Probiotic Sour Soup

My sister in law was visiting us in Boston, and she asked me for cooking dinner. By coincidence, my training partner got venison in southern Mass. I cooked fresh venison steak for the main dish. Let’s see what I cooked!

I put all my favorite food in a bowl and puree all of them. You can check what I do for my fermented food. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have health benefits when consumed and are usually beneficial bacteria — provide all sorts of powerful benefits for your body and brain. They may improve digestive health, reduce depression, and promote heart health. Yogurt is one of the best probiotics sources, which are friendly bacteria that can improve your health, but I know there are substitutes for those who are lactose intolerant. I used cashew nuts yogurt for this cold appetizer soup. Sauerkraut is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It is one of the oldest traditional foods and is popular in many countries, especially in Europe. Sauerkraut is often used on top of sausages or as a side dish. It has a sour, salty taste and can be stored for months in an airtight container. Roasted beets and balsamic vinegar and a bit of lemon juice were blended together. Secret add was cayenne pepper for a bit of accent.

Eating in Italy is one of the great joys of visiting the country. Back in 2015, my wife and I visited Rome for vacation, and I was so impressed by their food culture and simplicity. As one of the world’s most beloved cuisines, the secret of Italian food lies in its local, and, most importantly, seasonal ingredients. Eating seasonally in Italy means you’re eating fresh ingredients at the height of their flavor. This is precisely the same as Japanese culture. In Japan, we have very different seasons in a year. Porcini mushrooms are lovely in soups, sauces, or sautéed, and they pair exceptionally well with potatoes. Generally, the fall porcini runs from September to November, and they are available again in March or April during the short Spring season. I want to be in Rome right now — Rome, where you can get authentic, perfect tomato sauce every day. Porcini and tomato sauce are a great combination, in my opinion. I know some prefer to cook it cheesy or creamy one, but tomato also has umami the same as the mushroom. This pasta dish is an umami bomb and just added prosciutto on top of it. The saltiness from prosciutto parma brings the perfect flavor, so don’t eat them separately. The balance between umami and saltiness is the key!

The main dish was venison. It has a flavor reminiscent of beef, but is richer and can have a gamey note. Venison tends to have a finer texture and is leaner than comparable cuts of beef. However, like beef, leaner cuts can be tougher as well. It's best served rare, so just make sure you don't overdo it. Prepare venison steaks from 30 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temperature.

When ready to cook, season venison with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based frypan over medium-high heat. Place 1 tsp butter on each venison steak, then place butter-side down in a hot pan—Cook over high heat for 1½-2 minutes each side. Test for doneness by pressing the enter of steak – it needs to be rare, so it should have lots of giving when squeezed. Transfer to a clean plate and cover with tin foil and a clean tea towel. Allow resting while you make the jus. For the sauce, I sauteed diced plum and added balsamic vinegar. The steak was served with broccolini puree. It was fantastic taste.

Lastly, I would like to share Ben Greenfield’s “Gut-Healing Keto Ice Cream.” It’s very, very simple.
Ingredients:
-6 egg yolks
-4 scoops Thorne research Mediclear
-8 droppers vanilla stevia
-1 teaspoon of sea salt
-1 can BPA-Free full-fat coconut milk

Blend on high for 5 minutes. Refrigerate overnight for a “pudding” texture or freeze overnight for an “ice-cream” texture. If freezing, I like to pull it out of the freezer 30-60 minutes before consuming (e.g., before dinner) to soften.

I think it is important to consider the environmental impact of our food choices - such as food miles (the distance food travels, or, more importantly, the energy consumed, in getting it from place of production to our table). My sister in law enjoyed meals I cooked, and we had a perfect time, and I was delighted to share my food philosophy.