THENOURI

SHEDKI
TCHEN

contents
Introduction 1
Chapter 1

from the garden

11

Chapter 2

from the pasture

47

Chapter 3

from the range

83

Chapter 4

from the waters

123

Chapter 5

from the fields

155

Chapter 6

from the wild

203

Chapter 7

from the orchard

223

Chapter 8

from the larder

259

Glossary 296
Resources 300
Real Food Advocacy Groups 303
Measurement Conversion Charts 304
Acknowledgments 305
About the Author 306
Index 307

spring vegetable stew <

After a long winter of heavy dishesmeats, potatoes, root vegetables,
and breadsI look forward to the clean and vibrant abundance of spring.
I make this Spring Vegetable Stew with the many firsts that spring brings:
the first leeks, beans, peas, and artichokes. They stew together in Chicken
Foot Broth, which offers up its delicate but still rich flavor as a companion
to the vegetables. At the end, I toss in fresh basil, parsley, and mint, which
brighten the stew a bit more with their clean and faintly floral notes. Lemon
juice and zest add a punch of sourness that further complements the flavors
of the stew.
If you do not have fresh lima beans, peas, and artichoke hearts, you can
prepare this soup from frozen vegetablesas I often do in autumn and winter if Ive had the forethought to preserve a little of the spring harvest. Keep
in mind, however, that if you do make this stew from frozen vegetables, it
will not need to cook as long as it does when using fresh ingredients, and can
be finished in about 20 minutes start to finish. Serves 4 to 6

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1 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more to serve
1 large leek, white and lightgreen parts only, thinly sliced
Finely grated zest and juice
of 1 lemon
3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups Chicken Foot Broth
(page 121)
2 cups lima beans
1 pound English peas, shelled
(1 cup)
1 cup baby artichoke hearts,
halved
Finely ground unrefined
sea salt
1

/4 cup torn fresh basil

/4 cup torn fresh mint

/4 cup chopped fresh

flat-leaf parsley

44

the nourished kitchen

Warm the lard and olive oil in a heavy stockpot over medium
heat. When the lard melts, stir in the leek and lemon zest and
fry until they release their perfume and the leek softens, about
4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and fry, stirring from time to time,
until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the broth, lima beans, peas, and artichoke hearts.
Cover and simmer until the vegetables become tender, about
30 minutes. Season to your liking with salt, stir in the herbs
and lemon juice, and serve.

chicken foot broth <

Whenever our local rancher processes chickens, I arrive with bags in hand,
not for the whole chickens, but to ask for the feet, lest they feed them to the
dogs. Chicken feet have very little marketable value. Gnarly and doubtlessly
repulsive with their scaly yellow skin and sharp talons, they nevertheless
make the best broth. As with other odd cuts of meat, its easy to cast off the
humble chicken foot, but in allowing squeamishness to get the better of you,
you also miss out on the powerful nourishment and deep flavor they lend to
broth, soups, and sauces.
Chicken feet are an extraordinary source of amino acids, particularly
collagen, which is why chicken foot broth gels so readily. Its flavor is rich and
concentrated, but somehow still delicate. Makes about 4 quarts

1121124@@#@#@
3 pounds chicken feet,
scrubbed very well
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large leek, root tip removed,
white and green parts thinly
sliced
4 ribs celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon whole black
peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1

/4 cup white wine

4 to 6 quarts cold water,

plus more as needed

If necessary, peel away and discard any yellow membrane

that adheres to the chicken feet, then chop off the claws.
(The process of defeathering chickens often removes that
yellow membrane; however, if it remains, itand the talons
can create off flavors in the broth.)
Combine the chicken feet, onion, leek, celery, carrots, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and wine in a large, heavy
stockpot. Cover the chicken feet with the water. Bring to a boil
over medium-high heat, then immediately decrease the heat to
medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 12 hours, adding water
as necessary to keep the feet submerged. From time to time,
skim away any scum that might rise to the surface.
Strain the broth, discarding the solids, then pour it into jars,
cover, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze
it for up to 6 months. With chilling, the broth should gel enough
that it must be scooped out of the jar with a spoon. This is
normal, and the broth will liquefy once you heat it. A thin layer
of yellow fat may harden on the surface of the gelled broth;
I recommend discarding this fat, as it doesnt lend itself to
cooking.

from the range

121

concord grape sorbet with rosemary

and black pepper <
I look forward to the few weeks of late summer when grapes hang heavy
on their vines and arrive at the market in boxes. Of all the table grapes, the
Concord grape is the one I cherish most. I buy them by the case in the few
weeks theyre available, using what I can for jams, sorbets, and pies. The rest
I freeze and use throughout the winter.
The flavor of a Concord grape swirls on your tongue, slowly releasing its
notes one by one. At first theres a sweetness that lingers before giving way
to a faintly bitter inkiness. Rosemary, at once both herbal and floral, elevates
the flavor of grape, while black pepper enhances its spiciness. I like them
together, with honey, in this sweet and simple sorbet. Makes about 1 quart

1121124@@#@#@
21/2 pounds Concord grapes,
stems removed
1

/2 cup honey

2 large sprigs rosemary

2 tablespoons whole black
peppercorns

Toss the grapes into a food processor and process them for
45 to 60 seconds, until they form 3 to 4 cups of a coarse and
lumpy, vibrantly purple slurry. If your food processor is small,
work in small batches until youve processed all the grapes.
Transfer the puree to a saucepan, pour in the honey, and drop in
the rosemary and black peppercorns. Simmer the mixture over
medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened
and deeply fragrant.
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the puree into
the sieve, straining out the grape seeds, rosemary, and peppercorns. Cover the bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator. Allow
the puree to chill for at least 12 hours.
Churn the puree in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. Spoon the sorbet into a container, cover
tightly, and store it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.

from the orchard

257

THENOURI
SHEDKI
TCHEN

To my husband and my son,

whom I love very deeply.

Text and photographs copyright 2014

by Jennifer McGruther
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint
of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC,
a Penguin Random House Company, New York.
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