We are thrilled to announce that the long-awaited Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook has arrived! Published by Chelsea Green and with a foreword by Alice Waters, the Cookbook shares the abundance of the OAEC Mother Garden through delicious recipes, stories and photos.
Congratulations to the book’s facilitator and co-author, Kitchen Manager Olivia Rathbone, who kneaded love, seasonal know-how, and countless hours of hard work into the book. We celebrated the Cookbook Release with her at our Spring Plant Sale Member Preview on Friday, April 3rd. See video and photos below!
Upcoming Cookbook Events:
- Summer Plant Sale Member Preview & Cookbook Signing: Fri. April 24, 4-7pm
- Culinary Garden Tour: Sun. April 26 at 1pm during our Summer Plant Sale
- Wed. May 6, 6pm: talk by Olivia Rathbone at The Ferry Building in San Francisco, sponsored by Book Passage
Moments from the Spring Plant Sale Member Preview & Cookbook Release:
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) Cookbook Release and Plant Sale from Selva Rica on Vimeo.
Spring Sample Recipe
Sautéed Shungiku Shoots with Sesame Seeds and Garlic
Chrysanthemum coronarium, garland chrysanthemum, chop suey herb, or shungiku (in Japanese) is an edible chrysanthemum grown for its flowers and distinctively floral-tasting leafy greens. We are offering it at our Spring Plant Sale.
Grown as a cool-season crop in the mild coastal climate of Asia’s Pacific Rim, shungiku is a common ingredient in Japanese and Korean soups, noodle dishes, and vegetable sides. It does incredibly well in our winter garden, and we have come to regard it as a staple here in the kitchen. We sauté the shoots with garlic or steam the tender stems like asparagus. The fragrant lobed leaves and flower petals perfume our winter and spring raw salads.
Gardener’s tip: To encourage branching and a longer-lasting crop, harvest the shungiku side shoots by pinching them back before the buds appear.
Serves 4–6
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 large bunch shungiku tips
- 1 clove minced garlic
- Salt or tamari to taste
Serves 30–40
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 3 pounds shungiku tips
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- Salt or tamari to taste
Preheat a dry skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast briefly, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until they begin to release a nutty aroma. Remove the sesame seeds from the heat and reserve. Return the skillet or wok to the heat, add sesame oil to coat, and then add the shungiku florets, garlic, and a light sprinkle of salt or tamari soy sauce. Sauté, tossing with tongs frequently, until completely wilted. Taste and adjust the salt; sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Serve hot.
