Marcus Samuelsson and Two Good Yogurt want you to rethink your ingredients

While many people long to create an impeccable dish like Marcus Samuelsson, the reality is that the idea might be easier than you think. With the help of Two Good Yogurt, the pair are joining forces to take a different look at the produce on the plate. Isn’t it time to push the food conversation in a new direction?

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Chef Marcus Samuelsson about his partnership with Two Good Yogurt and the topic of rescued produce. While the celebrated chef often uses his voice to raise awareness on a variety of important food issues, this particular topic impacts both the restaurant industry and the home cook.

Samuelsson shared that this partnership is a unique opportunity to bring this information and conversation to consumers who might not otherwise have that information. As a chef, he does believe that his role allows him to educate people and give them the tools to make viable change.

Rescued produce happens at the farm level. As described by Full Harvest, it can refer to produce that “does not meet strict retail aesthetic standards simply because it is not perfect looking” or surplus produce from the farm.

By sparking a conversation around the table, Samuelsson wants to lead by example. Through featuring rescued produce on his Red Rooster menu in Harlem, he shows both chefs and home cooks how easy and flavorful these ingredients can be.

Although he appreciates that chefs have an opportunity to popularize food trends and push cooks in new directions, it is only one ingredient to meaningful change. People need to be willing to adopt the different philosophies and apply them long term.

While content is king and videos are numerous, Samuelsson believes that there needs to be an “ecosystem built around the concept.” Through partnerships with Two Good Yogurt and Full Harvest, a strong foundation can be built to enhance those changes.

As a professional chef, Samuelsson might appreciate how those asparagus stems can be used in a stock or how all parts of Brussels sprouts can be used in a dish, but the home cook needs to be comfortable with that experimentation. In some ways, it is about pushing the doubt aside and trusting the process.

Samuelsson appreciates that there has been change in the past several years. Whether it is more farmers markets popping up in urban environments or people being more familiar with flavor combinations, the reality is that when cooks have great ingredients accessible to them there is an open door of possibility. While Alice Waters might have been a pioneer years ago, the reality is that Alice Smith down the street keeps that sentiment moving forward.

Just like the professional chef has a responsibility to the educate and inform, the home cook has her own part, too. Beyond appreciating the food served on the family table, there needs to be a bounty available for more people. In some ways, rescued produce could be a lifeline to the ever-growing issue of food insecurity. Without sounding like a cliché, everyone is in it together. The produce relies on the life cycle to flourish and the community relies on each other to contribute.

As part of their collaboration, Marcus Samuelsson and Two Good Yogurt created a special recipe highlighting rescued produce from Full Harvest. While the dish was served at Red Rooster in Harlmen, Samuelsson was gracious enough to share his recipe so that home cooks can enjoy it as well.

Here’s how to make Marcus Samuelsson’s Miso Glazed Salmon with Brown Butter Yogurt, Farro & Cauliflower

Created by Chef Marcus Samuelsson (served at Red Rooster Harlem for Earth Week 2021)

Assembly:

• 1 150g piece of Salmon, seared, brushed with glaze and baked
• 45g brown butter yogurt sauce
• 90g farro
• 6 pieces of fresh dill
• Pea leaves for garnish

Glaze:

• 60g miso
• 60g Two Good Plain Yogurt
• 60g grainy mustard
• 30g olive oil
• 5g aleppo pepper

Brown Butter Yogurt Sauce:

• 120g Two Good Plain Yogurt
• 40g burnt butter
• Zest of 2 lemons (Verified Rescued ProduceTM)

Directions:

Bring yogurt to room temperature; burn butter and whisk into yogurt; stir in lemon zest

Farro:

• 120g farro
• 30g olive oil
• 30g peas
• 60g cauliflower, pulsed in food processor (Verified Rescued ProduceTM)
• 30g onion (Verified Rescued ProduceTM)
• 10g garlic
• 90g white wine
• Boiling water as needed

Directions:

• Toast farro in a dry pan.
• Add in onions, garlic and olive oil, and sweat.
• Add farro back into the pan.
• Deglaze with white wine and reduce to au sec.
• Add in boiling water 90ml at a time until farro is cooked. Stir in rest of ingredients and season with salt.

Preparation:

• Step 1: Make glaze, set aside
• Step 2: Prep and cook the farro / cauliflower salad
• Step 3: Make brown butter yogurt sauce
• Step 4: Cook salmon and glaze with sauce
• Step 5: Plate

Verified Rescued Produce from Full Harvest:

• Cauliflower
• Lemon
• Onions

How can you change the food conversation on your plate? What steps are you taking to be more conscious in your food cooking?