Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Happy Birthday Mother Earth–An Earth Day Celebration

Earth Day is a fantastic way to celebrate Spring and Mother Earth’s bounty at the same time. At Ger-Nis, we revel in the opportunity to honor all things that come from the soil. There is so much buzz around going green, eating local, and promoting organic that it’s a perfect time to invite friends and family to engage in an environmental bash that is part feast part classroom.

The first Earth Day celebration was on April 22, 1970 – yes, almost 40 years ago! Since then we, as a society are much better versed in the ideas and practices of recycling, composting, sustainability and generally greening upour daily lives.

As you shop for your party, think organic, Fair Trade, grass-fed, sustainable, local and even compostable. When we as consumers make informed choices regarding our food, it sends a message that we care about healthy ecosystems, putting less chemicals in the environment, safe conditions forfarm workers who are able to make a proper and fair wage. As you plan your menu, really consider the number of people you are feeding and this time try NOT to have any leftovers…or make sure and send your guests home with plenty of leftover goodybags. Throwing food away creates a waste and disrespect to the process of food producing, let alone the amount of food waste our country produces is quite vast.

For your menu choices, it’s a no brainer – go with local, fresh and seasonal: wild salmon, asparagus, mushrooms, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lemons, and fresh herbs. They are the seasons best, so keep it simple, because great ingredients are what make a great meal.

Here is an Earth Day inspired menu sure to have your quests raving:

Serves 4

Herb Roasted Salmon, Fresh Herbal Couscous, Herbed Spring Cabbage Slaw, Meyer Lemon Parfaits with Fresh Blueberries, Toasted Coconut, and Bay Leaf whipped cream.

For your Salmon,
start with a great herbal marinade:

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup fresh thyme, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1½ pound salmon fillet, skin on
1 lemon, juiced
Olive oil for greasing pan
1 lemon cut in wedges

Mix all ingredients, except lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. Salt the salmon on the flesh side. Put salmon (skin-side down) in a flat glass pan. Pour the marinade over the salmon and let sit for at least 1-2 hours. Drain marinade and discard. Place in a greased baking dish skin side up ina 425 F oven and bake for approximately 15-18 minutes. Place oven on broil for theadditional 5 minutes or until skin is crispy. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the baked fish and serve immediately with additional lemon wedges.

SUPPORT WILD FARMING
Illiama Fish Company

A deliciously light accompaniment to your fish is
Herbed Couscous.

2 cups Israeli couscous Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
Salt/pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon butter
¾ cup sliced crimini or brown button mushrooms
2 cups Israeli style couscous (regular couscous can be substituted)

In a medium sauce pan bring 3 cups of water to a boil and then add the couscous, stirring well at a steady boil for approx 2 minutes. Cover take off heat and let stand 10-15 minutes or until couscous is tender but slightly aldente. Do not take cover off during the first 10 minutes of setting, as to allow the couscous to finish cooking. In a medium skillet heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté garlic and fresh herbs for just about a minute, add red bell peppers and a pinch ofsalt and pepper. Add the butter and lemon zest to the pan and allowing a minute for the butter tomelt. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 2 minutes or until tender and succulent. Add cooked couscous to the herb mushroom mixture and stir well.

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISANS
Search your local specialty stores for local pasta makers, they often times have excellent homemade Israeli style couscous.

For your side dish,
Herbed Cabbage Slaw

1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup baby tatsoi leaves
1 cup cauliflower florets (par boiled)
½ cup red bell peppers, chopped fine
½ cup shredded carrots

Buttermilk Herb Ranch Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons mustard (Dijon or regular)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons red onion, grated
1 tablespoon shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Toss together, cabbages, tatsoi, cauliflower bell peppers and carrots, mix well. Set aside. For dressing, in a medium mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic salt and mustard. Mix well. Add onions and shallots and fresh herbs and whisk together well until smooth and creamy. Add salt and lemon juice to taste. Pour over mixed slaw veggies and mix well.

 Tip

SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS
www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets
Find lots of local spring vegetables at your local farmers markets.

For dessert, again, keep it fresh and simple with a
Meyer Lemon Parfaits with Fresh Blueberries, Toasted Coconut, and Bay Leaf whipped cream.

The night before your party make the bay leaf simple syrup with ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and 2 fresh bay leaves. On medium heat, dissolve the sugar in water. Remove from heat and add 2 fresh bay leaves to the syrup. Let steep for 30 minutes and remove the bay leaves. Refrigerate overnight.

Bay Leaf Simple Syrup

½ cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 fresh bay leaves

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a rolling boil, as soon as the mixture comes to a boil take off heat and place bay leaves in the pan to steep. Let steep for about 30 minutes and remove the bay leaves. Cool and refrigerate overnight.

 

 

For the
Lemon Curd

¾ cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup meyer lemon juice
5 ounces cold butter, cubed
Pinch salt

Prep a metal bowl with sieve place over it. Whisk together all ingredients except butter and place over a bain-marie. Mix continuously with a wooden spoon. Watch very closely as it thickens, once your curd coats the back of a spoon without dripping remove immediately from heat. Pass through the strainer and add the cold butter. Mix until melted. Add salt. Set plastic wrap directly on top of the curd so that a skin does not form and let cool for an hour.

For the
Toasted coconut

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

In a oven that is preheated for at least 15 minutes at 300 degrees, place shredded coconut on a cookie sheet and bake or toast until crispy approximately 15-20 minutes.

For the
Bay Leaf Whipped Cream

1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup bay leaf simple syrup

Whisk heavy cream with bay leaf simple syrup until soft peaks form, chill.

For the
Parfait Assembly

In your parfait glasses or bowls place a generous spoonful of Meyer lemon curd, a few spoons of blueberries, and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and toasted coconut. Refrigerate until serving.

 Tip

SUPPORT ORGANIC & FAIRTRADE AGRICULTURE
Look for organic meyer lemons, blueberries and fair-trade coconut

In keeping our dinner simple, we can concentrate on lively discussions, camaraderie and community, all things that also make the earth a better place to live. Send your guests home with a small potted herb plant that they can either put in their gardens or on their windowsills. With each plant, you can put a decorated label that reminds them how small things can help the planet:

making sure none of their faucets drip, turning off the lights when leaving a room, turning off printers and computer monitors when not in use, etc. And of course, they also get to use their delicious herbs for all of their earth-friendly meals.