RECIPE: Plant-forward dishes, rooted in memories
Michelle Braxton recalls her mother’s response when she told her she was giving up pork. “How in the world are we going to make collards without ham hocks?” she asked.
Given the close bond mother and daughter shared at mealtimes, Braxton understood that this lifestyle change would impact them both. So she figured out how to emulate those familiar flavors with onions, garlic, spices, tamari and liquid smoke — as outlined in the recipe for Smokin’ Braised Collard Greens in her debut cookbook, “Supper with Love: Vibrant, Delicious, and Comforting Plant-Forward and Pescatarian Recipes for Every Day” (Harvest, $37.50).
Braxton changed her eating habits in 1991 after attending a lecture by rapper and vegan activist KRS-One. But it was her mom who instilled in her a love for food and sense of community.
Over lattes at a coffee shop in Decatur, not far from the close-knit neighborhood where she grew up, Braxton told me how her mother, who was white, became involved in the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago in the 1960s, and migrated to Atlanta to continue that work. That’s where she met Braxton’s father, who was Black. The couple divorced when Braxton was a small child. “A single mom raising a biracial child wasn’t well received in many places,” she said. “But she always felt most comfortable living in predominantly Black communities.”
Braxton learned to prepare meals while her mom was at work, sometimes with help from neighbors. On weekends she and her mom cooked together for fun and explored different cuisines in restaurants. That openness to new flavors inspired her creativity in coming up with new dishes with more plants and occasionally seafood. In 2014, she began sharing those recipes on a blog called Supper with Michelle, and drawing legions of followers to her multiple social media platforms.
Then in 2019, her mom passed away unexpectedly. Overwhelmed with grief, Braxton lost interest in cooking for months. COVID-19 brought her back to the stove. Homebound from her job in human resources, she rediscovered the joy of cooking favorites such as Kitchen Sink Lasagna Casserole, Smoky Salmon Chowder, and her mom’s Alphabet Soup to share with her partner, their neighbors and “unhoused members of our community who may need a warm meal.”
A book deal soon followed. “I was typing and crying, crying and typing, reliving experiences and childhood memories,” she said. Then she would remind herself that it was her mom who had encouraged her to write a cookbook and “I know it would have made her so freaking happy and tremendously proud.”
Creamy Spinach and Tomato Orzo
This recipe was inspired by a dish Michelle Braxton and her mom used to order at a favorite Greek restaurant. It’s comforting, delicious and super-easy to toss together on a busy weeknight. Braxton notes that you can easily adapt it with other seasonal vegetables or vegan dairy substitutes.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup orzo
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
- 3/4 cup half-and-half
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 cup)
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Melt the butter in a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orzo and garlic and saute until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 3/4 cups of water and the salt. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed and the orzo is al dente, 13 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the half-and-half and Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has melted.
- Stir in the tomatoes and spinach. Remove from the heat and let the orzo stand for 2 to 3 minutes, so the residual heat can wilt the spinach, warm the tomatoes and thicken the sauce slightly more. If the sauce gets too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time to thin to the desired consistency. Give it a taste and add more salt and some pepper, if needed. Serve garnished with basil and additional Parmesan on the side.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 395 calories (percent of calories from fat, 37), 13 grams protein, 51 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 17 grams total fat (10 grams saturated), 43 milligrams cholesterol, 422 milligrams sodium.Excerpted from “Supper with Love,” Copyright 2024 by Michelle Braxton. Reproduced by permission of Harvest. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR APPEARANCE
3 p.m. March 2. Michelle Braxton will be signing copies of “Supper with Love.” A Capella Books. 208 Haralson Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-681-5128, acapellabooks.com.
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