Spring Cleaning For The Body – The Recipe Edit Featuring Marcey Brownstein
Clean living isn’t just for our homes. Spring is the perfect time to try new, healthy and delicious recipes. We asked renowned New York City chef and caterer, Marcey Brownstein, for her favorite wholesome recipes for body and soul. She wrote up two of her go-to health forward springtime recipes for us – a savory vegetable japanese curry recipe and a wonderfully easy to prepare beet soup recipe that is perfect hot or cold.
Marcey is a favorite of the Elves. We have used her extraordinary catering company many times for our elevated events attended by the who’s who of the New York design and architecture world. I am excited to share her and her delicious food with everyone else here on The Elves’ Edit!
Happy Cooking!
Sabrina
Spring Detox Beet Soup
by Marcey Brownstein
Ingredients:
1 lb beets (about 2 large), scrubbed, unpeeled and cut into chunks
1 large carrot, unpeeled and cut into chunks
4 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup cilantro, tender stems included
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the beets are tender.
Transfer mixture to a blender or use a hand-held stick blender, and purée until smooth.
Serve hot, or cool for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator for a refreshing, chilled soup.
Garnish soup with additional cilantro leaves if desired.
Spring Cleaning Japanese Curry
by Marcey Brownstein
Ingredients:
2 cups *dashi stock
1 whole onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2” knob of ginger, peeled and minced
½ peeled and chopped sweet potato, butternut squash, acorn squash or pumpkin
¼ head green cabbage in chunks
2 cups broccoli florettes
2 cups cauliflower florettes
2 carrots, sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt & pepper
Curry Mixture
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam massala
2 tbsp corn starch
¼ cup dashi or water or stock of your choice
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
4 scallions chopped
Optional: sliced firm tofu, sliced smoked tofu, sliced tempeh, pre-seared or grilled meat or poultry cut into chunks or sliced
Directions:
Add all the Curry Mixture ingredients to a bowl and mix well using a whisk, ensuring that corn starch is dissolved. Set aside.
Add oil to a large fry pan or a saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes until it starts to take on some color and soften.
Add squash or sweet potato to the pan and cook for another five minutes.
Add dashi or stock and turn the heat up to high. When it starts boiling, turn to med low.
Mix the curry mixture in the bowl again ensuring that corn flour has not collected at the bottom of the bowl. Add the mixture to the pan and turn down the heat to medium. Add vegetables and tofu or any pre-seared meat if using. Continue cooking.
The sauce will start to thicken. When the sauce starts boiling, turn the heat to low and continue to cook until vegetables have softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and togarashi (Japanese hot pepper seasoning) but use your imagination. A hard boiled egg is a great addition. Little meatballs would be great. Fresh greens. Anything! You can also serve with noodles or brown rice.
*Note: Dashi is the basic Japanese soup stock used in many Japanese dishes. It can be purchased in powder form and mixed with water or easily made by simmering kombu (dried kelp) and bonito flakes in water for about 10 minutes until water is flavored, then strain.
To learn more about Marcey, visit https://www.marceybrownstein.com/