And, of course, ‘Extreme Ways,’ one of the best songs ever

“When I first became a vegan, I was a former punk rocker, and so my approach was as confrontational as you can imagine — getting in fights with family members about why they shouldn’t be eating cheese — and at some point I realized that when I was being really confrontational and really aggressive, all I was doing was making people defensive and annoyed. And I have to believe that the goal of activism is not to annoy people. Because when someone is annoyed and defensive, they’re really shut off to being open to what you have to say.”

My guest on this week’s episode of Food with Mark Bittman is the great musician Moby: famous not only for “Extreme Ways,” which became a song it was impossible not to know — and love — thanks to the Bourne movies, but for his own James Bond theme song, and his commitment to veganism for almost 35 years.

The recipes featured in the episode are below. Please listen, subscribe, and review! And remember to call us on 833-FOODPOD with all your food-related questions.

Thank you, as always. — Mark

Balsamic Strawberries with Arugula

Serves 4
Time: 15 minutes

In the original How to Cook Everything, I featured strawberries in a peppery, slightly sweet compote in the fruit chapter. In Italy, strawberries macerated with balsamic are served as a dessert. Clearly, the combination also has legs as a savory salad. To turn this into a light meal, add crumbled goat cheese or feta, or a couple of handfuls of toasted nuts.

Ingredients

• 3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

• Pepper

• 4 cups lightly packed arugula leaves

• Salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste

Instructions

1. Toss the strawberries with vinegar and pepper in a large salad bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Add the arugula, sprinkle with salt, and toss again. Drizzle with the oil and toss gently one more time. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle with more oil if you like and serve.

— From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Completely Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition

Sautéed Kohlrabi with Horseradish and Cream

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes

Kohlrabi is the ultimate what-the-heck-do-I-do-with- this? vegetable. It’s best to think of it as an unusual and delicious version of a turnip; it’s great in slaws and soups. Still, it’s nice to have a stand-alone recipe for the vegetable that everyone, at some point, has been stumped by.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 ½ pounds kohlrabi, peeled and cubed, leaves removed and chopped

• 1 onion, sliced

• Salt and pepper

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon grated horseradish

Instructions

1. Put the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it has melted, add the kohlrabi and onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the kohlrabi and onion until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the leaves and cook until wilted, just a few minutes.

2. Add the cream and horseradish and cook for a minute or 2 to reduce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

— From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Completely Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition