Some restaurants are driven by creativity, others are motivated by profit, while a few are inspired by a desire to serve. Earth Kitchen is fired up by idealism.
Its first branch in White Plains, Quezon City, was established to support co-owner Melissa Yeung-Yap’s Got Heart Foundation, which advocates natural farming and helps communities become independent and self-sufficient.
The produce used in many of Earth Kitchen’s dishes come from farmers who use organic, sustainable means of farming as opposed to traditional farming, which uses pesticides and fertilizers.
“These chemicals are bad for the environment,” says Earth Kitchen co-owner Joseph Hizon, “and also bad for the farmers because it causes them to accumulate so much debt [since these chemicals are expensive].”
Organic farmers are self-reliant because they make their own fertilizers. “The problem was that the farmers didn’t know how to sell their crops,” adds Hizon.
But with Earth Kitchen, these idealistic farmers have found a steady market for their produce.
“We are the end users of their products,” says executive chef J.R. Trani.
Indeed, Earth Kitchen hopes that by increasing the demand for organic and natural products, it can help sustain the livelihood of marginalized communities and encourage more farmers to produce good, clean, healthy food.
Organic produce
Not surprisingly, the ingredients used by Trani and chef David Hizon are sourced from far and wide.
From Tarlac come the chickens, which are not only cage-free but also hormone-free and antibiotic-free. The bacon is from organic pigs, which were fed kangkong, root crops and soybeans.
The white cheeses are made from the milk of carabaos bred in Nueva Ecija, the coffee beans are from the mountains of the Cordilleras and Kalinga, while the honey comes from a bee farm in Mindoro.
“We work with what the farmers provide us,” says Hizon.
What the farmers provide is apparently enough to satisfy a clientele that appreciates healthy, local and sustainable food.
Earth Kitchen recently opened its second branch in Bonifacio Global City. The menu has healthy twists on old-time favorites.
The ravioli is filled not with spinach but with kamote tops, not with ricotta but with local white cheese. Yet it tastes rich and indulgent, with a flavor that’s smooth and seamless.
The shrimp spring rolls are stuffed with pickled carrots and jicama, fresh herbs and organic greens, and are served with a hoisin dressing mixed with limes grown in the owners’ backyard.
A bestseller is the watermelon and rocket salad, with naturally produced arugula, edible flowers, pili nuts and kesong puti, drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.
For those who want to try healthier cooking at home, Got Heart Foundation sells organic and naturally grown produce in a container van parked at Earth Kitchen’s Katipunan branch.
Here’s its recipe for the shrimp spring rolls, which I’ve kitchen-tested and adjusted for the home cook. You may want to make a big batch for your next gathering because this is sure to grab your guests’ attention—and their taste buds.
Earth Kitchen is at Lot 10-B-10 White Plains, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City, tel. 5779138 or 0917-5843278; UG/F, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Ave. cor. 29th St. South, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, tel. 0925-6888951. Function rooms available.
Shrimp Spring Rolls
For the hoisin-lime sauce:
1 c hoisin sauce
2 tbsp lime juice or lemon juice (or to taste)
Mix hoisin sauce with lime or lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For pickled carrots and jicama:
¼ c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c white vinegar
1 c water
Dash of ground black pepper
2 c julienned carrots (cut into matchstick sizes)
2 c julienned jicama (native singkamas)
Stir together the sugar, salt, vinegar, water and black pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Put the julienned carrots and jicama in a nonreactive bowl (see tips). Pour the boiled sugar-vinegar mixture over the carrots and jicama. Let stand for about an hour to cool to room temperature, then remove the carrots and jicama from the vinegar solution.
For the spring rolls:
8-10 medium shrimps
50-60 g sotanghon, soaked in water for about 15 minutes
12-16 Vietnamese or Thai rice paper
Mixed lettuce leaves
3-4 red radishes, sliced thinly (optional)
Pickled julienned carrots (see above)
Pickled julienned jicama (see above)
Few leaves and soft stems of mixed herbs like Thai basil, cilantro and mint
To garnish:
Chopped peanuts
Blanch the shrimps in boiling water until cooked. Let cool, then peel, removing heads and tails, then set aside. If desired, cut each shrimp into two to three pieces.
Drain the sotanghon and blanch in boiling water until softened. Let cool.
Lay one rice paper on a clean plate or cutting board and moisten with water. Arrange some lettuce leaves on the paper and put slices of radish on top. Add some of the blanched shrimps, sotanghon, the prepared pickled carrots and jicama, and herb leaves, as desired.
Roll the rice paper tightly, enclosing all the ingredients. Be careful not to tear the rice paper. Repeat with remaining ingredients. If desired, cut each spring roll in half. Serve with hoisin lime sauce and garnish with chopped peanuts.
For more tips, recipes and stories, visit the author’s blog www.normachikiamco.com and Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/normachikiamco. Follow on Twitter @NormaChikiamco.
Cook’s tips
A nonreactive bowl would include a glass bowl, stainless steel bowl or a sturdy heat-proof plastic bowl. Do not use an aluminum bowl because this will react with the acid in the vinegar.
Because these spring rolls have ample filling (the lettuce, carrots, jicama, etc.), use large-size rice paper.
Lime is best to use for the hoisin sauce but you can substitute lemon, dayap or native orange.
If desired, you may add some shiitake mushrooms.
For the garnish, use plain peanuts (not the spicy or adobo peanuts).