Anthony Bourdain's Acai Bowl
This recipe is excerpted from Anthony Bourdain's Appetites: A Cookbook.
Bourdain could probably kick your ass. That's not a joke. "Brazilian jiujitsu is a thing in our house," he wrote. "Our lives -- all our lives -- revolve around training schedules; at any given time, there's a heap of sodden, frequently blood-smeared gis (the two-piece garment, secured by a belt whose color signifies level of expertise, worn by practitioners of jiujitsu, karate, and other martial arts) waiting outside the washer, and another set (Mom, Dad, and girl) hanging to dry on a special rack in my daughter's playroom."
But even if you don't practice martial arts, there's no reason you can't reap the benefits of the main ingredient in this recipe. "Most of our professors are Brazilian, and it is an article of faith among Brazilian practitioners of martial arts that acai, the 'miracle jungle fruit of the Amazon,' is the answer to -- and cure for -- all things, from ineptness at rear naked choke holds to cancer. Whether the health benefits hold up under scientific scrutiny or not, the stuff is pretty delicious, and it's become a staple in our household. A post-training bowl of icy cold acai puree and fruit? It sure seems to make us all feel better."
Acai Bowl
Yield: Serves 2
- ½ to ¾ cup acai juice (Sambazon brand preferred)
- 2 bananas, peeled
- 7 ounces frozen unsweetened acai puree (Sambazon brand preferred)
- ¾ cup frozen blueberries
- ¼ to ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries or raspberries
- ½ cup granola, for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup cacao nibs, for garnish (optional)
Vitamix or another blender with a fairly strong motor
- Place the acai juice and one of the bananas in the blender's pitcher, then add the frozen acai puree, blueberries, and strawberries on top so that the blades suck in the frozen items. Pulse as needed to form a smooth sorbet, scraping down the sides of the pitcher with a spatula as necessary.
- Slice the remaining banana.
- Divide the mixture between two bowls and top each with the garnishes. Serve immediately.
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