Spring Vegetable Soup

By Leslie Ashburn

 

4 to 6 cups water

2 dried shiitake, soaked and sliced

6” piece of kombu

1 onion, cut in crescent shapes

1 clove garlic, sliced, optional

6 to 7 spears of fresh asparagus, cut in bite-sized pieces

1 yellow summer squash, cut in thick half moons

¼ cup organic fresh or frozen peas

1 T kuzu, dissolved in cool water

Lemon wedges

Pinch of sea salt

Parsley or scallions, chopped, to garnish

 

Bring water to a boil and simmer shiitake, optional garlic, onion, and kombu for about 10 minutes.  Remove kombu and set aside.  Add peas and squash and simmer an additional 5 minutes.  Add peas and asparagus and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until bright green.  Pour dissolved kuzu into the soup and mix until clear.  Add salt to taste and serve with a squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley or scallions.

 

Peanut Noodles

By Leslie Ashburn

 

1 package rice noodles

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2 T shoyu

1 ½ T brown rice vinegar

1 tsp brown rice syrup

1 tsp grated ginger juice, optional

Water, to create desired consistency

1 cucumber, cut on the diagonal

½ cup Chinese sprouts

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 cup broccoli, cut in bite sizes, blanched or steamed

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

Lime wedges

Peanuts, toasted and chopped, to garnish

 

Prepare noodles according to package directions. 

 

Make the sauce: combine peanut butter, water, shoyu, vinegar, brown rice syrup and optional ginger juice. Set aside. 

 

Chop vegetables (but not sprouts), blanch broccoli, and place into a large bowl.  Add noodles and sauce and mix well.  Decorate with peanuts and serve with slices of lime.

 

Spring Vegetable Ragout

By Leslie Ashburn

 

1-2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 cup cabbage, large dice

4 dried shiitake, soaked and sliced (reserve water)

2 carrots (1 cup), diagonal

1 onion, crescents

2 T mirin

1 T shoyu

½ to 1 cup mushroom soaking water

2 cups asparagus spears

1 ½ cups snow peas

1 to 2 T kuzu, dissolved in cool water

2 tsp ume vinegar

 

Soak shiitake and slice.  Cut other vegetables and set aside.  Heat a pan and add toasted sesame oil.  Saute onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and carrots.  Add mushroom soaking water, mirin, and shoyu, and place asparagus spears and snow peas on top of the other vegetables.  Bring to a gentle boil, cover, turn heat to medium and simmer for about 2 minutes, or until peas and asparagus are crisp-tender and bright green.  Add kuzu dissolved in water and cook until the broth thickens slightly.  Add umeboshi vinegar to taste, and serve.