year’s tea was to raise money to build a school kitchen in a small village in Belarus through Future for Ritschow. Perfect I thought – let’s cook together here to raise money so they can have a kitchen to cook for the children there!
Next I called my friend, Joelle Martinelli, who has a catering business called Apéro Idées.
Joelle specializes in beautiful, delectable appetizers as you will see if you look at her website. Together we came up with a menu of bite size treats to serve just for your loved one, or for a small Apéro with friends. The idea – food prepared with loving care to intrigue all your senses.
Our menu, inspired by Wolfgang Puck and Tanja Grandits, consisted of Cucumber Mint Mojitos, Miso Cones with Spicy Tuna, Smoked Duck with Oranges, Bresaola with Parmesan Crisps and Arugula, and Salad on Skewers with Lemon Vinaigrette. The recipes are below, and here are a few pix. Thanks Donna!
Thank you Sarah for hosting the event in your exceptional kitchen! I felt like I was cooking in a TV studio.
 
With Valentine’s Day in mind we picked a menu made up of beautiful nibbles. The idea is to sample a little bit of lots of different flavors. Wake up your tongue and all your senses. And, for Valentine’s Day it’s perfect because you can feed each other! It can be slow and sensual, or just silly and fun. After all, one of the best aphrodisiacs is laughing together! Have some fun. Experiment with the preparation and the eating. Intimacy is bred by sharing new experiences together. Go for it!
Remember to take your time in the preparation. Put some love into your food, especially when preparing a meal to share with your sweetheart. Enjoy the process. Notice the colors, textures, smells, shapes, beauty of the food. Remember there is no “right” way to do it. Use your imagination and do what makes it beautiful for you. Make your own art out of your food. Taking time and attention when you are preparing the food awakens your senses so you can enjoy the food, and whatever else might follow!
Enjoy your food. Enjoy your loved ones. Happy Valentine’s Day.
RECIPES
Spicy Tuna in Sesame Miso Cones
Adapted from Wolfgang Puck (click here for an even more beautiful picture – thanks Just a Taste!)
Spicy Tuna Mixture
114 grams, (4 ounces) diced sashimi grade tuna
1 tablespoon diced pickled ginger
1 teaspoon chopped scallions
1 tablespoon wasabi/soy sauce dressing
2 tablespoons spicy chili mayonnaise
Miso Cones
114 grams, (4 ounces) butter
1 cup (about 240 ml) corn syrup (Read about substitutions here. Thanks Jill!)
2 heaping tablespoons miso paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1/2 cup sesame seeds, black and white mixed
Soy/Wasabi mix
1/3 cup wasabi
1 cup soy sauce
Add a bit of water to wasabi, then mix in with soy sauce.
Chili Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sriracha
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Sprouts, masago roe, and diced pickled ginger for garnish
Preheat oven to 175 C, 350 F.
In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter with the syrup. Do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in miso paste and sesame oil. Next sift in flour, stirring continuously. Finally stir in the ginger and sesame seeds.
Drop mix in tablespoon sized portions onto a Silpat or parchment paper and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully flip and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from pan and cool slightly. As soon as you can safely lift the “cookie” from the pan do so and shape into small cones. (You may need to drape the cookies around something initially so they will keep their shape until hardened.*) Once firm place in cone holders, or alternatively in a bowl of dried black beans, lentils, or rice. (Like this!)
Mix the tuna, ginger, scallions, soy/wasabi mix and chili mayo together and put into piping bag (or use a plastic bag with the corner cut off). Place a couple of sprouts in the cone, then fill with tuna mixture. Garnish with diced ginger and masago roe, more sprouts if desired.
Note: For the tea we also served the cones filled with a chopped salad which consisted of fennel, red onion, avocado and tomatoes chopped and mixed with wasabi/soy dressing and chili mayonnaise. Whatever you have on hand for veggies will work – but don’t leave out the avocado as its richness is perfect for this.
*Regarding corn syrup, I didn’t find it and substituted with a sugar syrup. Note that the chemistry doesn’t quite work without the corn syrup. My cones, while very tasty, never did get hard. Consequently I had to serve them in little cups. For more information on using corn syrup and substitutes, read here.
Cucumber Mint Mojitos
Alles Klar – Im Glas Gekocht Tanja Grandits
1 cucumber
6 tablespoons mint syrup (Monin)
2 limes, zest from one, juice from both
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 handful of fresh mint leaves
2 handfuls ice
salt and pepper to taste
(lime slices, mint leaves and thinly sliced cucumber skin as garnish)
Mix all ingredients and blend, pour over a bit of crushed ice.
Bresaola with Parmesan Crisps and Arrugula
adapted from Alles Klar – Im Glas Gekocht Tanja Grandits
300 grams bresaola, thinly sliced
100 grams parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons white Balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
8 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 handfuls arugula
Spoon grated parmesan in large spoonfuls onto Silpat or parchment paper and heat in 200 C oven for 5 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Gently remove and place on paper towels to soak up oil.
For the vinaigrette slightly warm the white Balsamic and maple syrup. Add the mustard and oil, then salt and pepper to taste. Pour over arugula to marinate.
Layer arugula, chopped hazelnuts, parmesan crisps, and bresaola in small glass finishing with parmesan crisp and nuts. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.
Smoked Duck with Oranges
Adapted from Tanja Gandits – Alles Klar
2 packages smoked duck (or goose!*) I get these in France, just across the border from Basel
2 – 3 large oranges, sliced for presentation (click here for video instructions)
Small skewers (bamboo work well)
Nut oil (optional, walnut or hazelnut)
So easy – just skewer slices of duck with orange in between. Drizzle with nut oil if desired.
Ok, must confess! I thought I was buying duck for the AWC tea. I noticed some packages had smaller pieces, some larger, and opted for the larger. At the tea, Lea (fluent in French) mentioned that it was goose! Well, delicious either way! I am curious how many of you actually are reading about my cluelessness- typical part of the expat experience if you ask me. Comment below if you caught me  !
Salad Skewers with Lemon Vinaigrette
3 cucumbers sliced into rounds
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped into bite sized pieces
radicchio, slightly chopped
romaine, slightly chopped
fennel, chopped into bite sized pieces
Other salad stuff – whatever your heart desires – chopped into bite sized pieces!
Bamboo skewers (or toothpicks)
Again, so easy! Skewer ingredients in same order or different – make it beautiful to you. Lay in a bowl or on a tray and drizzle vinaigrette overtop. This is great for picnics and also a good way to get kids to eat salad.
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing (Serve at room temp)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Feel free to add herbs – basil is a beautiful addition, cilantro so fresh. Thyme also, rosemary, whatever. Experiment please! I like to add fresh ground coriander seeds. You? Comment with your favorite addition, I’d love to hear about it.
January 21, 2013 
Let’s step into the kitchens of some Basel Foodies and learn about the foods of the world, beginning with Sri Lanka and Mexico! Abi and Rocio have graciously invited us to come cook, learn, and lunch together. Space is limited so please respond as soon as possible!
| Where: |
Abi’s kitchen first, then Rocio’s. We’ll send directions when you RSVP |
| When: |
Friday, 1st of February, 2013 at 10:30 with Abi for Sri Lankan food, then Friday, 8th of February 2013 at 11:00 with Rocio for Mexican food |
| Cost: |
20 CHF per class in advance, 30 CHF at the door |
| RSVP: |
expatkochen@gmail.com, by January 30th for Sri Lankan lunch, by February 6th for Mexican lunch |
We’ll send addresses, directions and payment instructions to you via email. We hope to see you soon!
November 20, 2012 
What an inspiring event! Above is a picture of my salad the next night. I was compelled to use lots of color thanks to Krista; this salad has lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, fennel, pomegranate seeds, and for dressing, a pomegranate vinaigrette. Thank you Krista, such inspiration!
It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when we gathered in the lovely home of Krista Kiley to learn all about food and its relationship to the health of our skin. Upon arrival we found healthy snack stations all over; the living room, dining room and kitchen filled with yummy, healthy treats for our sampling pleasure. Next came tons of information, demonstrations, recipes and beautiful, tasty food.
One of my favorite Krista quotes was “eating fat does ≠ becoming fat!” Here’s to that! Good fats are good for us, especially for our skin!
“All the cells in our body (including skin) are surrounded by a membrane that is made of fat. So, we need good fats in our diet–like vegetable fats from avocado, nuts seeds, and olive oil as well as fatty fish like salmon and mackeral–that will keep those membranes flexible and allow nutrients to penetrate in. Eating good fats at the start of each meal is probably one of the very best things you can do for your skin and the rest of you, too.”
Krista Kiley
Krista suggested shopping by color, and fixing meals including many different colors. She also said to merchandise our cupboards and refrigerators. What does that mean?
- Prepare ingredients as soon as you get home to make them easy to use, and then put them in clear containers so you can see what you have and be inspired to use it.
- Organize your shelves so you won’t be overwhelmed by your larder, but instead inspired. Merchandise it – easy to see and beautiful!
- Put healthy snacks in a visible place so you’ll go for them first and maybe skip the junk food.
Below find some recipes from Krista. Be inspired, and let us know the results in the comments below. Also as you find places to purchase super healthy ingredients, please share with us all. Thanks again Krista; you provided such a warm, enriching space on that rainy afternoon. We’re all looking forward to Skin Food II!
You Have to Seed It To Believe It!
What is it?
1/2 avocado, completely peeled, rolled in a variety of seeds & salts (chia, sesame, sunflower, and flax, for example). In the hole of the avocado is salmon (fresh, cooked and shredded or smoked, chopped in little pieces).
Connection to Skin:
Salmon–high in omega-3 essential fatty acids that block the body’s production of nasty little inflammatory chemicals–like arachidonic acid, so you minimize chances of allergies and skin disorders that are more likely during stressful times.
Avocado–contain the anti-oxidant combo of Vitamin C and E, a powerful skin anti-aging duo fighting free-radical damage. Avocados are also high in omega-3 essential fatty acids which keep the skin nice and lubricated.
Seed Mix–seeds are little tiny wonders! Here we have flax seeds (rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially alpha linoleic acid (ALA which the body does not product itself), chia seeds (The word “Chia” comes from the Mayan language and means strength. Chia seeds are a balanced blend of protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber), and sunflower seeds (replete with vitamin E — a powerful antioxidant that decelerates the aging of skin cells; Vitamin E is also known for its ability to diminish the appearance of scars).
Enjoy! Knowing that your cells are being bombarded with the right fats to allow nutrients in and keep the harmful stuff out
Wrap It Up, Baby!
What is it?
A hand-held wrap “sandwich” made of nori superfood (same wrapping as in sushi rolls), white meat chicken breast, spinach, red cabbage, sprouts and a little bit of sesame dressing. Under 300 calories and super low-glycemic index!
Connection to Skin:
Nori Superfood–this roasted seaweed is high in minerals that the skin lacks when you only eat foods grown on land. This one has the highest protein content of any sea veggie and is high in Vitamin A to help with skin’s moisture retention & promotes wound healing.
Spinach–contains mega-doses of various mineral salts (like potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc) and Vitamins (A, B, C, E, K, folic acid). Notably, Vitamin B, which helps with skin firmness and controlling insomnia. Plus, it calms the nervous system, which helps under stress.
Sprouts–have an alkalizing effect on the body. Cancer cells, bacteria and viruses have a hard time living in an alkaline environment.
Red Cabbage–has wonderful internal cleansing properties, and when you’re clean as a whistle on the inside, you’ll also be clear on the outside!
Enjoy! Knowing that your cells are being wrapped in amazing anti-oxidants, lying down their electron lives to save and protect your face!
October 16, 2012 
Skin Food??
I had to put question marks after that because for me those words don’t seem to go together so well. But why is that I wonder? Don’t we eat to nourish our bodies, and isn’t skin the largest organ of our bodies?
Plenty to consider and learn about, and that is just what we will be doing on a Saturday afternoon in November. We are happy to have Krista Kiley leading us in a discussion and workshop on skin and food. Now some words from Krista.
Your diet = your skin type.
Yes, we all know that “we are what we eat”, but perhaps we’re unaware of just what a difference our food choices make on this cutaneous part of our being. Let this Skin Food tutorial enlighten your prospects for daily nutrition choices that don’t add up to more time in the kitchen, or more expense for your budget. And while it takes about 6 months for your body to completely rebuild its liver, your skin is renewing itself every month….that’s a lot of opportunity for positive change to take place!”
Krista Kiley
I am intrigued. If you are as well, then please join us for this enlightening, enriching afternoon with Krista!
| Where: |
Schweissbergweg 19A
4102 Binningen |
| When: |
Saturday, 10th of November, 2012, 14:00 – 16:00 |
| Cost: |
20 CHF in advance, 25 at the door |
| RSVP: |
By November 6th please, expatkochen@gmail.com. Limit 12 people. We’ll send payment info and directions via email. |
August 22, 2012 
What a lovely, relaxed, beautiful afternoon. As I sat in the garden surrounded with people interested in food and each other I suddenly realized that this was a dream come true. Ever since reading about tasting olive oil in Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence have I wanted to participate in an olive oil tasting. I read that book probably 15 or 20 years ago, never imagining that I would move to Europe and get to taste olive oil with friends old and new, sitting under the Swiss sun. And that was just the start!
I also never imagined how much of a difference I would find tasting the oils, nor how strong of a preference I would have. Fabulous to know.
Giuseppe and Maria Theresa shared many oils with us, including that from his family (which we all loved!). He educated us on the anti-inflammatory qualities and chemistry of olive oil, and taught us about how to taste the phenols. The stronger or spicier the oil the more phenols it has and the better for you it is. While many of us liked the same oils, we often had different responses to the spicy notes of the oils, demonstrating the differences in every person’s pallate. It really was fascinating.
Next came snacks with olive oil and some Italian wine. Really, a perfect afternoon. Thanks to our hostess Linda, thanks to the universe for the perfect weather, thanks to all who came, and a special thank you to Giuseppe and Maria Theresa for sharing their food, wine, information, and of course, olive oil with us. Now we all have our own olive oil man!
Giuseppe’s oil is only available in limited quantities. If you would like to buy a bottle email us at expatkochen@gmail.com and we will give you his contact information.
This was such a successful event that we all agreed that we would like to do it again, maybe later this fall. We’ll keep you posted, and hope you can join us next time!
July 16, 2012 
Linda, our long time friend and supporter, has invited us to meet Giuseppe, her personal olive oil man. (ok, I want one, a personal olive oil man. You?) Join us for the tasting along with some yummy snacks and wine. This event is limited to 15 people, so if you are interested please email us today.
Remember that olive oil is one of the “healthy” fats, a good one to substitute for the not so great ones (as featured in this post). Check out the benefits in this Mayo Clinic article:
Meanwhile, happy summer, hope to see you soon!
| Where: |
Auf dem Rücken 2
4125 Riehen |
| When: |
Saturday, 11th of August, 2012 at 17:00 |
| Cost: |
15 CHF in advance, 20 at the door |
| RSVP: |
By August 1st please. Limit 15 people.We’ll send payment info and directions via email. expatkochen@gmail.com |
March 19, 2012 As I sit here with my tea on a rainy, slightly cool afternoon it is hard to remember the bitter cold we experienced in Basel back in February. Since I moved to Basel from Minnesota you might think I would be used to frigid weather, but I find that I experience it differently here, perhaps because I am outside more, often waiting for or walking to or from a tram. Being outside more (and in my car less) is one of the things I love about living here. But oh that cold weather! Made me much appreciate the warmth of the buses and trams.
It was however the perfect setting for our Food or Medicine event. Acupuncturist Howard Austin had planned a soup for the event that was the perfect antidote to freezing temperatures. Again combine that with with great people, good questions and conversation on an interesting topic, and it was a lovely Saturday afternoon. Sometimes I wonder if Expat Kochen readers tire of hearing about how great the recipe is when we combine good people, conversation, and food, but I will say it again and again, because I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.
Howard enlightened us on the healing, warming and cooling properties of foods and talked about they interacted with different body types, and with different parts of the body. Next we got to taste a variety of dried snacks, many of which were in the soup which was to follow.
Beautiful, delicious, even surprising! Red dates and berries in soup? Fabulous!
Thanks much to Howard for teaching us a bit about the Chinese Medicine approach to eating. And for sharing his terrific space. And food! Below is the recipe in case you want to try it at home. Note that the recipe calls for some special Chinese herbs that Howard has access to as an Acupuncturist. If you would like to get them yourselves you can contact him directly and he can sell them to you. Or you can make them without and it will still be delish.
Let me also personally recommend Howard as an acupuncturist. I had shoulder pain off an on for the past few years and after just three sessions with Howard my muscles released and have stayed relaxed and pain-free ever since. Cheers to the ancient practice of Chinese medicine! If you have personal experience with acupuncture and Chinese medicine we’d love to hear about it. Please comment below. Now here is that recipe. Enjoy!
Dun Ji Tang Liao Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 large organic chicken
1 packet of Dun Ji Tang Liao herbal mix
1 fresh young ginger root
1 large sprig of rosemary
3-4 sprigs of thyme
2 large cobs of fresh sweetcorn
2 spring onions
1 cup assorted mushrooms
4 fresh bunches of bok choy
Olive oil
Corriander
Small cup of gou qi zi berries (Chinese wolf berry)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Place the chicken in a large pot with 4 litres of cold water bring to the boil then simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour skim off any fat from the top of the pot. Now add the Dun Ji Tang Liao herbal mix to the chicken, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the rosemary, thyme, 6 large slices of ginger, 3/4 tablespoon salt and some pepper. Slowly cook for another 1/2 hour.
While waiting, lightly cook the corn and remove from the cob, finely chop up the spring onion,prepare the coriander and wash and dice the mushrooms. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place in a another dish. Once cool remove the flesh of the chicken and place in a separate bowl. Strain the soup to remove the herbs making sure to separate out the red dates. Place them in a separate small bowl for later.
Place the strained soup in a large pot and add the chopped sweetcorn, mushrooms, bok choy and gou qi zi berries. Cook for another 4-minutes only until the bok choy is soft and the gou qi zi berries are bright red. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if required (2-3 teaspoons)
Now place some of the chicken pieces into bowls. Spoon the soup mix containing the bok choy, sweetcorn and mushrooms over the chicken and garnish with a little spring onion and coriander. Lastly, add a red date.
Howard Austin
Spechtstrasse 5
4104 Oberwil
Switzerland
E-Mail:howard.austin@bluewin.ch
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