To me, this photo speaks for itself. A simple and nutritious meal for one, the recipe can easily be multiplied to feed more mouths. Simon Brown recommends Corn, Asparagus, Tuna, Parsnip Fries, and Salad as a perfectly balanced macrobiotic lunch. From Macrobiotics for Life: A Practical Guide to Healing Body, Mind, and Heart (Summer 2009).
What is your ideal lunch? C’mon, impress us!
Corn, Asparagus, Tuna, Parsnip Fries, and Salad
1?2 to 1 ear of corn on the cob (depends how hungry you are)
1?4 piece of umeboshi*
2 to 4 asparagus tips
1 parsnip, around 6 inches long, cut into large matchsticks
Olive oil for frying
1 to 2 tablespoons of rice or chickpea flour (or you can use any other flour you have on hand)
Sea salt (to taste)
A 3– to 4–inch piece of fresh, preferably line-caught, tuna
3 to 4 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds (either brown or black)
Pea-sized portion of mustard (English, French, or any other good-quality, sugar- and additive-free mustard that you enjoy)
2 to 4 radishes thinly sliced
A few fresh lettuce leaves
Sesame or sunflower oil for seasoning (optional)
Cress for garnishing (optional)
Pour water into a pot big enough to give the corn plenty of room. Bring to a boil over a medium to high flame and cook the corn for around 5 to 10 minutes. Take it out, let it cool for a few minutes (or until it’s cool enough to handle) and then gently and lovingly rub the umeboshi all over it. Put it on your plate.
Use the same water to quickly blanch the asparagus for one minute (or, for a change, you could place a bamboo steamer on top of the pot and steam the asparagus for a couple of minutes). Take asparagus out and leave it to cool, or rinse it under cold water to stop it from cooking further.
Boil the parsnip matchsticks for about 5 minutes. Take them out and dry them with an unbleached paper towel or a cotton kitchen towel.
Heat up some olive oil in a skillet (you can use a bit more oil than usual, as parsnip absorbs more than most other vegetables). Combine the flour and salt, and roll each piece of parsnip in the mixture. Fry for a few minutes, turning so the parsnips get lovely golden color on all sides.
Place them on your plate next to the corn.
Switch the flame off and swipe the skillet with a clean paper towel—make sure you have plenty of paper so you don’t burn your fingers—to clean up any bits left from the parsnip. Alternatively, you could either get another skillet (if you have one) or give the one you used for the parsnip a quick wash, taking every precaution not to burn your hands.
Bring the clean skillet back onto the stove, pour in some olive oil, and heat it up. Put the sesame seeds into a flat dish and gently press each side of the tuna into them. Fry for a minute or so on each side, making sure that the middle remains raw. Take it out and put on the plate. Put mustard on top of the tuna (you can gently smear it over the surface if you’d like). Add the lettuce leaves, and place radish and asparagus on top. You can season the salad if you wish. However, both the tuna and the parsnips are quite rich, so it is nice to have something unseasoned and fresh-tasting as a contrast.
* umeboshi=pickled plums
I hope you’re all as inspired as I am! I encourage you to share your cooking adventures, from mishaps to accomplishments, and from one healthy kitchen to the next.
