Ribollita with a Yondu Twist

 

Have you heard of Yondu? Not the blue character from Guardians of the Galaxy who has kidnapped and raised Star-Lord... I mean the Korean seasoning sauce which unlocks natural flavours in blander foods. 

This Vegetable Umami all-purpose savoury seasoning is perfect for plant-rich cooking. It is a combination of triple-fermented soybeans and concentrated broth from 8 vegetables. Yondu is USDA certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, contains no artificial ingredients, carbs, sugar or fat.

This versatile ingredient is a healthy flavour booster.

Use Yondu as substitute for:

2tbsp Yondu = 1 bouillon cube

1tsp Yondu = 1 tsp fish sauce

1tsp Yondu = 1tsp soy sauce

2tsp Yondu + 1 cup water = 1 cup of dashi

1tsp Yondu = tsp Worcestershire

Yondu could be used as an ingredient in many international cuisines, including Italian. This month they come up with an inspired twist on a classic Italian stew/soup Ribollita. 

Ribollita is a vegan/vegetarian dish, which features seasonal produce and makes the most of traditional ingredients bringing stale sourdough back to life to with the warm cream of cannellini, and uses every part of the celery, peppers, and carrot, making it more affordable to shop organic as the seasons change.

Root for Vegetables with a Ribollita Stew and an Umami Twist

Plant-based seasoning brand Yondu has taking inspiration from the hills of Northern Italy with their take on a rustic Ribollitta. Just a tablespoon of Yondu’s all-purpose seasoning can add depth to flavour whilst adding an umami twist to the dish and reduce the need to simmer the veggies for hours

Lighter than a stew, but chunkier than a soup, this Mediterranean-inspired meal will be on the table in no more than thirty minutes. Using seasonal, readily available produce, the dish is a comfort that can be brought to the office for lunch or shared with family on cozy evenings in.

Take notes from Tuscany, where a culture that has been built on using leftovers and reducing food waste. Bring stale sourdough back to life to with the warm cream of the cannellini, and use every part of the celery, peppers, and carrot to make it more affordable to shop organic, this autumn.

Yondu brings out the best in the vegetables, while beans and spinach layer this dish full of texture. Freezable, this hearty meal, can be cooked in bulk and kept aside for days you haven’t had a chance to do the food shop.

Originally served to those working on the autumn harvest, the hearty meal offers sustenance and strength as the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler. This humble dish is a celebration of living better for less!

A Ribollita stew (recipe courtesy of Yondu)

Total time: 30 min

Serves 2

Yondu effect: Replaces broth and boosts the flavor of each vegetable

Recipe benefits: Healthy and quick complete dinner

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ onion, diced (100g)

1 carrot, sliced (80g)

1 celery stalk, sliced (50g)

¼ red pepper, diced (25g)

¼ green pepper, diced (25g)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. flour

500ml. water

1 Tbsp. Yondu

1 can of cannellini beans, drained

A sprig of thyme

50g fresh spinach

1 slice of sourdough bread

1. In a pot over medium heat, combine olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, peppers and garlic and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
2. Add flour and stir well. Add water and Yondu and stir again.
3. Once it starts boiling, add beans and thyme and let is simmer for 5 minutes covered with a lid.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in fresh spinach. Stir until spinach are wilted.
5. Rub some fresh garlic and drizzle olive oil on the slice of bread before toasting it. Serve the stew with this toast on top and freshly grounded black pepper.

Notes/tips:

You can use gluten free flour or corn starch instead of wheat flour if you want to keep it Gluten Free.

From pastas and salads, to mid-afternoon snacks, Yondu’s fun and simple recipes can found on their website (www.yondu.co.uk/recipes/) or on their Instagram @yondu.uk All choices are healthy, natural and aim to bring pleasure to cooking for friends and family.

Yondu is available to purchase via its UK website and Amazon, retailing at £6.88 for 275ml. Visit www.yondu.co.uk/recipes/ for cooking inspiration.

Notes about Yondu:

·       Yondu’s philosophy of healthy living stems from its creator company, Sempio, an established Korean food company

·       For over 70 years Sempio is committed to expanding the world's culinary horizons through the art of fermentation

·       Yondu is a 100% plant based product. It includes organic soybean, sea-salt, eight vegetable broth, and yeast extract  

·       Yondu is clean label, certified Organic, non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free 

·       Non-GMO organic soybeans are triple-fermented over the course of 100 days, then blended with the savoury broth of onions, white radishes, leeks, cabbage, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and garlic to create Yondu’s unique flavour that enhances the taste of a variety of cuisines 

·       The Yondu Culinary Studio in New York is where Yondu develop culinary solutions and ideas. Including a team of chefs that create healthy recipes. The team is led by Jaume Biarnes who was previously the culinary director at Alicia Food & Science Lab founded by Ferran Adrià, a pioneer of molecular gastronomy 

I cooked this Ribollita with a Yondu twist yesterday. It is a delicious and healthy stew/soup, which is a great addition to our range of vegetarian meals for the family. I would ordinarily use a stock cube/pot in a similar recipe, but adding Yondu was a revelation. It is a great substitute for stock cubes.

It might sound strange to add a Koren seasoning to the well-known Italian recipe, but it works as a perfect fusion of international flavours. 

Yondu emailed me several recipes throughout this year, and I'm very keen now to try several of them, so watch this space for more Yondu recipes.

Disclosure: I received a bottle of Yondu to try the recipe. All opinions are my own.