SUNFLOWER STEW

SUNFLOWER STEW

About five years ago I was contracted by a non-profit to teach cooking classes for tribal communities across the Southwest. The focus was teach basic cooking skills to anyone who signed up through the program, as well as share my passion for eating real food. It was the most memorable year of my culinary career as I learned how to drive a huge truck, met incredible plant teachers along the way, and I truly learned what it meant to go with the flow.

For a planner (some say Virgo) like me, all of the planning in the world made no difference when preparing for those trips. I got lost often and scrapped many planned recipes when ingredients couldn’t be found at the nearby store.

Once the anxiety of getting lost subsided, I learned to lean into it…because my team and I always seemed to stumble upon something quite wondrous. The same with the ingredients. Not having the ones we needed also reminded me that just like cooking at home, some of the best dishes are the ones made using whatever you have on hand. This is one of those dishes, created in Teesto, Arizona. I call it sunflower stew.

INGREDIENTS

1 C. shelled, unsalted, roasted sunflower seeds, coarsely ground (food processor or molcajete)

2 C. fresh or frozen sweet corn

2 C. zucchini squash, diced (you could also use butternut or acorn)

2 roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded, chopped (I love hot Hatch chiles)

3 C. stock OR water (I used turkey stock)

1 large culinary sage leaf

sea salt to taste

METHOD

Place all of the ingredients except the salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until the stew has thickened and vegetables are tender. Season with sea salt to taste.

We ate ours with homemade blue corn dumplings we made on the truck, but you can serve yours with warm corn tortillas.

MADRE TIERRA FALL

MADRE TIERRA FALL SALAD

SERVES 4 

FOR THE SALAD

1 small butternut squash, diced into 1” pieces

1 C. cooked chickpeas

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

1/2 C. roasted, shelled sunflower seeds

5 C. arugula

Pomegranate arils for garnish

FOR THE DRESSING

1 small shallot, minced

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. runny honey

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

 Sea salt to taste

METHOD

1.     Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.     Toss the butternut squash and chickpeas with olive oil, cumin and salt. Place on a prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway.

3.     Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth. Taste test and adjust seasoning if necessary.

4.     Once vegetables are done roasting remove them from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the arugula to the vegetables and toss.  Stir in sunflower seeds and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with pomegranate arils.

The Blue Corn Waffles Breakfast Dreams Are Made Of

I had the pleasure of creating a recipe for one of my favorite companies known for partnering with hundreds of traditional farmers to grow and source not only heirloom corn, but also single origin ingredients like chiles and spices, beans and coffee.

Click HERE to find my recipe!

JICAMA SLAW WITH LIME DRESSING

I absolutely love fresh, crisp dishes in the summertime! This salad is definitely a crisp one and it holds up nicely if dressed right before serving.

If you are unfamiliar with this root vegetable, it can now be found at many grocery stores unlike decades ago when it could only be found in Mexican grocers. It’s an excellent source of prebiotic fiber that helps restore the good bacteria in your gut as well as being rich in antioxidants. Lastly, I am big on staying well hydrated and jicama is 85% water–so it is a great food to keep your body hydrated when it’s hot outside.

SERVES 6

SLAW INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup jicama, peeled, cut into matchsticks

• 4 cups sliced cabbage (purple or green, or a combination of both)

• 2 carrots, grated

• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded, destemmed, sliced into thin strips

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 small jalapeño, deseeded, minced

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 tablespoon raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

LIME DRESSING:

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• kosher salt, to taste

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD

1.     Using your hands or tongs, toss the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. 

2.     In a small bowl add the spices, honey, lime juice, and olive oil.  Whisk.

3.     Toss the slaw with the dressing right before serving.

CHARRED SQUASH FROM DESIGNER, BEATRICE VALENZUELA

I love working with the element of fire when roasting squash. The little blackened pieces are a great contrast to their sweet, buttery flavors and everything looks so rustic when finished. So, when I saw Beatrice Valenzuela share photos preparing squash in her Instagram stories, I asked if she would like to share her process for my readers. She said YES!

So, thank you Beatrice for your recipe contribution and photos! All of the dishes she shares in her Instagram stories look so organic and luscious! She’s a wonderful storyteller with all that she does and I love that she lets us sit virtually at her dinner table. For her squash recipe I asked Beatrice if she used a fire pit or a barbecue, and she said she used a fire pit. I no longer have a fire pit–so, I will be putting my little barbecue back to work very soon!

INGREDIENTS + METHOD

Serves 4 - 6

Winter squash, about 2 lbs.

Beatrice said she used spaghetti squash, but as she mentions below, you can use any squash variety. Some readily available winter squash includes, kabocha, red kuri, acorn, delicata, and sugar pumpkin.

“You may char any and all squash varieties available to you.

Get your coals to an ardent red glow. While you’re already cooking something on the grill, insert your squash below, directly onto the coals. Keep an eye out and turn as each side needs it. Cooking time will depend depending on the size of your squash. You want to be sure to get a good, fully blackened exterior.

Once the squash is beautifully charred, remove each piece carefully with tongs from the coals, and place on a cutting board.

Cut in half and encourage your guests to spoon out their desired amount of the inner flesh.

Serve with a triple cream cheese, drizzle of local honey and herbed salt to taste.”

— Beatrice Valenzuela

Beatrice Valenzuela is a visual artist and designer based in Los Angeles, California. Her eponymous line of shoes, clothing and accessories are a direct reflection of her uniquely visceral and sensual perception of the surrounding world. With a spirited passion for travel, family, and cuisine, Beatrice Valenzuela intends to emulate the essence of vitality, beauty and simplicity in all of her collections, akin to the feelings experienced in life's most exquisite of moments. Her design studio can be found in the vibrant neighborhood of Echo Park, located in Los Angeles. You can see her creative work here.