Text by Rebeca Pérez Gerónimo
‚Dining with Las Sambucas‘ was a gathering where the main guides were the Elder Tree and its neighbors. We went into nature in Dessau, Germany to forage edibles that we served at the table: apples, mirabelle plums, nettle, yarrow, wild oregano, st john‘s wort and so much more. Other companions were locally grown, harvested, or rescued food.
With this prelude, the table became a happening where stories, transformations, and encounters between four women converged. We started a ceremony, a ritual, where the elderflowers initiated us in the transit that concluded with the enjoyment of the elderberries. An experience around food that was crossed by our own stories, our lineage, our culture, and our practices. The Elder Tree is a sacred spirit that is known to give protection. Like many elders, this tree also brings with it an essence filled with wisdom. It speaks to us about other species, it makes us observe them. Just as we have learned from the stories of our grandmothers, our mothers, their recipes, their companionship. They are part of our history too and they were part of this table that brought together four women. Four views, alliances, latitudes, and geographies. Peru, Egypt, and Venezuela, within Germany. This was certainly a celebration. A way of expressing care practices from the kitchen, thanks to nature and in company, in consonance, in concordia with our neighbors.
Harvesting elderberries
↓ 3 corns 2 tablespoons butter Oil 1 medium size onion 1 tablespoon sugar cream chili sauce cumin Salt, pepper feta cheese or any other cheese P R E PA R AT I O N
De-husk and de-kernel the corn and blend with the cream and sugar. Save the husks. Start making an ‘aderezo’ in the pan with the butter, a little oil and adding the onions and cumin. Allow them to cook slowly.
In the middle of the process add the chili sauce, then cook slowly until the onions and chili sauce ‘divorce’ from each other. Add this to the blend mixture and blend further. Try the taste and consistency, it should be thick, you can add some cornstarch if it isn’t fully thick. P R E PA R I N G T H E PAC K AG E S
1. With the bigger husks we do the moulds. If there is a hard part it’s better to cut it so that the filling doesn’t spill. Place one over the other, transversal and in opposite directions (like a cross) 2. With the smaller husks, cut threads to later tie up the humitas. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the wider part of the husks (upper or lower) and some cheese in the middle, and then close it first from the top and bottom and then from the sides, tying them around. Cook them in boiling water for around 3- minutes with the corn cobs and some of the husks to add flavor to the water. We will use this to make a delicious drink.
Humitas de Choclo
P R E PA R AT I O N
Boil in 2 liters of water the corn cobs that were remaining from the humitas with some husks. You can cook the humitas here as well as above. Once cooked, take out the husks and place in a jar with the corn cobs to continue infusion. Add elderflower syrup to your tasting and place on the fridge so it cools down. Drink with your meal!
↓ fresh nettle leaves 4 garlic cloves sunflower seeds olive oil salt lemon or apple cider vinegar
P R E PA R AT I O N
Put a pot of water on and when it’s boiling dump the fresh nettles in for just one minute. Strain well and get as much water out as possible. Add nettles to the blender or food processor. Add garlic, sunflower seeds, olive oil, salt and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Pulse until smooth and creamy and salt to taste.
Picking nettles
↓ Buckwheat dough recipe Rainbow and green chard Eggs Parmesan cheese, or any other cheese 1 medium onion 2 cloves of garlic 2 tomatoes Olive oil Salt, pepper P R E PA R AT I O N
1.
Cut onions and garlic in small dices, as well as tomatoes. 2. Heat oil in your pan and add garlic first with onions. Add a little salt to allow juice to come out. Lower your heat and let it cook slowly. 3. Add in the middle the diced tomatoes and allow the ‘aderezo’ to continue to take shape.
4. Wash your chard and chop the greens and the stalks. Sometimes I reserve some of the stalks for something else to have a bigger proportion of greens. 5. Add to the pan, cover with a lid and let cook for 2 minutes. 6. Place in a bowl and allow to cool down. 7. In the meantime, start stretching your dough in two pieces (bottom and top) with the help of a bottle and some flour. Turn slightly clockwise after each stretch and make sure it doesn’t stick. 8. Roll the dough up into your bottle and place over your mould. 9. Return to your filling, and add 2 eggs, the cheese, salt and pepper. Move well. 10. Fill in half over your dough and make with the back of the spoon 2 clefts or 3 to place 2 or 3 whole eggs (depends on the size of your mould). 11. Cover with the rest of the filling and with the dough on top. 12. Cut a small circle in the middle to allow steam to come out, you can place a little chimney made out of aluminium foil on it. 13. Pain the dough with egg yolk. 14. Take to an 180°C oven for about 45 minutes. 15. Let rest before serving – then enjoy!
Pastel de Acelgas
↓ 1 Chili (Gabi can’t remember which one we used) 3 cloves of garlic 2 onions Salt, pepper, cumin Fermented Tomato Sauce 3 tomatoes Oil, Vinegar Lime juice
P R E PA R AT I O N
In a pan with a generous amount of oil, sautee your onions, garlics and chilli - roughly chopped, add the fresh tomatoes roughly chopped and continue to saute on the heat. Take to the blender and blend together with some of the fermented tomato sauce. Add a big splash of vinegar, salt, pepper, lime juice and a teaspoon of sugar to balance out flavors. The sauce can be used now, allow it to sit and room temperature for it to start fermenting and then keep in your fridge for future use.
↓ 500 g Full Fat Yogurt T O S E RV E W I T H
Olive oil Foraged plants
P R E PA R AT I O N
Pour the yogurt into a large bowl. Stir in salt. Line another large bowl with a cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt mixture into the towel. Pick up the edges of the towel and tie at the top. Hang to drain for 24 to 48 hours. To serve, spread Labneh in a bowl and top with extra virgin olive oil and chopped foraged herbs and flowers.
Recipe adapted from the book “Mother Grains: Recipes for a Grain Revolution” by Roxana Jullapat ↓ 1 cup (125 g) spelt flour 1 cup (160 g) yellow cornmeal 1¾ tsp. baking powder ¾ tsp. salt 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk ¼ cup sour cream 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
P R E PA R AT I O N
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl, add half of dry ingredients, and beat on low speed just to combine. Add sour cream and remaining dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add ricotta and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface. Bake cake for 40 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue to bake the cake until golden brown all over and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20–30 minutes more. (Baking the cake slowly at a lower temperature yields a tender and creamy crumb and will prevent it from drying out.) Let the cake cool in a pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour. T O S E RV E
Pour Elderberry Jam on top with a bunch of foraged flowers.
Ricotta Pound Cake
↓ Harina PAN Water Elderberry syrup Yarrow leaves
P R E PA R AT I O N
To a large mixing bowl add water and elderberry syrup. In the same bowl add Harina PAN and stir with your hands to combine. You’re looking for a dough that doesn’t easily stick to your hands, is moldable and moist, and can be rolled into a ball. Once is ready, grab a large handful of dough, and roll into a ball. Carefully press the ball between the palms of your hands to form into a disc. Once the arepas are formed, heat a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place a yarrow leaf in the dough. Then add arepas, giving them a little room in between so they don’t touch. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown. You’re looking to form a crust. Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the underside is also browned. Transfer to a preheated oven and bake while you make the rest of the arepas.
Oregan Origanum vulgare “Origanum vulgare is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Known as a culinary herb, it’s used for the flavour of its leaves, which can be more intense when dried than fresh. It has an earthy, warm, and slightly bitter taste, which can vary in intensity. Factors such as climate, season, and soil composition may affect the aromatic oils present.”
Nettle Urtica dioica “Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa. U. dioica has a flavour similar to spinach mixed with cucumber when cooked, and is rich in vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. Nettles can be used in a variety of recipes, such as polenta, pesto, and purée.”
Mirabelle Plum Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca “Also known as mirabelle prune or cherry plum , is a cultivar group of plum trees of the genus Prunus.The mirabelle is identified by its small, oval shape, smooth-textured flesh, and especially by its red, or dark yellow colour. They are known for being sweet and full of flavour. The fruit is primarily used in fruit preserves and dessert pies,and its juice is commonly fermented for wine or distilled into plum brandy. The plums are also excellent when eaten fresh.”
Wild Apple Malus Sylvestris “Malus sylvestris, the European crab apple, is a species of the genus Malus, native to Europe. Its scientific name means „forest apple“. Crabapple fruit is not an important crop in most areas, being extremely sour due to malic acid, and in some species woody, so is rarely eaten raw. Some crabapple varieties are an exception to the reputation of being sour, and can be very sweet, such as the ‚Chestnut‘ cultivar. Crabapples are an excellent source of pectin, and their juice can be made into a ruby-coloured preserve with a full, spicy flavour”
Texts extracts & botanical illustrations: Wikipedia.com, wikiwand.com/Malus
Small Balsam Impatiens parviflora “Impatiens parviflora (small balsam, or small-flowered touchme-not) is a species of annual herbaceous plants in the family Balsaminaceae, native to some areas of Eurasia, naturalized elsewhere and found in damp shady places. If cooked, the leaves are completely edible. The seeds can be consumed either raw or cooked. Impatiens parviflora is also used as a treatment for warts, ringworm, and nettle stings.”
Elder Tree Berries Sambucus Nigra Sambucus nigra is a species complex of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae native to most of Europe and North America. It grows in a variety of conditions including both wet and dry fertile soils, primarily in sunny locations. Both the flowers and the berries have a long tradition of culinary use, primarily for cordial and wine. The Latin specific epithet nigra means „black“, and refers to the deeply dark colour of the berries.
Hawthorn Crataegus monogy Yarrow Achillea millefolium “Achillea millefolium, commonly known as yarrow (/'jæroʊ/) or common yarrow, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe and North America Yarrow leaves have a delicate grassy flavour, with a slight aniseed taste. This makes them useful for brewing as a tea.[46] They are abundant in grassland and so can easily be foraged; the leaves are useful in salad, chopped in cooking as a herb, and steeped in hot water for tea.”
“Crataegus monogyna, known as common hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa and West Asia, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world. The fruit of hawthorn, called haws, are edible raw but are commonly made into jellies, jams and syrups, used to make wine, or to add flavour to brandy. The haws develop in groups of two or three along smaller branches. They are pulpy and delicate in taste. The petals are also edible,[8] as are the leaves, which if picked in spring when still young are tender enough to be used in salads.”
INTRODUCTION
Invited by the Elder Tree, four women from Peru, Egypt, and Venezuela sourced and cooked within Germany. They gathered around the dinner table and discussed their practices, cooking heritage, and geographies in relation to the Elder Tree shared wisdom. We present this cookbook, wishing to share with you this celebration of ecological resistance and the joy of our food cultures.
Dining with Las Sambucas an exploration of neighbourhood cosmologies
Recipes by Monica Kisic Rebeca Pérez Gerónimo
Design Severin Geißler sgeissler.com
Selfpublished by Mayar El Bakry & Gabriela Aquije Zegarra
Font Montiac by Fabiola Mejía supercontinente.com
© All rights are reserved.
Print Printed and bound in Switzerland
Cocinas Alterinas This Project is generously supported by: → OAT - Oslo Architecture Triennale → Future Architecture Programme → ROM for Kunst og arkitektur
This was certainly a celebration.
© 2021 Mayar El Bakry & Gabriela Aquije Zegarra