Jordan Schachter has been building community through food in San Francisco since 2005.   Through his business, Jordan’s Kitchen, he offers the yoga of food!  In group cooking classes even the cooking challenged are empowered!   He always uses fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients and supports local farmers and producers.  You can join one of Jordan’s scheduled cooking classes or book one for your next private event.  The only better way than yoga asana to bond with friends, new and old, is definitely over food!

Jordan will be offering two different classes this January, Winter’s Bounty and Comfort Food.  He has been kind enough to share a few of his recipes with us this week.

As always, I’d love to hear from you on my Facebook Page.  Let us know if you find your inner chef!

Still need that last minute gift?  Consider a gift certificate for one of Jordan’s cooking classes.

Miso bowl with Udon Noodles and Wild Salmon (optional)

12 cups water
½ ounce dried dulse
1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
8 ounces Udon noodles, cooked
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 two-inch long daikon radish, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 cup shitake mushrooms, stems removed and julienned
½ cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 baby bok choy, sliced horizontally into quarter inch pieces
Heaping ½ cup miso paste of choice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon chili paste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
6 pieces wild salmon, 3-4 ounces each  (optional)

In a large pot, combine the water, dulse and ginger and bring to a simmer. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about ten minutes. Add the daikon radish and the bok choy and cook for an additional two minutes or so, until softened. Remove two cups of the broth to a bowl and whisk in the miso paste until it is fully emulsifed. Return the miso mixture to the pot with the vegetables and add the fish sauce, soy sauce and chili paste. Stir to combine.

Preheat the broiler and place the pieces of salmon on a sheet tray. Season lightly with salt and broil until just cooked through, about five minutes depending upon its thickness. Remove and set aside.

Divide the udon noodles into soup bowls and then ladle enough broth and vegetables into each bowl. Garnish each with green onions and toasted sesame seeds and top with a piece of salmon. Serves six.

Three Beet Salad with Oranges and Pistachio:

2-3 pounds beets, red, gold and Chiogga (rinsed)
12-14 thyme sprigs
Peel of three oranges
3 oranges, segmented
¼ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
3 cups orange juice, fresh squeezed
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely diced
½ to ¾ cup canola oil
8 handfuls wild arugula
Few sprigs mint, leaves only torn
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat your oven to 450F. Place the beets on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with two thyme sprigs and a few slices of orange peel and wrap tightly with the foil. Roast in the oven until beets are tender, about one hour. Remove the beets and when cool enough to handle, peel. Discard the orange peel and the thyme. Slice the beets into pieces, keeping each color beet separate and set aside.

While the beets are cooking, pour the orange juice into a small saucepan and over medium heat reduce by half. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the diced shallot and rice wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in canola oil to make your orange vinaigrette.

Pour a third of the vinaigrette over your three kinds of beets and allow them to marinate as time permits. The beets will taste best if you allow them to sit overnight.

To assemble the salad, place the arugula in a bowl with the mint and the orange segments and lightly coat with olive oil and salt. Plate and then add a few spoonfuls of marinated beets. Sprinkle the plate with a few chopped pistachios and serve. Serves eight

Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage

2 small butternut squashes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed      
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing squash
1½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1 red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
½  teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Pinch ground cinnamon
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese, optional
8 fried sage leaves

Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly rub the flesh of one squash with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Bake, flesh side down until cooked through and nicely browned, about forty-five minutes. Let cool slightly, scoop the flesh into a bowl and mash.

Peel and dice the neck of the other squash into quarter inch pieces. You need one and a half cups. Steam the diced squash until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a saucepan bring your vegetable stock to a simmer. Meanwhile, heat another saucepan over medium heat. Add four tablespoons of olive oil and when hot add your onion, sage and thyme. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and sweat the onions and herbs over medium heat for until softened, about five minutes. Add your rice and mix well to combine. Allow the rice to toast in the pan for a few minutes and season with salt and pepper. Begin to add your hot stock to the rice one cup at a time, maintaining a simmer. Do not add more liquid until the previous cup of stock has evaporated. Repeat this, stirring often until the rice is just finished cooking.

Remove risotto from the heat and add your diced squash and the mashed squash. Stir in the butter and once it has melted begin to fold in your Pecorino cheese if using Season to taste and finish with crumbled fried sage leaves. Serves six to eight.