Repost from my raw food archive. I can’t wait to make this pate again.

A trip to the farmer’s market in L.A. was planned with the hope that I would find different varieties of artichokes but circumstance wouldn’t allow me to get there before they closed so my sister came to the rescue.

Normally she doesn’t shop for fresh artichokes so I gave her instructions [from what I’ve learned] on how to choose a fresh young artichoke. A girl on a mission, she visited two farmer’s markets and even stopped by Whole Foods and when the search was over she ended up with a bag of standard green globe artichokes – two large, four medium, and eight babies [baby artichokes that is].

She warned me that some of the artichokes were prickly. Some varities do have thorns on the tip of their petals and others don’t. There was one particularly devious artichoke that got me a couple times. If you take a close look at the above photo, on either artichoke, you will see on the tip of the petals a brown thorn. That is what you should beware of so handle with care when an artichoke sports thorns.

Artichokes are not impossible to work with but, work is required to get at the prized heart, which is what I was after to make this recipe. My sense of adventure didn’t waver after trimming, peeling, and sometimes tugging the petal of ten artichokes. Let’s just say I needed the practice at getting to the heart of the matter.

I sampled a couple pieces of the fresh raw artichoke hearts. It has a mild taste with a faint nutty flavor [at least this is what my taste buds told me]. I had a few recipe options but preferred the simplest of them since all the work went into excavating all those artichoke hearts.

Artichoke Paté

Embellish on this paté by adding any one or a combination of these ingredients: capers, chopped celery, cucumbers or bell peppers, shredded carrots, or add a little heat with a sprinkle of cayenne or some jalapeno or other hot peppers.

Combine all the ingredients in a food process. Process and the scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to process. Repeat until the mixture is at the desired consistency for the paté. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe is best served fresh but can keep a coupe days in the refrigerator. Bring this paté to room temperature when ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

* Spread on dehydrated crackers.
* Spread on leafy greens with your choice of toppings and fold to make a sandwich. I made a one using romaine hearts, spread the paté on the leaf and topped with sliced cherry tomatoes ~ fresh and delicious.
* Stuff into fresh mushroom caps, cherry tomatoes, or celery stalks.
* Try it as a dip with assorted veggies like carrots and cucumbers.
* Scoop on a bed of mixed salad greens for the first course of a meal.

I was eager to make this recipe again for two reason: 1) I haven’t made it in awhile, and 2) I was eager to serve this dish to two of my girlfriends. They planned to stop by and visit before continuing on to meet up with their significant others at a Superbowl party. Neither one of my dear friends really likes brussels sprouts, but they are open to try “raw” vegan food, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to introduce them to one of my raw vegan recipes.

Daring to serve my friends who aren’t fond of brussels sprouts a dish made of it and raw to boot, I ran out to buy 10 of the little beauties, and the other ingredients needed to make my recipe. As soon as I returned home I got busy preparing everything.

I love the rich hazelnuts pesto mixed with thinly sliced brussels sprouts, and it is quite filling. Shredding the raw brussel sprouts makes them palatable. I like using a mandoline to shred them by hand to get those even threads. You can also cut it very thin with a knife or use a food process. Another thing I like is fresh tomatoes with this dish. So far, every time I’ve eaten this dish I had fresh chopped tomatoes with it.

We eat with our eyes first and I had in mind how I wanted to present this dish to my friends, so I also thinly sliced Campari tomatoes to use as a layer around the brussels sprouts. I was hoping this would make a pretty camouflage so they wouldn’t figure out right away that they were about to eat a dish with raw brussels sprouts.

I gathered my ring molds, assembled everything, and then quickly took a picture of one plated before my friends arrived.

When I told them I made a raw vegan dish I wanted them to try, they both agreed. I brought one out for them to share. They commented on how pretty it looked, inspected it of course, and asked what it was, but I asked them to taste it first [assuring them there wasn't anything weird in the mix] and then I would tell them all the ingredients. They tossed around a couple jokes, the folks dug in, and…… they liked it! After their forks clearly exposed what was under the sliced tomatoes, there was no hiding the shredded brussels sprout. But they thought it was cabbage or some sort of greens. Well, brussels sprouts are basically miniature cabbages. They took another fork full. I confessed they were eating shredded brussel sprouts and they were pleasantly surprised. Maybe their ambivalence for it has changed. That’s one for the brussels sprouts.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Hazelnut Pesto with Fresh Tomatoes

When I shop for brussels sprouts, I always buy them loose and hand pick each, I never buy them pre-packaged. I choose the ones that are bright green, firm and compact with unblemished leaves. The tomatoes I used here are Campari tomatoes on the vine. They are smaller than the average size tomato and larger than cherry tomatoes.

Prepare the brussels sprouts: remove any yellow or damaged outer leaves and rinse. Use the stem end to hold each brussels sprout by hand and shred using a mandoline, or thinly slice each sprout with a knife, or use a food processor to shred. Place shredded sprouts in a bowl and toss with half of the fresh squeezed lemon juice and season with sea salt to taste; set aside.

Make the hazelnut pesto: Place all ingredients in food processor or blender; blend until the pesto mixture is thick and creamy.

Prepare Campari tomatoes: thinly slice

Garnish: chopped tomatoes and chiffonade fresh basil.

Assemble and Plate: Add the hazelnut pest to the bowl of shredded brussels sprouts; coat and mix well.

Take a ring mold and line in inside wall all the way around with slices of tomatoes, then place the ring mold on server plate. Carefully fill in the center of the ring mold with the shredded brussels sprouts and hazelnut pesto mixture just to the top of the mold. Cover the top with slices of tomatoes. Repeat steps for each ring mold. When ready to serve carefully lift the ring mold. Garnish the plate with chopped tomatoes, chiffonade basil, and a light sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.

Serves 4

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Peppercorn is one of the most popular of spices. It is universal in appeal; a must have staple in any kitchen. When pepper runs low in our house I don’t know who gets to the store quicker, me or my husband, neither one of us can image eating without it. A pinch or more adds hot taste without the “heat”. We use pepper in every type of recipe imaginable.

Varieties

Black, green, red, and white peppercorn are all from the same flowering vine plant, Piper Nigrum. Green peppercorn is unripe black peppercorn. Red peppercorn are fully ripened berries. White peppercorn is actually the inner kernel of the ripened black peppercorn [the outer haul is removed to reveal the inner kernel].

I had no idea [until now] that pink peppercorn comes from a different plant and isn’t even peppercorns! They are the dried berries from a rose plant called Baies.

Talk about interesting, I hadn’t heard of Long pepper until I stumbled across this rare find while perusing Mountain Rose Herbs site. Long pepper also comes from a flowering vine plant that is a close relative of black, green, and white pepper.

Saving what is considered two of the finest peppers in the world for last, Black Tellicherry and Black Malabar peppercorn both are larger peppercorn in size that have a robust and less pungent flavor than other black peppercorn.

Taste, Aroma, and Pepper in Recipes

Pepper has a hot taste with out the “heat” and is considered a warming spice. The flavor of each type varies, and of them all, black peppercorn has the most sharp, pungent aroma and flavor, followed by the less pungent Tellicherry and Malabar. Green and red peppercorn is milder in flavor, and white peppercorn gives a gentle punch. Pink peppercorn, or should I say pepper berry, has a delicate, pungent, sweet and spicy flavor. According to Mountain Rose Herbs, long pepper has a taste very similar to regular black pepper but with a much hotter taste and an almost earthy, sweet overtone.

For an inconspicuous monotone look, consider color coordinating the peppercorn to the color and hue of a dish or recipe. You might use white peppercorn in light-colored dishes or soups, for example. But you don’t have to conceal the fact that pepper is there, you can use pepper to play off the color of a dish too. Pepper isn’t limited to savory dishes either. Have you ever tried fresh cracked pepper with strawberries? It’s really nice. Pepper adds a delicate warm spiciness to fruit dishes and desserts. Pink pepper berries go especially well in fruit sauces and desserts.

Freshly Cracked or Ground

I usually buy whole organic peppercorn. I prefer to buy whole instead of pre-ground pepper because for my taste, there’s nothing like freshly cracked or ground pepper. Whole peppercorn has a longer shelf life and will keep its flavor far longer than pre-ground pepper when stored properly. Whether you buy ground or whole, be sure to store your pepper in a cool, dry place.

Freshly cracked or ground pepper is the best and there are a few ways to get the job done: 1) use the side of a wide chef’s knife, 2) use a spice and pepper grinder, or 3) use a mortar and pestle. It is convenient to buy ground pepper, and that is your choice, there is certainly nothing wrong with doing so. One other great thing about grinding whole peppercorn is that you can grind it to the consistency you need.

Tip: finely ground pepper powder dissolves easily and seasons food more evenly than coarser pepper grains.

The Giveaway

At the end of this month, one of your names will be drawn from the comment section of this post, and our wonderful sponsor Mountain Rose Herbs will send a gift assortment of peppercorn products to the winning participant. Thank you, good luck, and have fun experimenting with the variety of peppercorn!

I picked up a bag full of Rosso Bruno tomatoes, about 3 pounds worth. So delicious are these beauties, and they are one of my favorites. These tomatoes have a rich robust flavor and a unique reddish-brown color with hints of dark green around the top. Aren’t these tomatoes perfectly suited for those Indian summer and fall recipes. Some of these tomatoes are bound to end up in a salad, and a few eaten like an apple.

I thought of the tomato chutney recipe I envisioned but hadn’t actually made, set the cutting board on the counter, got out the knife, gathered the ingredients, washed them, and started chopping. All the ingredients go into a large bowl, add the seasonings, give it several good stirs and toss, and it’s done. It smells so fresh, beckoning for a taste test. Mmm yum! The mix of flavors is delicious. The sweetness of the surprise ingredient, peach, is nice, and the fresh jalapeno set my mouth subtly ablaze with heat.

Rosso Bruno Tomato Chutney

Two jalapeno peppers makes for a spicy chutney, use only one for less of a spicy kick. Any type or color of tomato will work. Cherry tomatoes are wonderful, and if you can get ahold of the little yellow tomatoes, those are awesome too.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Can make ahead and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Makes 4 1/2 cups

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I absolutely love pesto. When I veer from the traditional tried and true pesto recipe, I like to experiment with different ingredients and flavor combinations. For this pesto recipe I added a little bit of Provence. The star ingredient: Herbs de Provence.

You can serve pesto many ways: toss it with raw zucchini pasta, as a dip with veggies or raw crackers, as a sauce for raw pizza, or as a spread for a raw sandwich or wrap. Another option is to use pesto as a stuffing. Herbs de Provence pesto found a home inside the shell of mini sweet peppers. The crunch of these peppers paired with the savory richness of the pesto make a great crowd pleasing appetizer, and another good thing, it is so simple to make.

Mini Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Herbs de Provence Pesto

The pesto will keep stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to one week. It can also be frozen and stored for up to one month.

Herbs de Provence Pesto

Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Yield 4 1/2 cups

Assemble

Cut off the tops of each mini sweet pepper. Remove the peppers core and seeds, and stuff with pesto. Serve right away or arrange on a platter, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Laurus Nobilis: bay leaf also called sweet bay, sweet laurel, laurel leaf or bay laurel.

Each year the International Herb Association [IHA] chooses an herb of the year and I couldn’t let the year slip by without highlighting bay leaf their pick for 2009. Speaking of highlighting things, this month marks our 6th herb of the month here on Raw Epicurean!

At first glance it might not seem that bay leaf is a versatile herb in the raw vegan kitchen, but think again, it does and can be used in multiple ways to add depth of flavor and enhance the taste of a raw vegan dish.

Bay Varieties for Culinary Use

Before we delve into the different ways to use bay, let’s get acquainted with the varieties. Turkish and Californian are two main varieties of culinary bay leaves. Californian bay leaves have narrow leaves and a stronger flavor than the Turkish bay leaves, which feature oval leaves and a subtler flavor.

Note: If you plan on purchasing a bay tree, note that some plants are also called “bay” but may not be the correct plant, so it’s important to be sure you are buying the culinary bay tree Laurus Nobilis.

Dried + Fresh

As mention above, the bay leaf found in most kitchens comes from the bay laurel tree [Laurus Nobilis]. The leaves are generally available dried, but if you can find fresh bay leaf pick some up and give them a try. I’ve never used fresh bay leaf but now more than ever I certainly want to try it. You can sometimes find fresh bay among the fresh herbs in the produce section, or check with your local farmer’s market and ask if they carry or can get fresh bay for you.

In the world of fresh versus dried herbs, dried is usually more intense in flavor than fresh, but surprisingly, not in the case of the bay leaf. Fresh bay is more intense in flavor than dried.

Selecting + Storing

When purchasing dried bay leaves make sure they are not brown, a sign that they are old, and take note that the more faded the leaf color, the more bitter the flavor will taste. For fresher dried bay leaves, look for leaves that are olive green in color. Here is a tip shared by one of my Italian friend’s, “When picking fresh bay leaves, use the older leaves first, they will have more flavor.”

High-quality leaves are aromatic and have a bright green color. Be sure to look for certified organic bay leaves. For storage, place dried bay leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and keep for six months to a year.

Nutritional Profile + Benefits

Even though bay leaves aren’t directly consumed themselves, they do offer vitamin A and C, iron, manganese, and small amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Bay is said to purify food and aid in digestion.

Culinary Use for the Raw Vegan

Now we are getting into best fun part, the fun of using bay leaf. It’s a flavoring staple typically used in cooked dishes. Let’s reference the classic “bouquet garni”, which is a grouping of bay, along with fresh sprigs of thyme, chervil, and parsley, tied together with string and dropped into a pot of sauce, soup, stew, or stock. But to keep within the guidelines of what makes a raw vegan dish raw vegan, the traditional cooking methods used to extract the aromatic flavor of bay goes right out the window. An alternative way to keep within the guidelines and extract bays flavor without heating above 118 degrees is by infusion.

Add a Touch of Bay to Your Next Meal

Here are examples of how to extract the essence of bay and add extra flavor to a number of dishes with one of these bay leaf infusions or powder.

Bay Infused Olive Oil

Rinse and dry the bay leaf. Crumble dried, tear or cut fresh bay leaf into pieces to release its flavor and aroma, and place in a bowl. Pour the olive oil over the leaves and cover the bowl. Allow it sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for a few days to a week to allow the flavor to infuse with the oil. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavor. When ready to use, strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container with lid. Store your bay infused olive oil at room temperature, away from heat and direct sunlight.

Bay Water

Most herbs can be made into a tea and bay is no exception. Cut or crumble 1 extra large or 3-4 small/medium bay leaves and place them in a bowl. Fill with one cup of water that is warm to the touch. Cover and steep for about an hour or longer. Strain the bay leaves through a fine-mesh sieve. Store bay water in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use the infused water to add a touch of bay flavor to your next meal. Try it in a raw soup recipe.

Bay Syrup

Rinse and dry the bay leaf. Crumble dried, tear or cut fresh bay leaf into pieces to release its flavor and aroma, and place in a small bowl or glass jar with lid. Pour the agave over the leaves and cover the bowl/jar. Allow the bay/agave mixture to sit at room temperature, for a few days to a week. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavor. When ready to use, strain the bay leaf syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container with lid. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Bay Leaf Powder

Rinse and thoroughly dry 8 – 10 bay leaves, or more if needed. Using a coffee grinder, grind the leaves to a fine powder. Store in a tightly sealed container. Should keep up to three month.

To use bay leaf powder: add 1/4 teaspoon or more, to taste, or depending on the amount called for in a recipe, to a savory juice, smoothie, or raw soup.

Your Ideas

If you have other ideas for using bay leaf, let’s talk about them. Have you ever had bay leaf tea. Isn’t it fun and exciting all the cool ways we can use herbs?

Herb of the Month Giveaway

At the end of this month, one of your names will be drawn from the comment section of this post, and our wonderful sponsor Mountain Rose Herbs will send a gift of bay leaf products to the winning participant. Thank you, good luck, and have fun experimenting with the flavor of bay leaf!

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From the archives :: Recipe originally posted on Natural Living Cuisine

One easy to make, incredibly delicious, and well regarded recipe that is perfect for using all the lovely basil that grow prolifically during this time, is basil pesto.

While prepping the bundle of fragrant basil leaves to make this recipe, my mother walked in the kitchen and affirmed how good it smelled. “There is nothing like the smell of basil”, she said. Oh I agree, and I’m sure most everyone else agrees who has encountered the scent of this fabulous herb.

As far as pesto is concerned, there is nothing like the timeless goodness of a delicious batch made with basil. Depending on the ingredients at hand, you can keep it simple and use the classic ingredients, or you can get creative with ingredients that aren’t classic in a pesto, but make a great one nonetheless.

Traditionally, basil pesto recipes call for pine nuts but any of the other nuts or seeds – walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds – are great options. Basil is, of course, the star green for this pesto recipe but other greens like spinach, arugula, parsley, cilantro, and other greens can be used in combination with basil for added nutritional value.

The tools needed to make this recipe are few – a food processor, a sharp knife and a cutting board. If you do not have a food processor, a mortar and pestle and a little arm work will get the job done.

Fresh Spicy Basil Pesto

This particular recipe is tailor made to suit my taste and preference of the moment. Combining both black pepper and cayenne pepper give this pesto a spicy kick. For another spicy alternative, use one of the varieties of fresh chili peppers, like jalapeño or serrano. I prefer my pesto a bit on the oily side and this is when I indulge in a little extra olive oil, feel free to reduce the amount.

Add the basil, spinach, pine nuts and garlic to a food process and pulse a few times to chop and mix the ingredients. [If you are using larger nuts, like walnuts, and they are not already chopped, add them to the food processor first, pulse them a few times to chop before adding the basil, spinach and garic]. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula, if necessary.

Add the remaining ingredients – sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is running. Add more sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Makes about 1 cup

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Preserving Fresh Basil For Later Use

Want a taste of summer when it’s not? Try freezing basil pesto or the basil leaves in a little olive oil to preserve and enjoy later.

Option 1: Make the pesto. Fill ice trays or cupcake pans that have been greased with a little olive oil with the pesto and freeze. Remove the pesto cubes from the tray/cupcake pan and store in a freezer container or bag.

Option 2: Lightly coat basil leave with olive oil, place in a freezer friendly container or bag [make sure to squeeze as much air from the bag as possible], and freeze.

Option 3: Puree basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor, transfer the puree to a freezer container or bag and freeze.

Note: Both options 2 and 3 are great for preserving basil for use other than making pesto.

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This is my first time making homemade flavored vinegar of any sort. Before I did online research on how to make homemade flavored vinegar, I imagined complicated steps and procedures. The truth is homemade raspberry cider vinegar is easy and fun to make. All you need is a few things and a little time. You’ll need the following:

- a high quality apple cider vinegar – such as Braggs raw unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar

- fresh, organic red ripe raspberries

- a clean glass container with lid – I use glass jars I recycled from store bough products

- three to five days to allow the raspberry flavor to infuse with the vinegar. The longer you allow the raspberries to instill into the vinegar, the more flavorful the vinegar.

The end result makes naturally flavored vinegar that is high quality and untainted – without any unwanted additives, preservatives, or artificial flavors.

Raspberry Cider Vinegar

Instead of using store bought flavored dressing use this vinegar to made a wonderful salad dressing mixed with olive oil, or even flaxseed oil. Use it to marinate vegetables or as an ingredient to make chutney. Other berry options – like blackberries or blueberries – would make a flavorful fruity vinegar.

In a clean jar, loosely pack fresh raspberries that have been gently rinsed in cold water. Pour apple cider vinegar over the fruit until the fruit is completely covered with vinegar. Put the lid on tight and set on aside (on the kitchen counter or in the kitchen cabinet) for three to five days.

After three to five days, strain the vinegar through a strainer into a measuring cup. Reserve the raspberries for another use*.

Pour the raspberry vinegar into an oil and vinegar bottle or glass jar. Store as you would any vinegar at room temperature.

Yields 1 – 1 ¼ cups

* The reserved vinegar soaked raspberries are delicious in a salad. Store these raspberries in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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