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Recipe by:
Bryant Terry
Courtesy of Sustainable Table ® Description:
Every time I sit down for a meal I express gratitude for all the forces that helped bring the food to my plate: the natural elements, farmers, farmhands, transporters, chefs, kitchen assistants, and servers in many cases. Because I want to encourage others to do so as well, I asked my Uncle Don Bryant (my first name is my mother’s maiden name) if he would compose an original prayer-song to contribute. As you saw at the beginning of the book, he said yes!
Uncle Don was a well-known songwriter-singer in the 1970s. He was the staff songwriter at Hi Records, and he penned a slew of hits for that label’s artists (i.e., Al Green, Willie Mitchell, and Ann Peebles). His most celebrated songs were written for his wife, Ann Peebles. You know that song "I Can’t Stand the Rain" which was covered by over 30 artists (including Cassandra Wilson, Michael Bolton, Tina Turner) and sampled by Missy Elliot for her first big hit? Well Uncle Don wrote it.
To show my gratitude, I created this soup in his honor. Ingredients:
1 large garnet yam (about 1 pound) peeled and cut into ˝ inch chunks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt
4 cups Simple Stock (see VSK)
1 large bunch mustard greens (about 1 pound), tough stems removed,
chopped into bite-size piece, washed, and drained
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
White pepper Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss the yams with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ˝ teaspoon of the salt. Transfer the yams to a parchment-lined baking dish and roast for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until they are starting to crisp on the edges.
While the yams are roasting, bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the mustard greens and cook, uncovered for 4 to 6 minutes, until softened and the sulfur has been released from them. Remove the greens from the heat, drain the stock into a bowl, and set it aside.
Over medium heat in the saucepan just used, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to pop, 2-3 minutes. Next add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 ˝ minute. Then add the greens and ˝ teaspoon salt. Saute the greens, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock back to the saucepan and set aside.
When the yams are done, transfer them to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the yams are fork tender. Add the apple cider vinegar and white pepper and additional salt to taste. Tips:
Cleaning Greens
I find that cutting greens into the desired size for the dish that I am preparing makes them easier to clean. After thoroughly washing your sink (or a large bowl) of any residue, plug the drain, add the greens, and run cold water until the greens are submerged, agitating them as the sink fills up. Turn off the water and let the greens sit for a minute or so. Next lift them from the sink with your hands into a large bowl or similar receptacle. Drain the sink of its water, and repeat until the bottom of the sink is free of any residue. Transfer the greens to a colander and drain. Obviously, if you clean delicate leaves like lettuce you want to dry them in a salad spinner.
To Learn More:
This recipe is from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry:
VSK recipes use fresh, whole, best-quality, healthy ingredients and cooking techniques with an eye on local, seasonal, sustainably grown food. Reinterpreting popular dishes from African and Caribbean countries as well as his favorite childhood dishes, Terry reinvents African American and Southern cuisine-capitalizing on the complex flavors of the tradition, without the animal products.
Notes:
Bryant suggests:
Soundtrack: "I Can’t Stand the Rain" by Ann Peebles from Brand New Classics Recipe Number 321 added on 0000-00-00
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