Continental Journey (Rcp# 0008)

Your typical brown gravy – shroomed. Juicy as always, but no roast needed..

Ingredients for ‘Continental Journey’

• 3 stalks of celery (100 g)
• 150 g fennel stalks
• cashew nuts (broken)
• 50 g cherries (fresh or frozen/dried, coarsely chopped, 150 g with stones and stems)
• 3 tablespoons apple pulp
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 150 g brown edible mushrooms (e.g. cremini, porcini, oyster mushrooms, shitake …)
• 150 ml dark fruit juice (elderberry, chokeberry)
• 5 mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon mildly de-oiled cacao
• fresh ginger, cut into small pieces
• 300 ml vegetable broth (homemade, see [‘Vegetable Broth‘])
• fresh: basil (10 leaves), chives, nettle (10 – 12 leaves), sage (4 leaves), oregano, lemon balm (herb)
• pepper (freshly ground)
• salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut blossom sugar
• ½ clove, ground
• Fennel seeds, ground
• caraway seeds, ground
• 250 ml hot water

Cooking Instructions for ‘Continental Journey’

1. Saute cherries, mushrooms, celery and fennel stalks in canola oil.
2. Reduce heat and add juice, ginger, clove, fennel and caraway, vegetable broth, apple pulp, cocoa, pepper, sugar and salt. Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add olive oil, mint leaves and other herbs. Leave to rest with the lid half open for 10 minutes.

Serve with a protein source (e.g. soy, lupines) and dumplings. Good with broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus.

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Side notes:

• Depending on the quality of the ingredients and the taste of the other components of the meal (protein source, dumplings, vegetables…), you can also add 2 sprigs of rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon in the second phase and a teaspoon of lime in the third phase of preparation. That is, if you want the sauce a little stronger.
• Be careful with the (stinging) nettle, if you are not used to it. It has its name for a reason and can cause allergies (also it’s poisonous to horses and some other farm animals). I grew up with it, so I do not mind the plant’s rude behavior, because it is very nutritious and useful in gardening. But edible wild herbs are an excellent choice for making good food. If you have a farmers’ market where they sell wild herbs, go and have a chat with the vendor …
• The story about why this sauce is so special to me can be read here [‘I Made Your Favorite’].

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