Earth Angels – The Art of Vegetable Cookery

Earth Angels

Overview

Twenty-two different cooking methods highlight amazing versatility of vegetables and sea vegetables. This topic studies how vegetables grow, which informs the cook how to go about selecting the right amount of cooking liquid. Charts organize the thought process, providing information on the best practices for selecting and storing vegetables, treating vegetables for optimum results (when to cut, and when to keep whole) and even what to keep on hand for those days when going to the store is not an option.

Details and Inspiration

To me, vegetables are angels. If I had the choice of eating a beautiful carrot, a juicy beet or a brilliant pea instead of eating dirt and rocks, it would appear that earth had turned into a delicious angel.

I notice that when using a variety of vegetables, which have been transmuted by the power of healthy earth, cooking can be very simple and satisfying. There are choices to be made about whether the vegetables need to be cooked with, or transformed by, sauces. We explore this brilliant food group just as an explorer gives attention to the surroundings. Some vegetables have a “gang consciousness.” They are wild, tough, domineering and complex; others need to be the first, the best, the soloist. Some are more challenging when asked to be eaten alone, preferring to merge easily with any ingredient. Vegetables have the flexibility of being either the star of the dish or a chorus member. The dish possibilities are infinite. The guidelines prevent chaos in complex combinations.