50 Best Plants on the Planet (34 page)

3
.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with
2
tablespoons of the oil, the garam masala, and harissa. In a large bowl, coarsely mash the garbanzos until half of the mixture is smooth and the other half is a little chunky. Stir in the bread crumbs, egg mixture, onions, and yogurt. Form the mixture into six patties.

4
.
To make the tzatziki: Shake the colander to remove water from the grated cucumber. In a bowl, combine the cucumber with the yogurt, onions, lemon juice, mint, cilantro, garlic, and harissa. Gently toss and set aside.

5
.
Heat
1
tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add half of the patties and cook until they are golden brown on both sides and heated through. Place them on a paper towel–lined plate and cover with aluminum foil. Add the last
1
tablespoon of the oil and cook the remaining patties.

6
.
Garnish each patty with a good dollop of tzatziki sauce. Top with some thinly sliced green onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a lime wedge next to each patty. If desired, accompany each serving with
1
or
2
pita chips.

True guavas have edible, knobby green skin that often turns yellow when they are thoroughly ripe. Round or sometimes pear shaped and
2
to
4
inches in diameter, guavas are generally off-white inside but can be pink or yellow. Domestic varieties generally have a firmer, crisper texture. Redolent of exotic floral notes, the mildly sweet-tart flesh is dotted with seeds that vary in size and rigidity. Although they can be eaten, they are strained out when the fruit is mashed for use in sauces, jams, and pastes.

Don't confuse true guava with feijoa, that semi-sweet ovoid fruit with inedible rind that is often labeled “pineapple guava.”

Guavas have one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable—four times that of oranges. Vitamin C helps counter inflammation, plus it lowers the risks of heart disease, strokes, cataracts, and certain types of cancer. Another job this common vitamin manages is to aid the body in absorbing important minerals, such as iron and zinc.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup raw)

calories
112

fat calories
13

total fat (g)
2

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
3

total carbohydrates (g)
24

fiber (g)
9

sugars (g)
15

protein (g)
4

vitamin A IUs
21
%

vitamin C
628
%

calcium
3
%

iron
2
%

Guavas are fiber rich, offering a whopping
9
grams a cup. The same amount of fruit contains
4
grams of protein. Both of these nutrients help increase satiety and encourage the body to burn calories longer to balance blood sugar and reduce symptoms of diabetes.

Some research studies indicate that people with arthritis, high blood pressure, or Alzheimer's disease can benefit greatly from a vitamin C–rich diet—so much so that the National Academy of Sciences recommends increasing the daily vitamin C requirement from
60
milligrams to
75
to
90
milligrams per day.

Domestic (about the size of a ping-pong ball):
October to June

Imported (about the size of a raquet ball):
Year-round

Select firm, unblemished fruit. It may take up to
2
weeks for the fruit to ripen at room temperature (out of direct sunlight). Refrigerate unwashed ripe fruit, loose in the crisper drawer, up to
1
week.

Wash guavas thoroughly with cold water. Trim off the stem and blossom ends.

Guavas are eaten skin-on, raw or cooked. To cook, sauté or broil them. For a sweet sauce, gently simmer guavas until tender in a sugar syrup or a combination of equal parts agave syrup or honey and water or sherry; push through a strainer and discard the seeds.

In a blender, combine
1
ripe guava (ends trimmed and discarded, quartered),
6
hulled strawberries,
1
tablespoon dark honey,
1
cup fat-free plain yogurt,
1
cup
2
% milk, and
6
ice cubes. Whirl until icy smooth. Pour it into
2
large glasses.

Slice off the stem and blossom ends of several ripe guavas. Cut them crosswise into
¼
-inch unpeeled rounds. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Roast in a
375
-degree-F oven until tender-crisp. Drizzle them with honey and sprinkle with coarse salt. Broil about
8
inches below the broiler element until they are nicely browned on the edges, about
3
minutes. Transfer them to a plate; let cool to room temperature. Use as a garnish for a cheese course or atop green salads or grilled chicken.

Trim the ends off ripe guavas, slice, and place them on a plate; squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Sprinkle with Pico de Gallo seasoning mix to taste. Buy the spice mixture at Latin American markets or make your own blend by stirring together
1
teaspoon kosher salt,
2
teaspoons chili powder,
2
teaspoons paprika, and
3
to
4
teaspoons cayenne pepper.

The crisp perkiness of guava-spiked salsa teams beautifully with creamy-warm goat cheese coated with toasty nuts and bread crumbs. One of the easiest ways to cut a log of chilled goat cheese into slices is to use unflavored dental floss. Stretch the floss tightly between two hands and pull it down through the cheese. This method avoids the problem of cheese sticking to a knife blade.

Yields
10
to
12
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
90

fat calories
40

total fat (g)
4

sat fat (g)
1.5

cholesterol (mg)
5

sodium (mg)
75

total carbohydrates (g)
11

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
7

protein (g)
3

vitamin A IUs
15
%

vitamin C
60
%

calcium
4
%

iron
4
%

1 large ripe guava, finely diced, with skin (
see Cook's Notes
)

1 mango, peeled, pitted, finely diced

4 medium strawberries, hulled, finely diced

¾
cup finely diced peeled and cored pineapple

1
½
tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch dried red pepper flakes

Pinch salt

½
cup fresh sourdough or rustic whole-wheat bread crumbs (
see Cook's Notes
)

¼
cup finely chopped pecans

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

Six
¾
-inch slices chilled log-style goat cheese

GARNISH
microgreens

FOR SERVING
crackers, crostini, or toasted lavash

1
.
Preheat the oven to
375
degrees F.

2
.
To make the salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the guava, mango, strawberries, pineapple, cilantro, lime juice, pepper flakes, and salt. Set aside.

3
.
To make the baked cheese: Stir together the bread crumbs and nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until they are golden brown and crisp,
5
to
8
minutes, stirring twice during baking.

4
.
Spray the cheese slices with olive oil on each side and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture on all sides. Spray the baking sheet with oil. Place the coated cheese on the sheet and bake until warmed through and soft when the center is pressed, about
6
to
7
minutes.

5
.
Spread the salsa on a serving platter. Use a thin metal spatula to remove the cheese rounds from the baking sheet and place them atop the salsa. Sprinkle the microgreens on top. Accompany with crackers, crostini, or toasted lavash.

COOK'S NOTES
A large guava is about
2
¼
inches in diameter. If using smaller guavas, use
2
or
3
.

Use a food processor fitted with the metal blade to produce bread crumbs. Use the pulsing technique, processing until the bread crumbs are still coarse, not finely ground.

True guavas (as opposed to feijoas, which are often labeled “pineapple guavas” but aren't really “true” guavas) combine with apples and raisins to make a silky puréed sauce to accompany braised, stuffed pork tenderloin. Adding an appealing aroma and texture to the sauce, the guavas also bring a nice spark of acidity to the raisin-sweetened purée.

Yields about
4
servings

(per serving, with
½
cup sauce)

calories
390

fat calories
110

total fat (g)
12

sat fat (g)
3

cholesterol (mg)
115

sodium (mg)
200

total carbohydrates (g)
32

fiber (g)
7

sugars (g)
22

protein (g)
41

vitamin A IUs
15
%

vitamin C
400
%

calcium
4
%

iron
15
%

1
½
pounds pork tenderloin

1 green apple, such as Granny Smith, finely diced

⅓
cup raisins

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium beef broth

½
teaspoon dried basil or 1
½
teaspoons minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 sweet onion, such as Maui, thinly sliced

2
½
cups finely diced ripe guava (including skin, seeds, and flesh)

1
.
Preheat the oven to
350
degrees F.

2
.
Butterfly the tenderloin lengthwise, cutting only about three-fourths of the way through.

3
.
In a small bowl, mix together the apple and raisins and fill the tenderloin. Do not overfill; any extra filling will be used in the sauce. Using cotton string, tie the tenderloin closed at
1
-inch intervals; season with salt and pepper.

4
.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof deep skillet on medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the broth and sprinkle with basil. Cover with foil and roast for
45
minutes to
1
hour, or until an internal temperature of
160
degrees F.

5
.
During the last
20
minutes of cooking, start making the sauce: In a saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high heat; add the onion and cook until brown, stirring occasionally, about
10
minutes. Add
2
cups hot water, the guava, and any reserved filling and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for
20
minutes, or until the apple is very tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and carefully purée the sauce in batches in a blender (hold down lid with a pot holder). Strain the sauce; discard the seeds. Season with salt.