Try some of Birgitta's easy, wholesome and fabulous recipes With her first cookbook, 2005's TASTE THIS: Ordinary Ingredients, Extraordinary Flavours Birgitta Hellman introduced the world to the simple pleasures of cooking with fresh, organic ingredients.  TASTE THIS proves that you don't have to be a chef to cook like one, or produce extraordinary meals using the simplest of ingredients and technique.  Go ahead and indulge:  See below for two  popular recipes from TASTE THIS, Soba Noodles with Edamame and Ginger Tahini Sauce and Red Grapefruit and Mascarpone Tart, a small sample of the great recipes you'll find between the covers of TASTE THIS. Enjoy!

Soba Noodles with  Edamame and Ginger Tahini Sauce Soba is a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat or a blend of buckwheat, wheat, kamut or spelt with a nutty flavour and lots of texture. Buckwheat is gluten free and a good substitute for people with wheat allergies.  Do not overcook the noodles as the taste is better when al dente.  Edamame is a good source of a plant-based protein as well as "good fats".  In this recipe you will use shelled beans.  They are also available in pods.  This recipe is VEGETARIAN and GLUTEN FREE.  Replace honey with sugar for a VEGAN meal. SERVES 4 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock 3 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root 2 tsp honey cayenne pepper to taste 8 oz (225g) soba noodles 2 cups (475ml) shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed if frozen 1 large carrot, thinly sliced 4 green onions, chopped 1 tbsp Gomashio In a small saucepan, over medium heat WHISK the first seven ingredients together SIMMER for 4 minutes REMOVE from heat and keep warm Bring water to a boil in large pot and add salt ADD soba noodles, STIRRING gently COOK 3 minutes or until noodles are al dente STIR in soy beans and carrots RETURN to a boil and cook 2 to 4 minutes or until tender--don't over cook DRAIN well TOSS with warm sauce SPRINKLE with green onions and Gomashio

Red Grapefruit and Mascarpone Tart Choose the deepest red and sweetest grapefruit for this tart.  Blind baking is a procedure used when making a crust that will be filled later.  Place foil or parchment paper on tart pastry and fill with pie weights or rice before baking.  This prevents the pastry from bubbling and becoming too puffy. SERVES 6 to 8 FOR THE PASTRY: 1 1/2 cup (360ml) pastry flour 1/4 cup (60ml) white sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup (125ml) butter 1 egg yolk 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) GREASE a 9-10" (22.5-25cm) round tart pan COMBINE flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl CUT in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal In a separate bowl: BEAT egg yolk with cold water STIR into the flour/butter mixture until dough comes together SHAPE dough into a disc and refrigerate 1 hour before rolling out ROLL out dough into 13" (32.5cm) circle PLACE in tart pan and press onto bottom and edges TRIM away excess dough by firmly rolling pin across the top of the tart pan BLIND BAKE for 15 minutes then remove foil and pie weights BAKE an additional 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned TRANSFER to a rack and cool FILLING: 4 red grapefruit plus 1 additional for making 4 tbsp of fresh juice 8oz mascarpone cheese 3 tbsp crystallized ginger, finely chopped 4 tbsp icing sugar PEEL and remove white pith from grapefruit CUT between membranes to release segments of grapefruit SET aside WHISK together mascarpone, ginger, 2 tbsp of grapefruit juice and 2 tbsp icing sugar ADD remaining juice if mixture is too thick SPREAD mixture evenly in cooled tart shell ARRANGE grapefruit segments decoratively atop tart DUST with remaining 2 tbsp of icing sugar SERVE immediately

All content and images © 2006 Birgitta Hellman