Nourishing Winter Recipe

Winter relates to the water element, Kidney and bladder.The taste of salty, corresponding to our ears, bones, low back, knees, and the emotion of fear. Winter relates to the color black or dark blue and the direction of North.Winter energy goes deep into our bodies as the energy hibernates.The quality of seasonal energy is cold, internal, slow, sleepy, storage , rejuvenating, contemplation and reclusive. According to Chinese medicine, winter is the best time to heal or aggravate a chronic condition. Here are some tips for cooking and eating in harmony with the winter months.

Cooking method: slow roasting, crock pot, pressure cook, broil or baking.

Foods are generally warm in nature, spicy, sweet, or bland in taste and have an affinity with our kidney , lung, liver, and bladder organs.

Venison, buffalo, lamb, beef, goat or yak, and deer or beef kidney.  Deep water fish like bass, carp, salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.

Ginger, cinnamon, basil, pepper, chilis, cumin, coriander, turmeric, clove, chive, oregano, and dill.

Radichio, arugula, cilantro, sweet potatoes, yams, root vegetables, squash, walnuts, chestnuts, pistachio, raspberries, fennel bulb and seed, black sesame, seaweed, butter, rapini, clams, crab, shrimp, lobster, radish leaves, sun chokes, persimmon, pomegranate, mushrooms, black beans, kidney beans, and goji berries.

Slow cooked beef with pear and ginger

 2-3 lbs beef shoulder or chuck roast

6 unripe pears

8 slices fresh ginger root

1 yellow onion

¼ C. Worcestershire sauce

1 C stock (meat or veggie)

1 Tb light sesame oil

1 Tb apple cider vinegar

1 Tb honey

soy sauce

black sesame oil

 

Prep: Rub roast with soy sauce and sesame oil and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Core and cut pears inot thick wedges. Cut onions into crescents. Cut 8 slices of unpeeled ginger.

Cook: Pre-heat slow cooker to high. Cover bottom of cooker with pear wedges. To hot braising pan add light sesame oil and sear meat by browning roast on all sides. Place roast in slow cooker on top of pears. To the hot braising pan add onions, Worcestershire, vinegar, honey, and stock and scrape up any brown bits from the searing of meat. When flavors seem blended pour over beef and pears in slow cooker and cover. Cook at high for 1 hour and low for 2-5 hours. Remove meat and allow to cool. Keep slow cooker on warm. A natural gravy should have been created or you can puree the juices and thicken with arrowroot starch. Cut or shred the meat and return to the gravy.

 

Serve: Pile some meat and gravy on rice or red potatoes and steamed collard greens.

Special thanks to Liu Ming for this recipe and inspiration.