Hetty Lui McKinnon grew up surrounded by the vibrant colors and scents of fresh produce, thanks to her father, a Chinese immigrant working in Australia’s wholesale fruit and vegetable business. This environment deeply influenced her from a young age.
Tragedy struck when McKinnon was just 15 years old, with the sudden loss of her father. Overwhelmed by grief, she avoided dealing with the pain for many years. Eventually, she found solace in cooking dishes that reminded her of her father, helping her to process her loss.
“The pain of losing someone never truly goes away. It becomes part of your soul,” McKinnon reflects. “Cooking allowed me to think about his life and his legacy with courage.”
In 2021, McKinnon published the popular cookbook “To Asia, With Love.” Her latest work, “Tenderheart: A Book About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds,” dives deeper into her emotions surrounding her father’s passing.
Celebrating Heritage Through Food
McKinnon’s recipes are strongly influenced by her Cantonese upbringing, with a special emphasis on vegetable-based dishes. Through her cooking, she reconnects with her heritage and aims to pass this connection on to her children.
“Living in the West, it’s easy to lose touch with intergenerational history,” she says. “I wanted to give my children a taste of their grandfather’s legacy.”
Recipes from ‘Tenderheart’
Fennel and Gnocchi Salad with Fennel Frond Pesto
This salad combines the crunch of raw fennel and the unique flavor of fennel frond pesto, paired with crispy pan-fried gnocchi. The dish features harmonious anise notes and can be customized with roasted broccoli or cauliflower, leafy greens like spinach or watercress, or even stuffed pasta instead of gnocchi.
Ingredients:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb 10 oz (750 g) gnocchi
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 2 baby fennel bulbs or 1 regular fennel bulb, finely sliced
- ¾–1 cup Fennel Frond Pesto
- Handful of grated parmesan, pecorino, or cheddar
Instructions:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in olive oil, add gnocchi, and season with salt. Pan-fry for 3–4 minutes until golden.
- Transfer to a serving plate, add fennel and pesto, and toss to coat. Top with grated cheese.
Fennel Frond Pesto
Turn fennel fronds into a mild, anise-flavored pesto, enhanced with toasted pumpkin seeds for extra nuttiness and sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups fennel fronds
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- Sea salt
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ¾ oz (50 g) hard cheese, finely grated
Instructions:
- Blend fennel fronds, garlic, and pumpkin seeds. Add salt and olive oil, and blend into a coarse paste.
- Stir in the cheese. Adjust salt to taste.
Exploring More Recipes
Miso-Maple Sugar Snap Pea, Turnip, and Strawberry Salad
This salad balances the crunch of lightly pan-fried sugar snap peas with the sweetness of strawberries and a miso-maple dressing. It’s adaptable and can be made with or without quinoa.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white or mixed quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable stock or water
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 2 small turnips, finely shaved
- 5 oz strawberries, hulled and quartered
- Handful of mint leaves
Miso-Maple Vinaigrette:
- 4 tsp white miso
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 tsp maple syrup
- 4 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, grated
Instructions:
- Cook quinoa in stock or water. Set aside.
- Whisk vinaigrette ingredients until smooth.
- Pan-fry sugar snap peas, season, and toss with vinaigrette.
- Combine quinoa, peas, turnips, strawberries, and mint. Toss with remaining vinaigrette.
Ginger and Cilantro Noodle Pancake
This innovative dish uses instant ramen noodles, flavored with a vibrant ginger-cilantro oil, and pan-fried until crispy. It’s a versatile and quick recipe inspired by quarantine creativity.
Ingredients:
- 3 packages instant ramen noodles, soaked in warm water
- 5 tsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Handful of cilantro leaves
- 1-inch piece of ginger, julienned
Ginger-Cilantro Oil:
- 3-inch piece of ginger, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ⅓ cup neutral oil
Instructions:
- Prepare ginger-cilantro oil by heating oil and pouring it over ginger and cilantro.
- Drain noodles, mix with most of the ginger-cilantro oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame seeds.
- Pan-fry noodles until crispy on both sides.
- Serve with remaining ginger-cilantro oil, cilantro leaves, and ginger strips.
Reflections
McKinnon’s “Tenderheart” offers a heartfelt journey through recipes that celebrate family bonds and heritage. Her culinary creations are a testament to the enduring power of food in preserving memories and connecting generations.
For more insights and recipes, explore “Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds” by Hetty Lui McKinnon.