50 Best Plants on the Planet (12 page)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

⅓
cup chopped red onion

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups raw Arborio rice

1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut in
¼
-inch pieces, leaving tips whole

OPTIONAL
8 ounces cooked boneless chicken thighs, cut into
½
-inch chunks

1 ripe Roma tomato, cored, diced

½
cup slivered almonds, toasted (
see Cook's Note
)

1
.
Heat the canola oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add half the garlic and cook for
30
seconds (do not brown). Drain the bok choy and place it in the skillet in an even layer. Drizzle with the sesame oil and cover. Cover and cook for
4
to
5
minutes, or until the leaves wilt and the stems remain tender-crisp. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels; add the bok choy and set aside.

2
.
To make the dressing: In a small bowl or measuring cup with a handle, stir together the parsley, lemon juice, remaining garlic, and mustard. Whisk in the oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper and add the onion; stir to combine. Set aside.

3
.
To make the salad: Bring
6
cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on high heat. Add the salt and rice. Boil until the rice is almost tender,
10
to
12
minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for another
4
to
5
minutes, until the rice is cooked and the asparagus is tender-crisp. Transfer everything to a large sieve and drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain well.

4
.
In a large bowl, combine the rice mixture, dressing, chicken (if using), and tomatoes. Gently toss. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

5
.
Arrange the bok choy on a large platter, placing it around the perimeter with the stems pointing toward the center. Pile the rice salad in the center. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

COOK'S NOTE
To toast almonds, place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a
350
-degree-F oven for
3
to
4
minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily.

Filled with crunch and bok choy attitude, this salad is garnished with toasted sesame seeds. The seeds add rich nuttiness and aroma to the salad, qualities that are enhanced by toasting. Some Asian markets sell small skillets that are designed for toasting these tiny seeds. The petite skillets have a hinged screen attached that prevents the frisky seeds from escaping when they are heated. You can use a small, deep skillet to do the job, also.

Yields
4
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
110

fat calories
70

total fat (g)
8

sat fat (g)
1

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
180

total carbohydrates (g)
8

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
3

vitamin A IUs
90
%

vitamin C
35
%

calcium
6
%

iron
8
%

1
½
tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon honey, dark honey preferred

1
½
tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

2
½
cups
½
-inch-wide strips romaine lettuce hearts

2
½
cups
½
-inch-wide strips baby bok choy

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

GARNISHES
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (
see Cook's Note
);
¼
cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped; 4 lemon wedges

OPTIONAL GARNISH
coarse salt (kosher or sea)

1
.
To make the dressing: In a small bowl or glass measuring cup with a handle, whisk together the vinegar and honey until the honey dissolves. Whisk in the soy sauce and sesame oil.

2
.
To make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine and bok choy. Stir the dressing; add to the bowl and toss. Add the cilantro and toss. Allow the salad to rest for
15
minutes at room temperature.

3
.
Divide the salad between four shallow bowls or plates. Sprinkle each with the sesame seeds and cashews. Taste and, if desired, sprinkle each salad with a tiny amount of coarse salt. Place a lemon wedge on the side of each salad and serve.

COOK'S NOTE
Toasted sesame seeds are sold at some supermarkets and most Asian markets. Or, if you prefer, you can toast them. Place them in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Shake the handle to redistribute the seeds, cooking until they are lightly browned. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Simple to make, this appetizing soup is open to many variations. It calls for common white mushrooms, but fresh shiitake mushrooms would be a delicious substitution. Or add a can of drained straw mushrooms, those fungi with the alluring woodsy taste and caps that look like whimsical conical hats. And, if desired, augment each serving with a cooked potsticker dumpling.

Yields
6
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
90

fat calories
35

total fat (g)
4

sat fat (g)
0.5

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
410

total carbohydrates (g)
11

fiber (g)
3

sugars (g)
6

protein (g)
4

vitamin A IUs
110
%

vitamin C
110
%

calcium
15
%

iron
10
%

8 baby bok choy or 3 to 4 large bok choy (about 1
½
pounds), halved lengthwise, soaked in cold water

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced unpeeled fresh ginger

6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

2 cups thinly sliced white button mushrooms

3 tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed

OPTIONAL
½
cup cooked edamame

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

OPTIONAL
Asian-style hot sauce, such as Sriracha

GARNISH
3 small or 4 large green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced (including dark green stalks)

1
.
Drain the bok choy and shake off the excess water (leaves can be wet, but it is easier to cut up if some water is removed). Cut crosswise into
½
-inch slices. Coarsely chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

2
.
In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger; stir and cook until just barely softened, about
30
seconds. Add the bok choy, broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for
5
minutes. Add the peas and cook until tender-crisp, about
4
minutes more. Add the edamame, if using, and simmer until heated through, about
30
seconds. Taste and, if needed, add salt. If desired, add hot sauce, starting with a small amount.

3
.
Ladle into soup bowls, top with the green onions, and serve.

Through a child's eyes, a broccoli floret may resemble a leafy tree. The clusters of tightly closed buds at the top look like foliage, the stalk below the image of a sturdy trunk. Eat it raw or briefly cooked, and its appealing vegetal flavor is balanced with hints of sweetness and a trace of pepper.

As green vegetables go, it's hard to beat broccoli for the amount and variety of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup chopped, raw)

calories
31

fat calories
3

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
30

total carbohydrates (g)
6

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
2

protein (g)
3

vitamin A IUs
11
%

vitamin C
135
%

calcium
4
%

iron
4
%

Broccoli contains lots of fiber, B vitamins (especially vitamin B
₆
), folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K, plus abundant minerals such as manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and zinc.

Broccoli, especially the leaves, is an outstanding source of carotenoid compounds, specifically vitamin A, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Lutein and zeaxanthin are both critical to eye health. They help protect against age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common forms of blindness, and protect against the development of cataracts.

As a member of the family of cruciferous or brassicae vegetables, broccoli is replete with phytochemicals called isothiocyanates, a family that comprises dozens of compounds shown to protect against cancer, especially breast and prostate cancers.

Year-round

Select bunches that smell fresh and have tightly closed buds that are dark green, purplish, or deep bluish green, without yellow. Stalks should not have soft spots; they should be firm, not rubbery. Refrigerate unwashed and dry in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer up to
1
week.

Rinse well with cold water. If the recipe calls for florets, cut high enough on the stalk so that individual florets fall from the stalk. If desired, peel the stalks and thinly slice them to use as well.

Cook broccoli only a brief amount of time, just until tender-crisp. Stalks cook quicker and are more tender if peeled before cooking (but remember there are carotenoid compounds in the leaves). Blanch, steam, sauté, or toss with a little olive oil and roast at high heat.