One of my favorites, Eat Me Daily, just shared this interesting break down of the organic industry structure. Click here to see a larger image. According to EMD, it was published by Philip H. Howard, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies at Michigan State University. Explaining that the department "makes information graphics to visualize some issues surrounding food. There's The Food System and Epidemics, Organic Farm Concentration, but the most damning of all is the whole series of charts that illustrate the consolidation and ownership of organic brands by mega-corporations."

Seeds of Change, Horizon, Odwalla, Boca Foods... all under the Coca-Cola-Heinz-Kraft-Kellogg umbrella. No, not you, Garden of Eatin'! 

Simple Supper: Salty Spring Greens with Fleur de Sel

I've always longed for an expansive garden. Something to wader aimlessly through & admire plump veggies peaking out from under their leaves. Something like the garden I grew up with. At the time it was sweeping; like a whole other world complete with peach trees & overgrown blackberry shrubs. Since leaving home that sweeping garden has turned into a veritable supermarket. It's huge! My parents, especially in the summer months, are able to get the majority of their veggies right in their own back yard. What a treat!

Though I'm no where near their impressive compound, a little constellation of potted herbs & flowers clutter my back porch. Earlier this month a big bundle of lettuce was introduced to the crowd & is now thriving. I finally have enough out there to cull a meal, a small meal, but a meal none the less! Nothing tastes fresher or more subtle than just-picked lettuce.

Salty Spring Greens with Fleur de Sel

1 c. green leaf lettuce

1 tsp. capers

1 1/2 tsp. chévre cheese, crumbled

1 slice prosciutto, chopped

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

1 small shallot, minced

1 tsp. fresh greek oregano leaves

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. fleur de sel

Make a bed of green lettuce & nestle the egg slices in the center. Then sprinkle the capers, prosciutto, chévre, shallot, & oregano over the salad. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, & fleur de sel.

Simple Supper: Fusion Somen Noodles with Prawns

"... but we had plans to watch HBO." I Love You, Man pricelessly captured the 20-something young professional couple's Sunday night. Well, they nailed ours anyway. Every Sunday Ray & I tuck into our premium cable binge & I like to make a meal to match. With fresh somen noodles on hand & an interesting Bittman "fusion" recipe my mom tipped me off to, we slurped up a big bowl of Fusion Somen Noodles with Prawns (well, I had prawns. Ray abstained.)

Shocking though it may sound, ketchup is the basis for the smokey/sweet broth these noodles swim in. I love concocting meals from kitchen staples, & this recipe snugly fits the bill. All you really need to toss this meal together is a few tablespoons of ketchup & soy sauce, some noodles, & fresh veggies. Try this dish with soba noodles, whole wheat spaghetti, or bean threads. The prawns can easily be swapped for chicken, pork, or tofu. Throw in a bit of chili paste, diced jalapeño, miso paste, sesame oil, or any other Asian seasoning you have on hand. So, think creatively here. Now, I think it's time for a big bowl of ice cream to mourn the loss of Flight of the Concords.

Fusion Somen Noodles with Prawns, serves 2

adapted from Mark Bittman's, Egg Noodles with Soy Broth
3 tbsp. soy sauce, more to taste
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar, more to taste
a few drops dark sesame oil
a squirt of sriracha (red chili) sauce

3/4 c. napa cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger

a drop or two of fish sauce

1 - 2 scallions, minced

1 tsp. sesame seeds
a sprig or two of fresh cilantro
1/2 lb. egg noodles, preferably fresh
8 - 10 prawns, deveined & peeled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. In a smaller pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil; once boiling, reduce heat so water bubbles gently. To the smaller pot add soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, & sriracha sauce, along with a pinch of salt. Stir and let simmer.

Prior to adding the egg noodles, blanch the napa cabbage for 30 or 45 seconds then set aside. Add egg noodles to large pot. If fresh, cook for no longer than a minute, if dried, cook for about 6 minutes or until the noodles tender. Drop the shrimp in the water during the last minute of cooking. Drain the noodles & rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Taste broth and add more soy, salt, vinegar or heat as you like. Divide noodles into bowls and pour hot broth over all.

Garnish with scallions, cilantro, & sesame seeds.

Poicamole

Yesterday evening I found myself with extra time to kill before catching a movie with friends. Our place was designated meet-up spot & I hadn't thought to put out any thing to nibble on (gasp!). With Clotilde's enticing pea-camole (or poicamole if you like) stuck in the back of my mind & a bag of green peas stuck in the freezer I decided it was the perfect time to take this trompe l'œil dip for a test drive.

Everyone tucked in expecting creamy guacamole & found themselves with a mouth full of puréed baby green peas!  The olive oil lends enough slip to make the dip creamy - almost as creamy as its namesake - while the cilantro & fresh garlic add a nice hit of spice.  So, next time you find yourself playing host (or next time you get the munchies for that matter) instead of reaching for the usual give this sweet creamy spread a try.

Poicamole

1 c. frozen green peas, thawed
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
1 scant pinch cumin
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1 small shallot 

In a food processor or blender, pulse the peas, cilantro, garlic, shallot, salt & cumin while slowly drizzling the olive oil into the mixture. Pulse until creamy (30 - 45 seconds). Serve with flat bread, water crackers, wasa bread or the like. Pair it with a creamy blue cheese or brie for an extra treat.

Chana Punjabi

When others get animated about food I'm immediately inspired. It's always exciting to know that others get just as worked up about the first tomatoes of the year, a good cheese, or a chick pea (as the case may be). After reading Luisa's gorgeous recipe for chana punjabi by way of New York's Lassi I couldn't wait to get cooking.

The palpable tangy kick of cilantro & lime layered over sweet, smokey cloves & cumin lends a flavor unlike anything that's ever crossed my kitchen counter. This stunner is at once tangy, smokey, a bit sweet, a bit spicy -- it's everything you could ask for in one simple dish.  No longer do I need to lament Santa Barbara's shameful lack of good Indian restaurants; after simmering this stuff for close to an hour the smells wafting from my kitchen can fill that void. Who needs take-out? From now on I'll simmer up a batch of these marvelous chickpeas instead.

Chana Punjabi, serves 2 - 4
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 15 oz. cans chick peas
1 c. chicken stock
1 small nub fresh ginger, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. gram marsala1 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 pinch sugar
1 scant pinch ground clove
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. green chili paste* or 1 jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

In a medium stock pot sauté the onion, ginger, & garlic until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add the tomato sauce & chickpeas. Season with gram marsala, curry powder, cumin, sugar, clove, salt, & chili paste.

Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce has reduced by half. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock & simmer until reduced again. Repeat this process until the stock is gone & the sauce is thick. Sprinkle in the basil & cilantro then serve over jasmine or basmati rice. Garnish with a drizzle of lime juice & more fresh cilantro.

*Green chili paste can be found at speciality or Asian grocery stores.

Simple Supper: Mud Soup

Cloud Soup & Mud Soup were two of my favorites when I was a sprout. Slap a clever name on a meal & you've got a kid hooked for life. I've "adultified" the recipes a bit, but I still make both fairly often. A Southern classic, Black Bean Soup (a.k.a. Mud Soup) is rich, smokey & creamy. Though its texture is hearty, fresh lime juice, crisp cilantro, & cool sour cream make this soup perfect for warmer spring evening.

Mud Soup
2 cans black beans, drained
2 c. chicken stock
1 yellow onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded & diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil

Garnishing options...
a few sprigs fresh cilantro
lime wedges
sour cream
homemade tortilla chips, crumbled
minced red onion
queso fresca (a mild Mexican goat's milk cheese)

In a medium stock pot or dutch oven, saute the onions in 1/2 tbsp. olive oil until soft but not browned (about 3 minutes). Add the remaining olive oil, poblano, jalapeno, & garlic then saute a moment longer (about 4 minutes). Sprinkle with cumin & cilantro and cook for just a moment to bring out the flavor.

Add the beans, stock, worcestershire, salt & pepper. Simmer for a minute or two then puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Once smooth, return to heat & add the bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes or so then serve. Garnish each bowl to your liking. Add sour cream, tortilla chips, more cilantor, salsa, cheese, you get the idea...

Quick Brined Rosemary Pork Chops

Brining is not a process that often crosses my mind. It never seemed like a step that would add much oomph. Who knew a bit of salt & water would do so much for a cut of meat? This easy process seals in the juices & keeps even cheap cuts extra tender. With a tendency to get rubbery, pork chops are the perfect cut to try this trick on. Read more about the technique here, at the kitchn.

Quick Brined Rosemary Pork Chops

2 medium bone-in pork chops

2 c. water

2 tbsp. salt

1/2 tbsp. black pepper corns

1 tsp. rosemary (dried)

1 tsp. bay leaves (dried) or 1 whole bay leaf

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

1 sprig fresh mint, minced

Brine the pork chops in 2 c. water & 2 tbsp. salt. You can add other seasoning at this point if you like to enhance the flavor - I added 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, 1 tsp. dried bay leaves, & 1/2 tsp. black pepper corns. Let the chops brine for at least 30 minutes in a cool place.

Drain the chops & sprinkle both sides with minced rosemary & mint (about 1 tsp. or so) reserving the rest for garnish. Heat your grill pan over medium-high heat & drizzle it with olive oil. Cook the chops for about 10 minutes on each side - or until the juices run clear when pricked with a knife.

Sprinkle with fresh herbs & serve.

Pine Nut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved

4 - 5 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 c. pine nuts

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 sprig oregano, minced

1 sprig thyme, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 425F. Chop the bottoms off the sprouts, half them, & discard the outer few leaves. Toss them in an 8" x 8" (or another medium sized) oven safe pan. Toss with the pine nuts, oil, vinegar, garlic, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, & salt until well coated.

Roast for 20 minutes. Remove & toss. Roast for another 20 minutes more. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil & serve.