Ever since I figured out a reasonably efficient way to dig burdock roots, I’ve been eating it every which way. Kinpira was my real breakthrough. Sure, I opened up a restaurant featuring burdock as a local ingredient, but back then I cooked it like a European would, generally with dairy, which is fine, but the…
Chinese
Dryad Saddles with Garlic, Soy, and Onion Greens
A quick saute of dryad saddles (Cerioporus squamosus / pheasant back) with garlic, soy and a healthy handful of onion leaves is probably my new favorite way to eat these spring mushrooms that are so abundant during morel season, and especially nice to see when the morels are hiding. Their flavor is so funky and…
Burdock Kinpira
Got a burdock root? Meet your new favorite recipe. Kinpira, or kinpira gobo as you’ll see it listed on menus at various sushi and similar restaurants, is a tried and true preparation for burdock root (it’s usually called gobo) and if you’ve never had it before, you need to drop what you’re doing and make…
Szechuan Parsnip Leaf Salad
Parsnips and their relatives like carrots are loved and cherished food plants around the world for good reason: they’re relatively easy to take care of, they can be stored for long periods of time—even over winter, and most importantly, they’re delicious. One thing no one talks about about though is that the leaves are also…