nectarine mousse kanten

 

Finally I'm back to Italy for my holidays. Thirty-five degree. A possible murder if I don't have something refreshing. And seems I'm not the only one looking for that!

Here is plenty of melons, every kinds of plums, summer apples and pears, so many different type of peaches... Now all the trees are empty for full tables. The nature is blow up, a rainbow of scents fill up the air all around you. And you feel to be in the heaven, just have to choose.

What to do so? My mother was complaining for too many ripe nectarine for just three of us. Actually, yep, four plateau are quite a lot...

Lets do a peach mousse kanten! But because this hot weather makes me quite nervous maybe a pick of calming herbs like camomile can give us the right touch. Sniffing them, smells seems working very good together.

Peaches are plenty of vitamins, full of sugars, and good source of minerals and quite good source of proteins, nutritive and low cal. They are perfect summer here.

This dessert, is about the Soil transformation. The nature is quite Yin so maybe need to have a balance meal before. And remember to eat less during the hot days.

{ingredients}

{peaches}

 10 small organic nectarine
few pinch of fine unrefined sea salt

 {camomile}

  1/4 cup organic camomile flowers

[possibly no petals]
3/4 cup water

5 g circa Rapunzel agar agar flakes

{technique}

{camomile}

Bring to boil the camomile flowers and the water, let boil for 5 minutes that strain, sprinkle the agar over the infusion, stir well and stand while you prepare the peaches.

Than bring again to boil for 5 min on a medium heat, stirring until agar is dissolved.

{peaches}

Wash and drain the fruits, diced and place in a heavy pan with salt, cook for 6-7 minutes on medium heat and blend with an hand blender or puree mashing them.

{kanten mousse}

Add to the peaches puree the infusion whisking. Test purring some puree on a plate if the agar is working. Leave to set in a big one or individual moulds. Serve room temperature.

raw patisserie in my way: raspberry tartelette

Mid-August, and my breath condensing!!! Is raining so much that I cannot see my roses through the window. The only pleased is the cat allowed to join the sofa since I'm at the computer.

    Well, I need some summer in my kitchen. Clean flavors and colours.
I truly love simple food. Few ingredients and huge imagination. That is something I really do love in macrobiotic, and my digestion too. I'm always impressed from some recipes, I appreciate how the food is kept as it is, no complex condiments or mixtures. Two or three items and some magic.

    This recipe has been inspired from raw patisserie. I made quite a lot changes to make it more balanced. Still, is not easy for people with a slow digestion, like me, and, I do not recommend for people with mood swing or or any extreme Condition/Constitution. But I can suggest as party food to impress your guests.

     Instead time:  Instead of marble or date`I used the rice syrup, a milder option. Instead of cashew I used sunflower seeds. That are plenty of proteins, vitamins, very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper and Manganese. This seeds may yield a more complete protein source to balance the nutrients of restrictive diets like vegan. Besides, are very low in fats comparing with any nuts. Instead of the raw-one-hundred-stuff-pulse-together filling, I choose a simple marvelous 10-minute-time-raspberry-jam.

    At Portofino years ago i tried a vegan gelato: Melon and Marjoram. Tones of sugar .. but really chic. So, for our raspberries jam we have nigella seeds. Just perfect. Raspberries are very rich in vitamin C, Manganese, and, good source of fiber. And I love nigella seeds! Beautiful deep black, that will work perfectly with the raspberries red, to nourish also the eyes. Nigella fresh flavor remember me so much the Ligurian coast...

    Finally, sunflower seeds are slightly inflammatory and raspberries are slightly anti- inflammatory. So, we got just the right balance.

    About the transformation, we got the roasted sunflower (Metal cooking style) and a very sour jam (Tree). Plus, the rice syrup (Earth).

{ingredients}

{rice syrup sunflower crust}
1  cups organic sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. rice syrup
a pinch fine unrefined sea salt

 {raspberries & nigella jam}

  4 cups of organic raspberries
1/2 tsp. of nigella seeds [or more to taste]
1Tbsp. of kuzu 

a pinch of fine unrefined sea salt

{technique}

{crust}

Toast the seeds in an heavy pan until smell a nutty flavor. Blend in a food processor with syrup and salt and pulse until the mixture is combined. In a muffin pan scoop a couple tablespoons per cup. Press firmly so that the seeds mixture is compact and holds together. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hr.

{jam}

Save some raw raspberries for decoration. In an heavy saucepan cook the left raspberries with a pick of salt* until juicy and soft. Wisking with a spoon, filter through a strainer to remove seeds . Place again in the pan with the nigella and quickly reheat. Dissolve the kuzu in some water and add stirring carefully to prevent agglomerates. Stir over low heat until tick. [tip: if you don't like to chewing the nigella seeds, cook together with raspberry from the beginning and filter away, maybe you need more seeds to feel the flavor).

Leave to cool perfectly.

{to assemble}

Take out the crusts from the muffin pan. Scoop carefully 1 tablespoon of jam in each cup.

Decorate and serve.

{*} salt alkalize the food, help the digestion and bring out the sweetness.

 

 

Amasake, the japanese sweetner

It was a cloudy, cold day when i experiment how to make amasake. And I was sunk into the sofa busy with my book. The worlds were flowing under my eyes but nothing got in my mind. I needed to switch off with the study with some action. Since I had the ingredients sticking inside my cabinet from a while I decided to make the amasake. I went down to the kitchen I wear my apron. Took the ingredients from the cabinet. And started putting pieces back together organizing the recipe.

This is my style amasake, I mix 2 kinds of rice to cut down the costs...But sweet rice is quite different from common brown rice. Is plenty of proteins {the amino acid score is 71%} is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Manganese.

Amasake is quite Earth Transformation [sweet] but the cooking method is more Metal. And the fermentation makes it more about Tree. So is quite in the middle of a balance but because we usually use it in desserts I feel more right to place him in the Earth Transformation anyway.

{ingredients}

 1 cup brown rice

1 cup brown sweet rice

½ cup koji

6 cups spring water, plus 5 cups

Pick of unrefined sea salt

{technique} 

Boil the 2 cups of rice with the salt and 6 cups water, until cooked [50/60 min]. Set aside to cool down. When is cold enough to put a finger in the grain, add the koji and set aside in a warm place overnight or under the sun. At least 10 hrs. After that amasake should smell acid and sweet, if not leave to ferment much more.

Bring to boil again in a pressure cooker, with 5 cups of water, for 2 hour over a medium-low flame. Turn off the stove and leave the cooker to loose the pressure naturally. Then if you like to, add a vanilla pod. Leave on the stove until creamy if needed. Store in the fridge in a glass jar.

[if you like it smooth is possible to blend with a blender or mill amasake in a suribaci]  

the perfect plate

ITALIANO

Nella cucina Macrobiotica uno dei punti chiave e' bilanciare correttamente il pasto in modo da soddisfare il nostro palato e le necessita' dell'organismo.
E' importante essere sempre flessibili in modo da incontrare le proprie necessita'. In questi termini il piatto perfetto in assoluto, non esiste. Esiste pero' una linea guida generale da cui partire ed eccola qui:

50% cereali integrali (80%riso + 20% di orzo, farro, avena, miglio, grano,... a rotazione)
25% verdure di stagione miste
15% legumI
15% zuppa o brodo
5% alghe, frutta di stagione, semi e condimenti vari.

Per darvi un'idea pratica, un esempio di piatto base potrebbe essere:
Riso integrale, carote al vapore, fagioli rossi cotti a pressione, verza e sedano pressati conditi con limone e semi tostati. Una zuppa di miso con wakame e cipolle, e cipollotto crudo a guarnire. Gomasio o altri semi tostati come condimento.
-E' importante introdurre il maggior numero di colori possibili nel piatto e presentare il cibo in modo attraente. Bastano piccoli accorgimenti come una fogliolina verde o un po' di sesamo per fare la differenza.

---

La cucina macrobiotica ci vuole riportare ad uno stile di vita piu' salubre, riproporzionando i cibi che mettiamo a tavola secondo le vecchie tradizioni comuni a tutti i paesi.
Rispetto ad altre diete in cui l'ecologia del corpo e' centrale, la macrobiotica tiene conto anche delle energie che il cibo e le cotture portano con se. Quindi porta attenzione non solo al nutrimento fisico, ma anche a quello emozionale e spirituale.
Per fare un'esempio semplicistico: una persona aggressiva e materiale secondo voi cosa mangia? Carotine bollite? O bistecche alla griglia? Bistecche direi.
Quindi, quando vi sentite nervosi, che cibo potrebbe aiutarvi? Verdure e carotine bollite magari?
E' la cosa piu' semplice e naturale.
Bilanciare i giusti cibi tra di loro puo' aiutare a mantenere un equilibrio emozionale.

ENGLISH

Macrobiotic cuisine in one of the key points is properly balance the meal. In this way we satisfy our palate and needs of the body. Here I give you a few lines basis. It"s important to always be flexible to meet personal needs.
The dish should generally be composed of:

50% whole grains (80% rice + 20% barley, oats, millet, wheat, make a rotation ...) 25% mixed seasonal vegetables
15% legumes
15% soup or broth 5% algae, seasonal fruit, seeds and various seasonings.

To give a practical idea, an example of a base plate would be:
Brown rice, steamed carrots, red beans pressure cooked and pressed cabbage and celery, seasoned with lemon and roasted seeds. Miso soup with wakame and onions, raw onion to garnish. Gomasio or other roasted seeds as a condiment.
-Also important to introduce the largest possible number of colors on your plate and present food in an attractive way. A green leaf or a little sesame can make the difference.

   ---

The macrobiotic cooking takes to bring a more healthy lifestyle, following the old traditions common to all countries.
Compared to other diets where the body ecology is central, Macrobiotics also takes into account the energy the food and cooking styles they bring with them. So not only brings attention to the physical nourishment but also the emotional and spiritual.
For a simplistic example: an aggressive and material person, what does he eat? Boiled carrots? Or grilled steak? Steak I would say.
So when you feel nervous, what might help? Some veggie and boiled carrots, maybe?
It is easy and natural. So a balanced meal can help us to balance also our emotions.

food mood chart

ITALIANO

Il cibo fa di noi quello che siamo.

In questa Chart c'e' una facile schematizzazione dei cibi e della loro Energia. In una condizione di salute normale, cibi piu' agli estremi possono essere consumati raramente o in basse percentuali. Mentre i cibi piu' equilibrati come cereali integrali, legumi e la verdura di stagione dovrebbero essere la fonte principale di nutrimento. Scegliendo questi manterremo le nostre emozioni e la nostra Energia nello stato di Armonia.

La cucina macrobiotica non si occupa solo di bilanciare il cibo in funzione dei nutrienti ma anche in funzione dell'Energia.
Per fare questo si basa sulla tradizione orientale dello Yin e Yang.
Lo Yin e lo Yang rappresentano i due estremi di tutto l'esistente. Entrambi sono necessari al mantenimento della vita ed entrambi sono presenti in tutte le cose.

Nel loro equilibrio si possono pero' creare degli sbilanciamenti e quindi problemi. I possibili sbilanciamenti sono: eccesso di yin, eccesso di yang, insufficienza di yin, insufficienza di yang, fluttuazione continua tra i due estremi.

Una dieta squilibrata fatta di troppi cibi appartenenti ad un'estremo o del mix di cibi da entrambi gli estremi puo' portare a problemi importanti  che possono dare inizio a depressioni, stati di ansia, mancanza di concentrazione... Nei casi peggiori paranoia, aggressivita', inabilita' ad affrontare la vita di tutti i giorni, e peggio ancora.

Fisicamente parlando, il cibo crea il sangue ed il sangue nutre gli organi.
In particolare il cervello che ne e' il maggior consumatore. Immaginate far arrivare al vostro cervello un sangue appesantito dai grassi e povero di ossigeno, per quanto vi sforziate le vostre capacita' saranno rallentate ed offuscate.
Vale la pena di sottolineare che le emozioni nel tempo vanno in profondita' e diventano parte del nostro carattere e del nostro essere, anche per questo e' importante non trascurare il modo di nutrirci.

ENGLISH

The food makes us who we are.

In this chart there is an easy outline for the relation between foods and their energy. In a state of normal health, the food to extremes can be consumed rarely or in low percentages. While most foods' as a balanced, whole grains, legumes and vegetables in season should be the main source of nourishment. Choosing these foods will keep our emotions and our energy in the state of Harmony.

As I said, macrobiotic cooking is not just to balance the food according to the nutrients but also as a function of Energy.
To do this is based on Eastern tradition of Yin and Yang.
The Yin and Yang represent the two extremes of all that exists. Both are necessary to support life, and both are present in all things.

But is possible to happen mismatches and then problems. Possible imbalances are: excess yin, excess yang, yin deficiency, yang deficiency, continual fluctuation between the two extremes.
An unbalanced diet consisting of too much food or belonging to an extreme mix of foods from both ends can lead to major problems in our bodies, that give then start to depression, anxiety, lack of concentration ... At worst paranoia, aggression, 'inability' to cope with life every day, and worse.

At a physical level, the food makes the blood and the blood nourishes the organs.
In particular the brain, that is largest consumer of it. Imagine your brain to get weighed down by a blood full in fats and low in oxygen, however hard you try the brain functions will be slowed down and blurred.
It is worth noting that the emotions go in depth over the time and become part of our character and our being, and for this important not to overlook the way to feed ourselves.

Super green soup!

In these glorious days of sun I'm enjoying gardening and I go riding my bicycle to go work. Everything is green, and is so warm that if I close my eyes i really can believe to be in Tuscany riding above the hills.
So I went to the grocery near Nothing Hill and I sunk my hands in all that possible. Crispy lettuces, spring onions, lemons, blueberries...
And after a bath in the crowd of tourists I just felt to relax and refresh my mind with a fresh soup... And to be tone on tone with these days I made a green one.
It is perfect spring, delicious and cool, beautiful and fresh, warm and cool all at once.

{Ingredients}

1 leek

3 spring onions

Some lettuce leaves

4 broccoli tops

4 leaves of pointed cabbage
1 bok choy

3 tablespoon of lemon juice

2 tablespoon of white sweet miso

1 to 1+1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 nori sheet

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil

½ cup of quinoa

4+1/2 cups of spring water

 {technique}

{Quinoa}

Bring to boil 1 cup of spring water with a pick of salt. In a heavy pan toast the quinoa until a nutty flavour comes out.

Add the water to the quinoa and leave to cook on a slow flame until perfectly dry. Then add the toasted sesame oil and leave aside.

{soup}

In a pan bring to boil the left water with the salt. Meanwhile cut all the veggie in very small pieces.

When the water is boiling add all the veggie and boil covered for 5 minute over a full flame.

Take out of fire. Save 4 broccoli tops for decoration.

Add miso, and blend with an hand blender. Place again on the stove over a slow flame stir for 3 minute and then add the lemon juice and mirin.

{to assemble}

Place the soup in bowls and with a tablespoon add some quinoa in the middle, garnish with the broccoli’s tops and nori.

Serve warm or room temperature.