Many of the best recipes start with an underlying base of flavors and build from there. DrJ’s Perfect Base can be used to start any curry, chili, mushroom dish, vegetable medley, or dal.

Ingredients – All organic/Biodynamic

1 red onion, chopped
1-2 shallots, chopped
Splash of vegetable broth
½ small stalk celery, chopped
4 Medjool dates or 5 ripe fresh figs- chopped OR 8 oz berries of choice
½ c. pine nuts or cashews – unsalted and toasted

Spices to taste:

Celtic Sea Salt®
Freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground peppercorns

Directions:

1) Simmer chopped onions and shallots with a splash of vegetable broth until onions/shallots are clear and flexible.

2) Add the chopped celery and the dates (or figs or berries).

3) Finish off with the nuts.

4) Continue to simmer for a few minutes making sure the celery is still a bit crunchy.

5) Finally add a dash of Celtic Sea Salt, fresh ground nutmeg and freshly ground peppercorns to taste.

6) Your Perfect Base is complete! From here you can go almost anywhere. Some of the ways DrJ likes to use this base are:

– To make a curry
– To make a chili
– To make a mushroom dish
– To make a vegetable medley with squash, prune, and carrots
– To make a dal*

*Dal is a collective term for pulses—lentils, peas, and beans