parsley | Raw Food Recipes

The Art of Flavour

Taste is the ability to respond to dissolved molecules and ions called tastants. Humans detect taste with taste receptor cells. These are clustered in taste buds. Each taste bud has a pore that opens out to the surface of the tongue enabling molecules and ions taken into the mouth to reach the receptor cells inside. There are five primary taste sensations:

1) SALTINESS Add a salty flavour to your food by using natural Celtic, Himalayan, and sea salts, but go easy on the portions. Even natural salts are not actually that good for us. You can also use nama shoyu (raw soy sauce), garlic “salt,” sun-dried tomatoes, and celery. Saltiness brings out all the other flavours to balance, especially anything sweet, so adding a dash to your chocolate recipes is a good thing.

2) SWEETNESS Sweetness balances the salty taste in your uncooking. Raw honey may be the first sweet flavour that comes to mind, but you can also use agave syrup, plain old fruit, maple syrup, dates and other dried fruits such as figs and apricots. Keep in mind that honey is not vegan, and maple syrup is not really raw. Both are better than refined sugar, however, and are packed with minerals and vitamins.

3) SOURNESS Balance salty and sweet flavours with a sour taste. A recipe containing these three flavours will provide great balance. For a sour taste use citrus juices, tamarind, raspberries, cranberries, pickles, tomatoes, rejuvelacs, and vinegars.

In general if your recipe has a good balance of the 3 flavors above, it is going to taste yummy!

4) BITTERNESS Generally speaking, bitterness is not desirable in large quantities, but it so happens that bitter foods and herbs can be quite healthy. They can also be tasty in the right quantity. Green tea and Okinawan goya (bitter gourd) are a case in point.

5) UMAMI Umami is a taste found naturally in seaweeds and is the response to salts of glutamic acid, like monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer used in many processed foods and in many Asian dishes. This stuff is definitely to be avoided, as is アミノ酸 (aminosan) found in far too many processed foods in Japan.

OTHER ASEPTS INFLUENCING FLAVOUR

A) AROMA Aromatics refer to the sense of smell, not taste, but they are closely related and influence each other. Aroma adds depth to flavours. Here are some aromatic ingredients to use in your uncooking: onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, celery, sweet peppers, ginger or galangal, citrus zest, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. Aromatic herbs include parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint, etc. (fresh herbs are definitely better in the raw food context!) Aromas tend to come out far more when heating food, but do indeed apply to raw food preparation. Hot peppers and such like those listed below are also aromatic.

B) SPICINESS (HEAT) Spices add a combination of the above flavours, but also add different levels of heat, if not at least a “bite." Add dry spicy ingredients before marinating to balance the flavours better. Use oil to bring out the taste of dried herbs and spices. Items that add heat include black pepper, curries, chilis, cayenne, hot paprika, cumin, raw garlic, wasabi, cloves, tumeric, coriandar, mustards, etc.

C) CREAMINESS This is more of a texture than taste, but if all the spice is getting to be too much, a little nut mylk or kream can do wonders. No wonder so many hot Asian curries have coconut milk in them!

Too spicy? Add some sweetness or creaminess
Too sweet? Add some sour or spiciness
Too sour? Add sweet
Too bland? Add salt or some spiciness
Too salty? Add sour
Just needs a spark? Add acid or one of the aromatics added at the end of cooking, or just a touch of heat (spiciness)
Too harsh? Try just a touch of sweetness

Posts Tagged ‘parsley’

Sunflower and Hempseed Dip

August 30th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

recipe and picture from Raw Radiant Health

Ingredients:

2 cups hulled sunflower seeds (soaked & sprouted, ideally)
1/2 cup hulled sesame seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/3 cup red onion
1 cup parsley (chopped)
2 lemons (juice of)
4 medium cloves garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Wash hulled sunflower seeds, and soak in water for 8 hours. Rinse and drain and place in a colander for 2 hours at room temperature (for sunflower seeds to sprout). Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth (if the blender is having a difficult time blending, you can always add 1/4 cup water to get the blender started.

Posted in Dips, Spreads, & Pâtés

Tags: cayenne, cumin, garlic, hemp seeds, paprika, parsley, red onion, sea salt, sunflower seeds

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Avocado and Green Tomato Gazpacho

July 12th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

I literally JUST made this for dinner, accompanied by flax crackers. A few more ingredients than I would like, but with everything on hand, and with the assistance of MY BEAUTIFUL NEW VITAMIX (YESSSS!), I whipped it up really fast. Pretty yummy, but mine needed more tomato and less avocado. I was in the mood for something a tad lighter. I picked up this recipe in the Washington Post, believe it or not.

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized green tomatoes, cored and diced
1 small orange or yellow bell pepper, cored and minced
1 medium-sized (7-inch) cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
A handful of flat-leaf parsley
A handful of cilantro
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp salt (or more, to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 to 3 tbpn extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp raw honey
1 cup cold water
Black pepper and cayenne to taste
Up to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (to taste)

Directions:

Combine everything in a large bowl and stir to mix well. Using an immersion blender or a regular stand blender, puree all or part of the soup, as desired. Transfer to a container with a lid, cover tightly and chill until very cold. Serve cold. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Posted in Soups

Tags: avocado, cayenne, coriander leaves/cilantro, cumin, garlic, honey, lime juice, olive oil, parsley, red wine vinegar, sea salt, tomatoes

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Salad with Tahini Dressing

March 14th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

recipe by by Frederic Patenaude

Ingredients:

Dressing

1 pint (about 2 cups) of cherry tomatoes (or 2 medium sized tomatoes)
1 cup of blueberries (optional)
3 tbsp tahini (may be replaced by almond butter)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 cup of fresh dill, cilantro, or parsley (or 1 tbsp dried dill)

Salad

3-4 cups or more of mixed baby greens
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 cucumber or 1 tomato, diced
1 cup blueberries (optional -don’t use if you put blueberries in dressing)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients of the dressing together until smooth. Toss all salad ingredients together and add as much dressing as desired.

Posted in Dressings & Sauces, Salads

Tags: baby greens, balsamic vinegar, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, cucumber, dill, green onions, parsley, tahini

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Asian Pâté

February 28th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

Recipe by Nomi Shannon, The Raw Gourmet

Ingredients:

3 cups sunflower seeds (soaked 8-12 hours and preferably sprouted 2-4 hours)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup liquid aminos or nama shoyu
4-5 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped mild onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Blend the first 4 ingredients in a food processor. Add the rest. Serve with veggies to dip.
Makes about 4-5 cups.

Posted in Dips, Spreads, & Pâtés

Tags: garlic, lemon juice, liguid aminos, nama shoyu/soy sauce, onions, parsley, pâté, sunflower seeds

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Pecan Pâté

January 27th, 2010

Cathrine-Mette (Trine) Mork

Recipe by Cherie Soria
Yields 5/8 cup (8-12 servings)

Pecan pâté is a rich, satisfying holiday option that is delicious on raw crackers. Or, it can be stuffed into the small colorful peppers that are often available this time of year. Looks both beautiful and festive! It is a firm pate which does very well when molded in pretty shapes and garnished with a sprig of parsley. Just use damp cheesecloth to line the mold, and refrigerate for at least an hour before unmolding.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pecans, soaked and dehydrated
2 tablespoons minced leek or green onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon tamari
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon solar-dried sea salt

Directions:

Place the pecans in a food processor outfitted with the “S” blade, and process until finely ground. Add the leek, parsley, tamari, garlic powder, lemon juice, and salt, and pulse, just to mix. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Posted in Dips, Spreads, & Pâtés, Holiday Foods

Tags: garlic, green onions, leeks, lemon juice, parsley, pecans, tamari

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