KASHA, BLACK-EYED PEA, MACKEREL, FAVA BEAN, TOMATO & MISO SALAD - SALADE DE SARRASIN, DOLIQUES A OEIL NOIR, FÈVES, MAQUEREAU, TOMATE ET MISO

Be careful of those who pat you on the back. They might be looking for a soft spot to plant the knife.
- Anonymous

Honest hearts produce honest actions.
- Brigham Young

Those who know me are aware of the fact that I cherish honest, genuine as well as selfless beings and look for the deep and meaningful things in life. Superficiality, artificiality, triviality, egocentrism and materialism put me off. I reject all the false values that this modern and unethical society apprizes.

Calculators, manipulators and profitors are my biggest enemies. I fear them like the pest and smell them from a distance. Actually, I make it a rule to stay far away from anything that is shallow or anyone who is toxic, fake and untrustworthy as they can only be harmful to me and drain me of my life force. Negative energies and all forms of parasitism are to be avoided at any cost or they'll bring you down and suck you into their decadent spiral of chaos and destruction.

After having been psychologically abused by my tyrannical parents who exercized their maleficious control over me and could not care less about my person, but prefered to use me as a pawn in their viscious family game, and escaped from my Machiavellian sister's iron grip and mean powers of subjugation, I am finally free of all oppression so I really treasure my new found freedom and fiercely protect it with all my might. I have given enough and refuse to bleed more.

Since I have been deceived and ripped-off quite a few times by despicable individuals who are only interested in misusing others for their own egotistical purposes and evil agendas, I tend to be very careful when it comes to letting people into my existence and trusting them blindly. I pick my pals meticulously. This is the reason why I am not surrounded by hords of "friends" and definitely not the most popular girl on the block. But that's ok with me as I have my peace.

Nowadays, I listen to my heart and follow my instincts. If somebody is devious or something is shady, then I'll feel their bad vibrations and will not let them corrupt or rape my soul as I have understood that nobody can be my master nor that I am accountable to anyone. Power is in my hands and "no" is not a taboo word anymore...

Make food simple and let things taste of what they are.
- Curnonsky aka Maurice Edmond Sailland

I want a dish to taste good, rather than to have been seethed in pig's milk and served wrapped in a rhubarb leaf with grated thistle root.
- Kingsley Amis

I detest...anything over-cooked, over-herbed, over-sauced, over elaborate. Nothing can go very far wrong at table as long as there is honest bread, butter, olive oil, a generous spirit, lively appetites and attention to what we are eating."
- Sybille Bedford

When it comes to food, I love my grub to be straitforward and real. Pretentious or unnatural eats have no place at my home nor in my heart. I loathe unneccessarily complicated or pompous dishes and detest industrially processed aliments that have been deprived of their nutritional qualities and are loaded with a multitude of gruesome additives (saturated fats, artificial colorings and sweeteners, preservatives, corn syrup, etc...).

My dinners are seasonal, hearty, comforting, stripped of any chichis, yet they don't lack refinement or aromatic complexity. I try to enhance produces and get the best out of them without ever spoiling their original characteristics. This demands a little understanding of nutrition, some knowledge regarding the ingredients employed, a good dose of patience and a lot of gut feeling. Nothing very esoteric or difficult to accomplish, however it requires commitment and dedication.

Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food.
- Craig Claiborne

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.
- Marcel Boulestin

If you are a passionate gourmet who is interested in your physical wellness, then it is absolutely not a sacrifice to relentlessly surf online in order to search for useful culinary information, to spend a few hours experimentig in the kitchen or to follow a healthy diet. Your hard labor will be rewarded and your body will be thankful for treating it like a temple rather than a dustbin. Certainly worth the effort!

Speaking of power foods, the salad that I am presenting today pretty much carries all those characteristics and is not far from perfection. It is well-balanced (contains many essential nutrients: fibers, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fatty acids, antioxidents, proteins and other compounds), extremely satiating, not expensive, fresh, easily prepared and although it appears to be simple, this harmonious tasting meal offers intricate flavors (nutty, herby, pungent, spicy, sweet, smoky, etc...) which will make your palate sing and your tummy smile.

My summery "Kasha, Black-Eyed Pea, Mackerel, Fava Bean, Tomato & Miso Salad" is ideal for a relaxed lunch or supper in the garden/on the balcony and for taking on picnics or bringing to potlucks, parties as well as work. Quirky, practical, energy-ladden and scrumptious!

Kasha, Black-Eyed Pea, Mackerel, Fava Bean, Tomato & Miso Salad

Recipe by Rosa Mayland, June 2012

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients For The "Miso Dressing":

1/3 Cup (75ml) Apple vinegar

1/3 Cup (75ml) Olive oil

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbs Barley miso

1 Tbs Sweet soy sauce (Kikkoman)

1 Tbs Sweet chili sauce

1 Tsp Runny honey

1 Tsp Sesame oil

1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
Ingredients For The "Salad":
1 1/2 Cups Raw kasha (buckwheat groats)
1 Tsp Fine sea salt
1 Cup (120g) Fresh fava beans, shelled (method)
260g Cooked black-eyed peas (cooked from scratch or canned)
2x 125g (2x 95g net weight) Canned mackerel
1x Beefsteak tomato, chopped
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
Fresh coriander, to taste

Method For The "Miso Dressing":
1. In a big salad bowl, whisk all ingredients together.
Method For The "Salad":
2. In a medium pan, lightly toast the kasha until golden.
3. Add 4 cups water (~1l) and the salt. Bring to a light boil, then immediatly lower the heat to a soft simmer.
4. Cook for about 8-10 minutes (it should still be a little crunchy - see remarks).
5. Sieve and rince with cold water, then let the water drip off.
6. Once the kasha is at room temperature, add to the bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix delicately.
7. Serve. 

Remarks:
The onion can be replaced by 2 chopped spring onions.
In case you don't have black-eyed peas at home, any legume of your choice will do (white beans, chickpeas, red beans, etc...).
You can also use other fresh herbs: chervil, parsley, basil or thyme.
Don't overcook your kasha, otherwise it'll go mushy. In order to avoid that, keep testing it while it is cooking.
If you like to eat your salad chilled, then mix all the ingredients together (minus the coriander, tomato and fish - you'll add them at the last moment) a few hours before serving and refrigerate. 

Serving suggestions:
Serve chilled or at room temperature and accompany with a glass of quality white wine (Gewürtzraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chasselas,  etc...) or rosé (Vin Gris, Oeil de Perdrix, Weissherbst, Provence, Gamay Rosé, etc...).

Salade De Sarrasin, Doliques A Oeil Noir, Fèves, Maquereau, Tomate Et Miso 
Recette par Rosa Mayland, juin 2012.

Pour 2-3 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette au Miso": 
75ml de Vinaigre de pomme
75ml Olive oil 
2 Gousses d'ail, hachées finement 
1 CS de Miso d'orge
1 CS de Sauce soja douce (Kikkoman)
1 CS de Sauce de piment douce 
1 CS de Miel liquide
1 CC d'Huile de sésame
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
 Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
1 1/2 Coupes de Gruau de sarrasin 
1 CS de Sel de mer fin 
120g de Fèves fraîches, pelées (voir méthode) 
260g de Doliques à oeil noir cuites (voir méthode - vous pouvez aussi prendre une conserve)
2x 125g (poids net 2x 95g) de Filets de maquereau en conserve 
1 Tomate coeur de boeuf, coupée en dés
1 Oignon moyen, haché finement
Coriandre fraîche, selon goût

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette Au Miso": 
1. Dans un grand saladier, mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble. 
Méthode Pour La "Salade": 
2. Dans une casserole moyenne, torréfier le sarrasin jusqu'à ce qu'il soit légèrement doré. 
3. Ajouter environ 1 litre d'eau et le sel. Porter à légère ébullition, puis immédiatement baisser le feu et laisser mijoter à feu très doux.
4. Cuire pendant environ 8-10 minutes. Le sarrasin devrait encore être un peu croquant (voir remarques).
5. L'égoutter et le rincer à l'eau très froide, puis le laisser égoutter encore une fois afin que toute l'eau se soit évacuée.
6. Une fois que le sarrasin a refroidi (température ambiante), le mettre dans le bol avec tous les autres ingrédients et mélanger délicatement. 
7. Servir. 

Remarques: 
L'oignon peut être remplacé par 2 oignons de printemps hachés. 
Dans le cas où vous n'aurez pas de doliques à œil noir à la maison, vous pouvez alors utiliser une autre légumineuse de votre choix (haricots blancs, pois chiches, haricots rouges, etc ..). 
Vous pouvez également ajouter d'autres herbes fraîches dans cette salade: cerfeuil, persil, basilic ou thym.
Ne pas faire cuire votre sarrasin à feu élevé sinon les graines exploseront et vous vous retrouverez avec une purée. Afin d'éviter cela, faites-le mijoter à feu très doux (pas de gros bouillons). N'oubliez pas de régulièrement goûter votre sarrasin afin que vous ne le cuisiez pas trop (perte de son croquant). 
Si vous aimez manger froid, mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble (sans la coriandre, tomate et le poisson que vous ajouterez au dernier moment) et réfrigérer votre salade pendant quelques heures avant de la servir.

Idées de présentation: 
Servir bien réfrigérée ou à température ambiante et accompagner d'un vin blanc (Gewurtzraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chasselas, etc ..) ou d'un rosé (Vin Gris, Oeil de Perdrix, Weissherbst, Provence, Gamay Rosé, etc ...) de qualité.

COLD SOBA NOODLE SALAD - A LESSON IN ZEN

"The man who has begun to live more seriously within begins to live more simply without."

- Ernest Hemingway

When you are neither rich nor possess many earthly belongings, you tend to direct your attention toward the little things in life, what is not materialistic nor can be quantified in money terms. You learn not to have greedy expectations or to take things for granted, to be satisfied with not much, to have a more spiritual insight into things and to become increasingly open to the outside world and that which surrounds us...

Due to that my life is very restricted. I cannot go on holiday (the last time I travelled abroad was 13 years ago when I last saw my English grandparents), buy what I want (let alone what I need), visit restaurants and coffee shops nor have many activities. Nonetheless, I try to make the best of what I have, positivize and find beauty in everything, even (or especially) where people don't. My situation has made me clear-sighted as I am not blinded by pecuniary matters or encumbered by avarice.

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness.
If you are attentive, you will see it.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh

"Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."

- Lao Tzu

"Don't seek, don't search, don't ask, don't knock, don't demand - relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it."

- Osho

Thanks to my "misfortune", I am a keen lover of Nature. It never fails to surprise me and I cannot get enough of admiring it and incessantly being flabbergasted by its unlimited wonders. I am capable of sitting on my balcony for hours looking at the sky and the way clouds evolve. The dreamlike and elegant flight of the buzzards fascinates me. I cherish the welcoming morning chant of the birds and that of the perky rooster living in the garden opposite my building block. The imposing solemness of the Salève mountain that towers over my village like a monolithic monster bedazzles me. My kitty Maruschka is a real bundle of joy and brings a charming feline touch to my day. The flutter of leaves in the evening wind brings me peace of mind. The croacking of frogs makes me smile. The sudden appearence of a fiery and fluffy fox during my Saturday walks delights me. A warm summer breeze wraps me in a shroud of pure bliss. The rumbling river nearby comforts me. An afternoon spent foraging for exceptionally fragrant wild blackberries excites me to the highest point. Listening to the electric sounding songs of the cicadas which have colonized the area lately just fills my heart with joy. The shape of a fruit or the color of a vegetable sends me into a state of meditation. The sheer variety of food astounds me and makes me feel so thankful...

"Two novice Zen monks are arguing about whose master is more evolved and accomplished. So the first monk boasts, 'My master is so powerful, he can stand on one side of the river and write his name in the mud on the opposite side'. 'That’s nothing' said the other one. 'When my master is hungry, he eats and when he is tired he sleeps'."
- Anonymous

Somehow, I have the attitude of a Zen (or Taoist) monk who sees magnificence everywhere he looks and doesn't burden his soul with negativity. Genius lies in simplicity, naturalness and harmony. Being able to stay humble brings you inner strenghth as it is when humans are left with the strict minimum that they are forced to face themselves and dig deep into their inner being in order to "survive" the lack of artificiality in their existence.

"The modern mind has lost all capacity to wonder. It has lost all capacity to look into the mysterious, into the miraculous - because of knowledge, because it thinks it knows."

- Osho

With food, the same can be said. There is no need to complicate things, spend considerable amounts on luxury ingredients or be frivolous. A well-balanced and uncomplex dish can have even more impact that one that is ultra-complicated, pompous and extravagant. Sometimes, it is the most elementary and frugal meal that leaves the greatest as well as long-lasting memories

"Preparing food is not about yourself and others. It is about everything!"
- Shunryu Suzuki

It is for that reason, that the recipe I am presenting today is not pretentious and is of Nippon inspiration. Like all things Japanese, it is subtly refined in both looks and taste, and shines in its purity, sobriety, equilibrium and apparent rusticity.

This exquisite "Cold Soba Noodle Salad" is easily prepared, ravishingly summery and perfect for hot weather as the cool pasta play off the heat marvelously. It is a dish that has strong earthy and warm aromas of wasabi, sesame oil/seeds, soy sauce and buckwheat noodles, but thanks to the heady and fresh flavors of ginger, rice vinegar, cucumber and carrots, the symmetry is absolute.

~ Cold Soba Noodle Salad ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, August 2011.

Serves 2.

Ingredients For The "Soba Noodles":
2x 80g Dry soba/buckwheat noodle bundles
Ingredients For The "Vinaigrette":
4 Tbs Sweet Japanese soy sauce (Kikkoman)
3 Tbs Sesame oil
2 1/2 Tbs Rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tsp Wasabi paste
3 Tsps Chopped fresh ginger
2 1/2 Tbs sesame seeds (black or white), roasted
Ingredients For The "Topping":
2 Medium carrots, cut into thin matchtsicks
1/3 Cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks

Method For The "Soba Noodles":
1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to the boil.
2. Add the noodles, sprinkling them strand by strand into the water.
3. Gently stir to immerse them completely.
4. Simmer over low heat for about 4 minutes, or following the package directions.
5. Drain and rinse with cold water.
6. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Method For The "Vinaigrette":
7. Mix all the ingredients together.
8. Pour over the salad and mix together thoroughly before adding the sesame seeds and tossing again.
9. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, so that the flavors develop.
Method For The "Garnishes":
10. Add the carrot and the cucumber, mix.
11. Serve.

Remarks:
You can replace the rice vinegar by white balsamic vinegar or malt vinegar.
While the soba noodles are cooking, stir occasionally to prevent from sticking.
If you want, you can also top your noodles with chopped scallions.

Serving suggestions:
Serve cold and accompany dish with eggs (omelet, fried eggs, hard boiled eggs or poached eggs) or fish (steamed or fried).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Salade Froide De Nouilles Soba ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, août 2011.

Pour 2 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour Les "Nouilles Soba":
2x 80g de Nouilles soba sèches (2 bottes)
Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette":
4 CS de Sauce soya légère (Kikkoman)
2 1/2 CS de Vinaigre de riz
3 CS d'Huile de sésame
1 1/2 CC de Pâte de wasabi
3 CC de Gingembre frais, haché finement
2 1/2 CS de Graines de sésame (noir ou blanches), torréfiées
Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture":
2 Carottes (moyennes), coupées en fines allumettes
1/3 de Concombre, coupé en fines allumettes

Méthode pour Les "Nouilles Soba":
1. Remplir une grande casserole d'eau (sans ajout de sel) et porter à ébullition.
2. Ajouter les nouilles, en les faisant tomber une à une (en pluie).
3. Mélanger délicatement afin d'immerger les nouilles.
4. Faire cuire à feu dou pendant environ 4 minutes, ou selon les instructions sur l'emballage.
5. Egoutter et rinser à l'eau froide.
6. Mettre dans un bol et mettre de côté.

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette":
7. Mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble.
8. Verser sur les nouilles et bien mélanger avant d'ajouter les graines de sésame.
9. Entreposer au frigo pendant 30 minutes, de sorte que les arômes se développent.
Méthode Pour La "Garniture":
10. Ajouter la carotte et le concombre, mélanger.
11. Servir.

Remarques:
Le vinaigre de riz peut être remplacer par du vinaigre balsamique blanc ou du vinaigre de malte.
Pendant que les nouilles cuisent, mélanger occasionellement afin qu'elles ne collent pas ensemble.
Si vous le désirez, vous pouvez aussi garnir cette salade avec des oignons verts coupés en rondelles.

Idées de présentation:
Servir cette salade froide et accompagnée d'oeufs (omelette, oeufs à la poêle, oeufs cuits dur ou oeufs pochés) ou de poisson (grillé ou à la vapeur).