Tasty Detox with Burdock

Revered in Japan as a root vegetable of great healing power, this (very) long brown tuber - sort of a cross between an overgrown carrot and a parsnip with a winter's tan - is combined with carp to create a soup for the truly ailing. More commonly, burdock appears on almost every Japanese restuarant menu by its native name, gobo, and is cooked alongside carrots in a sweet soy and sesame sauce (kimpira), rolled into sushi after being lightly pickled, or added to sukiyaki to impart a deep, woodlands aroma and flavor. A relic from our days when Cafe Drake flirted with macrobiotics, we're once again discovering the versatilty and satisfying earthiness of burdock, and present below a few easy ways to introduce it into your own kitchens. Holistic manuals describe the root as perfect for detoxing after the rich and fatty foods of the winter season, and also promoting mental health in those struggling to "process feelings of resentment." (Needless to say, you'll be linking this particular Cafe Drake post to many of your friends.) Basic prep on burdock is simple; just be careful to scrub thoroughly but never peel, as most of the flavor lives in the outer layers.


BURDOCK CHIPS

burdock roots /vegetable oil /salt to taste

1. Make thin slices of the roots using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.
2. Fry slices until crispy in oil heated to 325 degrees.
3. Remove from oil, and sprinkle with salt.
   

KIMPIRA GOBO

2 cups prepared burdock /2 cups prepared carrots /1 Tbsp. vegetable oil /1 tsp. sesame oil /2 Tbsps. sesame seeds /1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1. Prepare the burdock and carrots in the same way, by washing and scraping the outer skin (don't peel), then cut into matchstick-sized pieces. As you're cutting the burdock, throw the pieces into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from turning brown in the air.
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil together. When it's hot, sprinkle in the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for about a minute.
3. Drain the burdock and add it and the carrots to the pan. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for about five to seven minutes.
4. Add soy sauce and continue stir-frying for about ten minutes. The burdock will change color from milky white to shiny gray/brown. It will be crisp, crunchy, earthy, and delicious.

CAFE DRAKE'S HEALING RICE

4 medium shiitake /1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (optional) /1 medium burdock root (about 1/4 pound) /Cold, salted water for soaking burdock root /2 cups cold water for cooking rice /1 cup long-grain brown rice /1 small carrot and/or parsnip, sliced /1/2 tsp. salt

1. Cut shiitake caps into thin strips.
2. Scrub burdock and whittle it off in slivers, placing them in cold salted water as you proceed. Soak five minutes.
3. Drain burdock and place in a heavy ovenproof pan with 2 cups water, optional oil, mushrooms, rice, carrot, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from the stove and cover. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven 45 minutes. Let stand 15-30 minutes. Uncover, fluff, and serve.