5 Healthy Ingredients You Aren't Using (Yet)

The cure for kale fatigue just may be found among the new ingredients cropping up on the Los Angeles food scene.

By: Q Blog by Equinox for DETAILS

(pictured above from top: Persimmon, Espelette Pepper)

People looking to eat well in Los Angeles have a few distinct advantages over the rest of us: fresh year-round produce, a forward-thinking culinary scene, and a seemingly never-ending parade of de rigueur ingredients. So we asked some of the city’s top chefs to share a few of the more inventive items they’re cooking with right now. We also provided nutritional notes from Marissa Lippert, R.D.—a founder of New York City’s Nourish Kitchen + Table—including how said ingredients can boost the immune system, rev up metabolism, and otherwise improve health.

PERSIMMON
The chef: Jason Neroni, chef at Superba Snack Bar

The dish: Hamachi, persimmon mustard, charred-scallion oil, sorrel, and chili

The culinary approach: ”We pick persimmons up at the market at least one week before needing them, so they can ripen properly in the kitchen. We then lightly pickle them in a honey-and-yuzu pickle. Following that, we puree the persimmons in a Vitamix Vita Prep, to which we add Dijon mustard, Calabrian chili oil, sugar, and olive oil.”

The nutritionist’s take: ”Persimmons are currently in season, so their nutrient value and flavor are greater. They’re stacked with disease-fighting and antiaging antioxidants and are a great source of vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, and fiber,” Lippert says.

See More: 14 Healthiest Snack Foods to Buy

ESPELETTE PEPPER 
The chef: Jordan Toft, chef at Eveleigh

The dish: Avocado toast with espelette pepper, boiled-egg gribiche (mayonnaise-style cold egg sauce)

The culinary approach: ”Espelette is a pepper from the Basque region of France, and in late summer large strands can be seen drying in the warm temperatures. It’s then ground to produce a rich red powder that has a beautiful flavor and naturally balances between fruitiness, light smoke, heat, and a finish that is almost creamy. Added to crushed avocado, it’s a step up from your standard chili or hot-sauce accompaniment.”

The nutritionist’s take: ”Espelette peppers give incredible flavor, heat, and antioxidants to any dish,” Lippert explains. “The chili pepper will kick up the body’s metabolism via capsicum.”

(Featured ingredient, clockwise from top: tamarind, cipollini onion, honeycomb.)

CIPOLLINI ONION
The chef: Matt Poley, co-owner of Heirloom LA

The dish: Short rib and cipollini onion lasagna cupcake

The culinary approach: ”Traditionally, Italian brasatos or braises are accompanied by something sweet and sour to break down the rich, velvety braising liquids generated from the red wine and fortified stock. Hand-peeling the cipollini onions keeps the lovely vibrant-white onion milk more prevalent than it would have been by keeping them refrigerated or soaking in water prior to peeling. The sugar level in the cipollini onion is highest in that milk, and the natural sugars caramelize from within while cooking.”

The nutritionist’s take: ”Cipollini onions are excellent in stews and hearty, warming dishes,” Lippert says. “They’re high in antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory, meaning that they’ll help decrease disease risk and may aid in keeping cholesterol in check.”

See More: 5 Reasons Why Now Is the Best Time Ever to Order Wine By the Glass

HONEYCOMB
The chef: Ken Addington, chef at Five Leaves and L.A. Chapter

The dish: Homemade ricotta, figs, thyme, and honeycomb

The culinary approach: ”To finish this dish, we place a healthy wedge of dripping honeycomb on top, which is the bit that seems to get the most ‘Oohs’ and ‘Ahhs.’ There is something primal about the look of it that gets people very excited. Aside from the visual, the honeycomb adds great texture and sweetness. We also like to think that by using this ancient food, with its numerous health benefits, it eases the guilt of eating a large, delicious bowl of cheese with bread.”

The nutritionist’s take: ”Honeycomb may boost immune function and help ward off winter-cold season. It’s a quick source of natural sugar for a small energy boost.”

See More:  5 Foods That Will Make You Look Younger

TAMARIND
The chef: Kris Yenbamroong, chef at Night + Market

The dish: Gaeng hanglay (Northern Thai-style pork-belly curry with Burmese spice mixture)

The culinary approach: ”Tamarind is one ingredient used to achieve the sour and tart flavor in Thai cooking. It gives dishes a round and nuanced flavor, which in Thai, we call ‘hom.’ This dish, which is pork belly simmered with Burmese-style spices, ginger, pickled garlic, palm sugar, and tamarind, has several layers of flavor. It’s a dark and stewlike dish, but the tamarind brightens it up. By adding the tamarind last, I am able to achieve that brightness.”

The nutritionist’s take: ”Tamarind is rich with a variety of vitamins. It’s anti-inflammatory, helping lower risk of cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease. It may also aid in digestion and in augmenting energy levels,” says Lippert.

MORE FROM DETAILS:
5 Weird Signs That You’re Vitamin-Deficient
Extreme Wellness: Hotels Now Offering Ridiculous Health PerksThe Top 7 Trends from Spring 2014