Here we are! Our final week of veggies, that is until the winter share begins! Thank you for cooking alongside me again this season. I hope you’ve enjoyed the bounty as much as I have. Happy Thanksgiving!

Parsnip and Caramelized Onion Skillet Pie
Radicchio, Orange and Olive Salad
Scalloped Potatoes and Celery Root
Barley Salad with Roasted Carrots and Celery Root
Chickpea and Winter Squash Curry
Braised Kale Bruschetta
Grated Beet and Apple Salad
Beet, Celery and Walnut Salad with Garlicky Dressing
“Pumpkin” Pie (with Butternut Squash)

Parsnip and Caramelized Onion Skillet Pie

This a version of last week’s Potato and Chard Pie and is a substantial side dish or a light main dish served with a salad or two. The sweet and sour onions play nicely with the sweet, creamy parsnips for quite a rich dish. For a lighter dish you could fill it with cooked greens instead of onions. You can adapt it many other ways too; use half potatoes, half parsnips or half celery root or use rosemary instead of sage and so on and so forth.

Serves 4-5 as a main, 6-7 as a side

1 1/2 lbs parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
3 eggs, whisked
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried sage
2/3 cup fairly fine bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Put parsnips in a saucepan and cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until nice and tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile mash the garlic into a paste with a generous 1/2 teaspoon salt with the side of a chef’s knife or in a mortar. Mash the parsnips with the garlic paste and 3 tablespoons butter until you have a rough puree either by hand or in a food processor. Stir in the eggs and the sage. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Meanwhile cook the onions over medium heat in a wide skillet with the olive oil and the thyme sprigs and a few pinches of salt, stirring often.  After about 15 minutes, when the onions have softened and started browning, add the sugar and vinegar and continue cooking for 10 more minutes until caramelized. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a 9-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet or any oven proof skillet. Swirl the butter to cover the base of the pan and evenly cover with bread crumbs. Dab a generous half of the parsnip mixture evenly over the skillet and then gently spread it evenly, taking care not to mix the breadcrumbs into the mixture. Spread the onions over the parsnips and top with the remaining parsnips and spread out evenly. Bake for about 30-35 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of the pie to loosen it and invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Radicchio, Orange and Olive Salad

This is a gorgeous salad with robust flavors.

1 small to medium head radicchio, washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces (you want about 4 cups of radicchio)
1 orange
handful of cured black olives, pitted
2-3 tablespoons parsley leaves (optional)
1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced red/yellow onion or shallot
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the top and bottom off the orange and set it on one end. With a sharp serrated knife cut away the peel and pith and then cut the sections way from the membrane. Reserve any juice to add to the salad.

Put the radicchio in a salad bowl and add the orange slices, halved, if large, and the remainder of the ingredients. Toss gently and taste and adjust seasoning.

Scalloped Potatoes and Celery Root

Serves 4-6

1 1/2 lbs firm fleshed potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced into rounds (blade on box grater works well)
1 ½ lbs celery root, trimmed and peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar, emmental, gruyere, . . .
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika–spicy or mild)
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup flour
About 3 1/2 cups liquid: all whole milk, part milk, part cream, part half  & half, part veg or chicken stock, but be sure it’s at least 1/2 milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the potatoes and celery root in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix the flour and spices together. Sprinkle this over the potatoes and toss well. Add the onions and almost all of the cheese (reserving some for the top) and mix again.

Spread mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish, pat down a bit with a spatula. Pour milk (or liquid combo) over potato mixture. The liquid should come about half way up the potatoes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese, cover pan with foil and bake until vegetables are tender and easily pierced with a fork about 45- 70 minutes. Uncover after about 30 minutes and finish baking until tender and run under the broiler for a minute or two to brown the top if you’d like. Cooking time will depend on how thinly you sliced your vegetables.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

Barley Salad with Roasted Carrots and Celery Root

This is a hearty salad and just a good template for many variations: use roasted squash and parsnips instead of the celery root and carrots, use different herbs, different seeds or nuts, add cheese or meat, use farro or rye instead of barley . . .

I tend to have cooked grains in the freezer and sometimes roast lots of vegetables at once to have on hand for various dishes throughout the week which makes a dish like this come together in very little time. And I do my best to have a jar of this type of vinaigrette on hand as well.

Serves 4-6

3 cups cooked barley (used hulless barley from Ayers Creek farm in this version) from about 1 1/2 cups uncooked grains
1/2 medium celery root (about 3 cups diced), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice, more or less
3 stalks celery with leaves (if possible), trimmed and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
2-3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (or any combination of parsley, mint, basil, oregano)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

If you need to cook the barley put it in a saucepan, cover it generously with water, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until the grains are tender but still have a little chew, about 35-45 minutes for hulless barley or 25 minutes for pearled barley. Drain the barley and put it in a serving dish/salad bowl.

Toss the celery root and carrots with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for about 35 minutes or until completely tender and browning just a little. Stir once or twice while roasting to ensure even cooking.

To toast the pumpkin seeds put them in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, until browned and puffed up, about 5-7 minutes.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or shake up in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the roasted vegetables to the cooled barley along with the celery, scallions, herbs and toasted seeds. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and/or vinegar.

Chickpea and Winter Squash Curry

The ingredient list is lengthy but this dish comes together pretty easily. The lemongrass in the dish was inspired by the inimitable Nigel Slater. This recipe makes a lot and keeps/reheats well. By all means halve the recipe if you’d like.

Serves 6+

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and tough outer layers removed, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 fresh or dried hot chilies such as serrano (if using fresh), minced or ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander (or toast 1 teaspoon whole seeds if you have them in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes and then coarsely smash in a mortar)
2 delicata squash, washed, halved lengthwise, seeds and strings removed, each half halved again lengthwise and sliced in ½-inch quarter slices/chunks
3 cups cooked chickpeas
11/2 cups chickpea cooking liquid or 11/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water if using canned chickpeas
1 can coconut milk (preferably full fat)
Salt to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Cooked rice (white, brown, short, grain, long grain), optional

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat with the oil. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile process the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass in a small food processor (or chop finely by hand) until well broken down—it will not be smooth. Add this mixture to the onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the spices and hot peppers and saute for another minute or two.

Add the squash, chickpeas, and cooking liquid, stock or water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for about 20 minutes until the squash is tender. Stir in the coconut milk and return to a simmer for a 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you used water it will definitely need a bit of salt.

Serve hot with cilantro over rice, if you’d like.

Braised Kale Bruschetta

Sauté chopped kale in olive oil with a clove or two of minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Add water to keep things moist. You want the kale silky but not watery. When tender, toast slices of crusty bread and rub each piece of toast with a whole clove of garlic.  Pile the kale on the garlicky toast and top with plenty of good olive oil and salt to taste.

Grated Beet and Apple Salad
–adapted from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

This is a gorgeous and refreshing salad.

Serves 4 +

2 large beets, peeled
2 large apples, cored, peeled
1 tablespoon apple cider syrup, maple syrup or honey (warmed if too thick)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins (or regular ones or dried currants or any dried fruit, chopped if needed)

Coarsely shred beets and apples on box grater or in a food processor fitted with large grater attachment. Put the grated apples and beets in large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the sweetener, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over grated beets and apples, add raisins and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more vinegar or sweetener, if needed.

Beet, Celery and Walnut Salad with Garlicky Dressing

I toss together a lot of beet salads, some of which make it into the recipe collection. This one, as they always do, resulted from what I happened to have on hand. Adapt as you see fit but the crunch of the celery, the sweet, robust beets and the sharp zing from the garlic is a particularly fun combination especially in the cooler months.

Serves 2-3

4 roasted (or boiled), cooled and peeled beets, cut into large dice or wedges
2 good-sized stalk celery (use some leaves if attached), washed and thinly sliced (halve the stalks lengthwise if they’re quite large first)
2 cloves garlic, minced and then mashed into a paste with some coarse salt on the cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife (or put through a press)
1/3 cup (or more) cilantro, stems and all, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1-2 ounces feta, crumbled
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional–use a little onion or shallot if that’s what you have)
1 tablespoon (or more) sherry or red wine or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons (or more) good olive oil
Salt

Whisk the mashed garlic with the olive oil and vinegar. Toss this dressing with everything else, except the beets. Gently toss in the beets. Taste and adjust seasoning.

“Pumpkin” Pie (with Butternut Squash)

I think butternut squash makes the silkiest “pumpkin” pie in fact.

This is fairly classic pumpkin pie recipe, with the exception of the sour cream and optional rum.

I swear by the Chez Pim pie crust technique and recipe (nothing but butter, flour and water). Give it a try if you’d like or use your favorite recipe/technique.

Unlike many others I do not blind bake my crust for pumpkin pie. Instead I bake it on a pizza stone in a very hot oven (for the first 15 minutes) and then reduce the temperature. This way my crust doesn’t burn and get brittle (which I find if I blind bake and then add the custard which needs a good 45 minutes to bake itself) and the bottom crust does just fine. You always get a little sogginess with a wet custard like this but I think it’s just perfect.

1 9-inch single crust Pie shell, chilled (not partially baked using ½ of above recipe or your favorite pie dough)
1 ¾ cups squash puree (from 1 small-medium butternut squash)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup whole milk or cream
1/3 cup sour cream
 or Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lightly sweetened lightly whipped cream, for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin or squash in half and remove all seeds and strings. Keep seeds and clean and roast for a snack if you’d like. Put the pumpkin/squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove from oven, let cool and scoop out the flesh and mash.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, put it on the rack you’re going to use and then preheat. Setting the pie pan directly on the pizza stone helps the crust bake nicely and not get soggy, especially since we’re not pre-baking the crust.

Roll out your pie dough and place it in a pan, making sure to gently press the dough fully into the pan. Trim the overhanging dough with a sharp knife all around leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Flour your fingers and crimp the dough by pushing your right pointer finger into a “v” shape created with the thumb and pointer of your left hand, holding the edge of dough. Repeat around the whole pie, re-flouring your fingers as needed, to make a pretty, crimped rim. Chill pie shell in the fridge while you make the filling.

Put all of the filling ingredients in a food processor and process for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice and pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Alternatively whisk all the ingredients well in a bowl.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer or until a knife inserted close to the center comes out clean. (If you don’t want to create a slash in your masterpiece, tap the pan gently—if the custard just jiggles a little bit in the very center, it’s done.) Transfer the pie to a rack and cool to room temperature.

Serve the pie with lightly sweetened whipped cream

I am particularly excited about the Fried Rice and the Potato and Chard Skillet Pie. And a friend (and fellow SIO member) inspired a salad I tossed together for lunch today of radicchio, mint, some chopped, toasted almonds, a handful of golden raisins a bit of scallion and a dressing of  tahini, lime juice, olive oil and salt. It was delicious. I’ve not had a chance to fully develop it and write it up but if that combination sounds good to you, give it a try based on these loose guidelines. Happy cooking!

Red Cabbage and Sausage Fried Rice
Potato and Chard Skillet Pie
Sugarloaf or Radicchio Salad with White Beans and Potato “Croutons”
Winter Squash Caponata
Carrots with Cumin, Garlic and Sesame
Radicchio Salad with Egg and Parsley

Red Cabbage and Sausage Fried Rice

This is a simpler fried rice than my typical–no eggs, no soy or fish sauce–just ginger, garlic, pepper, cabbage, pork and rice, basically.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 scallions, white and green parts, separated, all thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper corns, ground in a spice grinder or mortar (or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper)
4 ounces pork sausage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or 1 serrano chile, minced
6 cups shredded red cabbage
Salt
3 cups cooked rice, cold (fresh, hot rice is too sticky for fried rice)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges, for serving

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add the onion and scallion white parts and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, Szechuan pepper, hot pepper and cook for another minute. Add the sausage and stir well and cook for about 2 minutes, still over high heat. Add the cabbage and a few generous pinches of salt and stir well. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the rice and mix in well and cook until heated through and crisping in places. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in cilantro and scallion greens and pass lime wedges and serve immediately.

Potato and Chard Skillet Pie
–inspired by Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison

This is a substantial side dish or a light main dish served with a salad or two. It’s begging for adaptations with different greens, herbs, the addition of a bit of sausage or leftover chicken to the filling, cheeses, etc.

Serves 4-5 as a main, 6-7 as a side

2 lbs firm fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 bunch chard, washed, leaves roughly chopped and stems reserved for another use
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
4 eggs, whisked
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
2/3 cup fairly fine bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Put potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until nice and tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile mash the garlic into a paste with a generous 1/2 teaspoon salt with the side of a chef’s knife or in a mortar. Mash the potatoes with the garlic paste and 3 tablespoons butter until you have a rough puree. Stir in the eggs and the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Cook the chard in a skillet with 2 tablespoons water and a few pinches of salt until tender, about 5 minutes. Press any liquid out of the greens with the back of a wooden spoon, though the greens don’t have to be bone dry. Stir in the nutmeg.

Heat the remaining tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet or any oven proof skillet. Swirl the butter to cover the base of the pan and evenly cover with bread crumbs. Dab a generous half of the potato mixture evenly over the skillet and then gently spread it evenly, taking care not to mix the breadcrumbs into the mixture. Spread the chard over the potatoes and top with the remaining potatoes and spread out evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of the pie to loosen it and invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sugarloaf or Radicchio Salad with White Beans and Potato “Croutons”

This is my idea of good wintery salad. Savory with a hint of bitterness from the escarole  or radicchio, which is rounded out by the crispy potatoes and creamy beans. Adapt as you see fit; sub crispy breadcrumbs or toasted nuts for the potatoes, skip the bacon, etc.

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1-2 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 cups sugarloaf chicory or radicchio, washed, dried and chopped fairly fine (see photo)
2 tablespoons parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned white beans, well drained

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine, cider or champagne vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1-2 teaspoons honey, apple cider syrup or maple syrup
2 teaspoons minced onion or shallot or finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced potatoes and a sprinkle of salt and cook for about 5-10 minutes until nice and crispy and just tender. Add the diced bacon to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes or until bacon is rendered and beginning to crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.

Put the chicory, beans and herbs in a salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and pour over greens. Toss well and taste for seasoning. When you’re ready to serve toss in the potatoes and bacon. Serve immediately.

Winter Squash Caponata

This dish is just slightly adapted from a dish that Jim Dixon posted on Real Good Food. It’s a winning twist on the classic Sicilian dish which uses eggplant.

Olive oil
4-5 cups peeled and diced butternut squash 
2 stalks celery, with leaves if possible, diced
1 red onion (or any onion you have), diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped up a little
Small handful of olives, pitted and chopped (optional–I rarely have them on hand so haven’t used them and it’s still fantastic)
1/3 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped (I usually have them in the freezer) or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Dried (or fresh) oregano, crumbled or chopped (optional)
Salt

In a large, heavy skillet heat the oil. Add the squash and toss well with a few pinches of salt. Cook for a minute or two. Add the onion, celery, garlic, capers, and olives (if using) and cook, covered, until the squash is just about tender–about 12-15 minutes. You may want to stir occasionally and make sure things aren’t burning. I like a bit of browning though. Add the roasted tomatoes or tomato paste, vinegar and honey and simmer for another five minutes until the squash breaks down a bit more. Stir in some oregano, if using and a good splash of good olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature with good bread. I recently also enjoyed it with black beans and fresh tortillas!:)

Carrots with Cumin, Garlic and Sesame

I tossed this dish together for lunch one day. It took about 7 minutes to make and is a keeper in our household. You could add grated winter squash and/or potatoes to this and cook it just a couple of minutes longer for a more robust dish.

Serves 2-3

4 cups grated carrots (grated on large holes of a box grater)
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dressing:
¼ cup Greek yogurt (whole milk)
Juice from half a lemon (or more to taste—you want it nice and tart to counter the sweetness of the carrots)
½ teaspoon harissa (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the seeds and garlic and stir to coat with oil and let cook for about 1 minute. The seeds will start popping and get very fragrant. Don’t let the seeds or garlic burn. Add the grated carrots and stir well. Cook, stirring almost constantly for about 2-3 minutes just to soften the carrot.

Mix the dressing ingredients, with the exception of the cilantro together well. You want it to be quite thin so add a little water if it’s too thick.

Serve the warm carrots with a generous drizzle of the dressing and cilantro, if using.

Radicchio Salad with Egg and Parsley

The richness of the egg pairs nicely with the assertive radicchio. You could dress this up with toasted nuts and/or apples or pears but I do love the simplicity of this, especially if you’re serving other rich dishes.

Serves 4

4 cups radicchio (or a mix of radicchio and escarole), thinly sliced
2 hard cooked eggs
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1-2 teaspoons apple cider syrup or 1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cover the eggs with cold water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and immediately turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit, covered in the hot water for 8-9 minutes, depending on how big the eggs are. Run under cold water and peel and chop finely.

Put the radicchio and parsley, if using, in a serving dish. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, syrup or honey, 3/4 of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss the radicchio with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with the egg, drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with more salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Red Chile Black Beans
Roasted Beets with Chiles, Ginger, Yogurt and Indian Spices
Roasted Shallots/Onions
Radicchio, Roasted Shallot and Parsley Salad
Radicchio Risotto
Braised Kale and Leeks, Galette or Pizza
Kohlrabi Latkes
White Beans with Leeks and Sausage

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Red Chile Black Beans

Perfectly tender, sweet winter squash stuffed with a savory filling is a lovely meal in one. Acorn squash works beautifully here. Adapt the filling to suite your taste and what you have on hand. Use any kind of cooked grain (or no grain and more beans), different spices, cheeses (no cheese, see above right) and herbs.

Serves 2, generously

1 acorn squash (or other similar squash, see headnote), cut in half lengthwise, strings and seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small sweet yellow or red peppers, diced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup canned, fresh or roasted tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons chimayo chile powder or chile powder of your choice
Salt
1/2 cup bulgur
1 cup cooked black beans (or pinto or red)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or 4 tablespoons of one or the other)
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar (or cheese of choice or omit)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put squash cut side down in a baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup water into the dish, cover with foil and bake until quite tender but still holding its shape, about 25-35 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the squash halves.

While the squash is baking, put the bulgur in a saucepan with 1 cup cold water and a pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and a few pinches salt. Saute for minutes. Add garlic and chile powder, stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add tomatoes and beans and combine well. Simmer for 5 minutes or so until thickened a bit. Stir in the fresh herbs and the cooked bulgur. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Fill each squash half with filling, mounding it up nicely. You may have leftover filling. Top with cheese, if you wish, and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through and browning a bit. Serve hot or warm. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil if you don’t top with cheese, before serving.

Roasted Beets with Chiles, Ginger, Yogurt and Indian Spices

A trusted friend/chef recently recommended this recipe. I am currently undergoing chemo therapy and my taste buds are suffering a bit, particularly when it comes to beets, so I’m relying on other resources (and existing recipes of mine) to offer beet inspiration these days as my palate is not to be trusted.

Roasted Shallots and/or Onions

Shallots and onions are particularly wonderful, simply roasted with a few thyme sprigs until caramelized around the edges and sweet and tender in the center. I use these flavorful nuggets in salads (below), as a condiment for roast meats or pureed with other vegetables in a soup or as a snack with bread, cheese and pickles.

Onions and shallots, peeled, however many you would like to use. they shrink quite a bit when roasted and they are so delicious don’t hesitate to make a lot.
Handful of fresh thyme sprigs or 2 teaspoons dry (scale to match your quantity of onions)
Olive oil
Salt
Sherry or red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut onions in large wedges and separate shallot lobes. Spread the onions/shallots on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and add the thyme sprigs or leaves. Toss well and spread out evenly again. Roast for about 35 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and evenly drizzle with vinegar, about 2 tablespoons for the quantity you see above. Return to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes or until all are tender.

These will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Radicchio, Roasted Shallot and Parsley Salad

Strong, slightly bitter radicchio, sweet roasted onions, parsley and crunchy hazelnuts make for a lively winter salad.

Serves 4

5 cups radicchio, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup or more, roasted onions or shallots (see above), chopped
1/3 – 1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped (toasted pumpkin seeds would be good too)
2 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the radicchio, roasted onions, parsley and nuts or seeds in a bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and drizzle over salad. Toss well and adjust seasoning to taste.

Radicchio Risotto

We used both mizuna and radicchio but it’s delicious just with radicchio as well.

This recipe was created by Cathy Whims, long-time friend and Chef  at Nostrana, Oven & Shaker, Hamlet in my kitchen with what I had on hand. Cathy uses one handful of rice per person, plus a handful if you want leftovers.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil
1/2 onion or 2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
6 cups radicchio, finely chopped, divided
5 handfuls risotto rice, arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano
1/2 cup dry white wine
6-7 cups water or vegetable broth
1-2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup grated Asiago Stella (an aged Asiago) or Parmesan, divided
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the water or vegetable broth to a simmer in a small saucepan.

Heat the butter and oil in a 3 – 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add 2/3 of the radicchio and cook a few more minutes. Then add the rice and cook, stirring frequently for another 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and stir well and cook until evaporated. Now add the hot water/broth, ladle by ladle once the rice has more or less absorbed the liquid, stirring almost constantly. If you’re using water (not broth) add several big pinches of salt at this stage. Continue cooking the rice in this manner until the kernels are tender on the outside with just a bit of firmness on the inside. You may not need all the broth/water. Stir in the remainder of the radicchio and cook for an additional minute or two. Stir in most of the cheese and the butter. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed. Let risotto rest for a few minutes before serving, topped with the remaining cheese.

Braised Kale and Leeks, Galette or Pizza

Leeks and kale make for a wonderful combination. You can serve this is a side dish or fry an egg in one side of the pan (or poach one) and call it dinner. Or you can spread it on buttery crust and bake a savory galette or spread it on pizza dough and sprinkle with a little Parmesan and have a lovely, hearty pizza. I think it’s particularly good on Grand Central Bakery’s whole wheat pizza crust. A good, spicy pork sausage crumbled onto the pizza or galette is a wonderful adaptation.

1 large bunch kale, well washed, trimmed and cut into thin ribbons and stems finely chopped
2 medium leeks, well washed and cut into thin half-moons or 1 leek and 2 shallots, diced
1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/3 – 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Gruyere or sharp cheddar (if you’re making a galette or pizza)

In a large skillet heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and shallots, if using, and stir well and sauté for 5 minutes. Add a bit of salt, the red pepper flakes (if using) and the kale, stir well and cook, covered for about 10-15 minutes until all is tender. Stir occasionally and make sure things aren’t browning or drying out. Turn down the heat and/or add a little water if that’s the case. Taste and adjust seasoning.

For a Galette pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
 pieces
1/4 cup Greek or whole milk plain yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1-3 tablespoons ice water (just add enough to bring the dough together)

To make the pastry dough, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or pulse a few times in the food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces too. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and drizzle mixture over flour and butter and using a fork, quickly stir it to combine. The mixture will turn into lumps, which you want to quickly pat into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread kale and leek mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the vegetables, crimping the dough slightly as you go. Evenly distribute the grated cheese over the greens.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

For a pizza:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with a pizza stone on the bottom wrack of the oven if you have one.

Roll or stretch out the pizza dough (1 14-oz ball, more or less, is what you want) and brush a little good olive oil on the dough. Evenly spread the kale and leek mixture over the dough and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the crust is browning and the topping bubbling.

Kohlrabi Latkes

Most root vegetables make good latke-like savory pancakes, and actually vegetables of all kinds make great savory pancakes and you can add some kale here if you don’t have enough kohlrabi and I tend to add a potato or two as well for texture and flavor balance.

I happened to have fresh horseradish and grated a bit into some whole milk Greek yogurt and topped the latkes with this spicy cream but top it with spicy mayo, ketchup (my son does this) sour cream, etc.

Serves 4 (makes about 14-16 latkes)

2 small-medium potatoes, scrubbed (I never bother to peel), grated on large holes of a box grater or with the grating blade of a food processor
About 4-5 cups grated kohlrabi (on large holes of a box grater or the grating blade on a food processor)
1/2 small onion/1 shallot, minced
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt (may need more)
1/3 cup flour
Oil for frying (olive, sunflower, canola, etc.)

Topping (optional):
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish (or prepared)
A few pinches of salt

In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the salt and flour until smooth. Add the onion and grated vegetables and stir well to combine. You can let the mixture sit for up to two hours on the counter before frying (or refrigerate for longer).

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to the hot pan and turn the heat down to medium-high. Fry until the edges are browning. Flip and brown the other side–a few minutes on each side. Keep a plate warm in a 250-degree oven and keep the fried ones in the oven until you’ve fried them all.

In a small bowl mix the yogurt with horseradish and salt, if using (see headnote).

Top latkes with cream and serve.

White Beans with Leeks and Sausage

I made up this dish a few years ago with some large, creamy, and amazingly delicious beans (mortgage runner beans) a friend grows. The flavor and texture combination is worth trying with whatever white bean (or borlotti/cranberry type) you have on hand. Be sure to soak them over night and then cook them slowly with a bay leaf, garlic clove and chunk of onion, until tender. And make sure to let the beans cool in their cooking liquid for at least an hour or two before using. This vastly improves flavor and texture of the beans. And this is why I never cook the beans when I need them in the moment but I cook them when I’m making something else and in the kitchen anyway and am not in a rush for them.

This is more technique than recipe and is one of those that can be endlessly adapted and is thus what I call a CSA heavy hitter. Use kale or onions instead of leeks, or all three; change the ratio of vegetables to beans. Use bacon instead of sausage or leftover chicken or no meat at all. The beans have plenty of protein and richness. Change the herbs to suit your taste/what you have on hand. Add spices, maybe chili flakes or cumin and coriander. Add a teaspoon  or two of Dijon mustard and some garlic. Scale it up or down . . .you get the idea!

Olive oil
3 cups cooked beans, drained (see headnote)
2 pork sausages, spicy if you like, sliced into rounds or crumbled
2 large leeks, trimmed, well washed, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thin half moons
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, savory or sage
Salt and pepper

In a large skillet heat a little olive oil over medium high heat. Add the leeks, sausage and herbs and a couple of pinches of salt. Stir well and sauté for a few minutes until the leeks start taking on a little color. Turn the heat down if things are browning too much. Cover the pan and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the leeks are soft. Stir in the beans and cook long enough to heat through. Season with freshly ground black pepper and ad salt if needed. Serve with another drizzle of good olive oil.

Broiled Celery Root Remoulade
“Kimchi” Salad
Caldo Verde
Mashed Parsnips, Carrots, Potatoes and/or Celery Root
Parsnip and Parsley Hash with Lemon
Roasted Winter Squash with Spicy Yogurt Sauce and Cilantro
Lentil Soup (with Carrots and Potatoes)

Broiled Celery Root Remoulade

This is a delicious variation of the classic French Celery Root Remoulade which is prepared with julienned, raw celery root.  Here you parboil the celery root and then finish it under the broiler before drizzling it with the wonderfully creamy and tangy remoulade.

Serves 4

1 medium celery root, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1 /2 tablespoons olive oil
Dressing:
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup whole milk regular or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
A little white wine or cider vinegar, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley

Set oven to broil.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoon salt and the celery root. Return to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes until just tender. Drain very well. Spread the celery root on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and spread into a single layer. Broil, turning to ensure even browning, until just beginning to crisp and color.

Put celery root in a serving dish and drizzle with dressing and top with parsley. Serve with additional dressing, warm or at room temperature.

“Kimchi” Salad

This dish uses many of the fermented Korean cabbage dish ingredients but without the fermentation. Napa cabbage is traditionally used to make kimchi but I prefer savoy cabbage for this dish.

Serves 6

1/2 small to medium head savoy cabbage, cored, any ratty outer leaves removed and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into match sticks
Salt
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided (not toasted sesame oil)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced, setting 2 tablespoons of sliced greens aside
1 serrano pepper, minced, including seeds or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of half a lime, more to taste
Salt to taste

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the chopped cabbage and carrots and par boil for 3 minutes. Drain well and put in a serving dish.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped scallions, except the 2 tablespoon you’ve set aside, and the minced garlic and ginger. Saute over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds and then add to the blanched vegetables. Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together the remaining sesame oil, fish sauce, hot pepper, vinegar, sugar, lime juice and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice/vinegar and/or salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Caldo Verde
–adapted very slightly from Tender by Nigel Slater

Savoy cabbage is very good in this traditional Portuguese soup but regular old green cabbage or any kind of kale works just as well. One fresh chorizo sausage (about 4 ounces) is enough to flavor this soup but if you have meat lovers at the table feel free to use another. If you’d like to make this without meat, I would add 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (Pimenton) and another clove or two of garlic at the beginning. This soup is even better the next day even though it’s not going to win any beauty contests.

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized chunks
6 cups vegetable broth or water
2 bay leaves
1-2 fresh chorizo sausages (about 4-6 oz.), cut into thin rounds
 (see headnote)
4 -5 cups cabbage, cored and cut into thin strips or kale (see headnote)
Salt and pepper
Good olive oil for drizzling

Sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat in a large pot in a bit of olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for a few more minutes before adding the water (or broth), bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are quite soft. Meanwhile fry the slices of chorizo in a small pan until they are crisp and the fat has been rendered.

Mash the potatoes in the pot with a fork or potato masher until partially broken down. You want the potatoes to thicken the soup but also leave plenty of lumps. Add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes until tender. Add the chorizo, adjust for salt and serve the soup drizzled with good olive oil and another grind of pepper.

Mashed Parsnips, Carrots, Potatoes and/or Celery Root

This is a simple technique that can be used with most any root vegetable or better yet, combination of roots. You can change the ratio of vegetables to suit your taste or to what you have on hand. You can add herbs and/or spices–swap the creme fraiche for whole milk or cream or broth or cooking water. . .

Serves 4, generously

2 large carrots, scrubbed and trimmed and cut into chunks
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks or the equivalent amount of trimmed celery root
2 parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed and cut into chunks
Salt
1/3 -1/2 cup creme fraiche, cream, milk, plain yogurt (for more of a tangy flavor), broth or cooking water plus a little butter
Pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Salt to taste

Put all the vegetables in a pot and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and cook until nice and tender but not falling apart. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid in case you need to loosen up the mash or if you’re using it instead of cream, etc. and drain the vegetables.

Put the vegetables in a food processor* with all the remaining ingredients and pulse/process until well mixed and you have your desired consistency. Add cooking liquid if it’s too thick to process well (or more cream, etc. ) I like it to have some texture and just process briefly.

*If your mixture includes potatoes you don’t want to process the vegetables in the food processor for very long as potatoes get gluey really quickly. In the mix above I processed everything together briefly and it was fine. If your potato ratio is higher I would just mash them by hand and puree the other vegetables, if you want a smoother texture.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, nutmeg, herbs, etc.

Parsnip and Parsley Hash with Lemon

This is one of my favorite ways to eat parsnips. It takes about 10 minutes—start to finish!

Serves 2

Olive oil
½ an onion (or more if you making this for more than 2 people), sliced or chopped
5 parsnips (or more), grated on large holes of a box grater (or in food processor)
½ bunch parsley, chopped
2 eggs (you want one egg per person)
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Generously coat the largest skillet you have with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for just a minute or two. Add the grated parsnips and a few generous pinches of salt and sauté, stirring frequently until browned and almost tender about 7 minutes on fairly high heat. You may want to cover the pan and you may need to add a bit more oil and/or turn the heat down a bit so they don’t burn. When the veggies are almost tender add the chopped parsley and mix well. Now scoot the parsnip mixture to one side of the pan. Add a bit more oil to the open side and fry your eggs there. Drizzle the parsnips mixture with a little lemon juice. When the eggs are cooked to your liking, serve the hash topped with the eggs, which you generously peppered and salted and drizzled with more olive oil.

Roasted Winter Squash with Spicy Yogurt Sauce and Cilantro
–adapted from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi

This recipe makes quite a bit but I have no doubt the whole batch will be consumed within a day, but feel free to scale it back.

Serves 6-8

1 large or two smaller pie pumpkins, cut in half, seeds and strings removed and cut into1-inch or so wedges, leaving skin on or 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs), cleaned and cut into wedges (I tend to peel the butternut before roasting but you can do it after the fact too)
1 teaspoon or more salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup Greek yogurt (or plain whole milk regular yogurt)
1 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half (optional–things the sauce out a bit which is nice for drizzling)
2 teaspoons Sriracha or comparable hot sauce
½ – ¾ cup very finely chopped cilantro, stems and all
1 medium-large garlic clove, minced and then mashed with some coarse salt with the side of a chef’s knife on the cutting board until you have a paste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
A little more salt
1/3-1/2 cup *toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts or hazelnuts (chopped up if using the nuts)

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees

Toss the squash wedges with some salt and olive oil and spread on baking sheets and bake until tender and starting to brown. Let cool a bit and peel/cut off skin.

Meanwhile, stir the Sriracha and yogurt together in a small bowl. In another bowl mix the cilantro, garlic, salt and olive oil.

*To toast pumpkin seeds put raw seeds in a dry skillet over medium high heat. Toast, stirring often, until browned and puffed. Set aside to cool

Put the warm squash wedges on a platter and dollop with yogurt mixture, drizzle with herb sauce and sprinkle with seeds/nuts and serve. You may need to sprinkle the whole thing with a bit more salt.

Lentil Soup

It is easy to make in quantity to have enough for lunches for the week or freeze for a future meal.

Serves 6

2-3 medium carrots (or whatever you want to use), diced or cut into thin rounds
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1-2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups lentils (either the French green Du Pay ones or regular larger, brown ones)
2 sausages
About 6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch dice
2 teaspoons soy sauce (seems strange but is very good)
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Sauté carrot, onion and garlic in 1 ½ tablespoons or so of olive oil in a big pot until softened. Slice sausages into rounds, then cut those in half. Add the thyme, spices and sausage to the onions and carrots and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Then add lentils and about 6 cups of broth or water. Salt generously if you’re broth is not salty. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to med/low and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or so until everything is tender. Add the soy sauce and vinegar and adjust seasoning.

Miso and Cider Vinegar Roasted Vegetables
Chard and Chickpea Stew (with Chorizo)
Radicchio, Fennel and Carrot Salad with Parmesan and Sage
Spaghetti with Radicchio
Oven Roasted Carrot Fries
Beet Pesto
Chard and Onion Panade

Miso and Cider Vinegar Roasted Vegetables

Use whatever combination of winter roots, tubers and squash you have on hand. Toss in some chunks of onion for variety. Skip the fresh herbs if you don’t have any as it’s nice and bright even without.

Serves 4

1 delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and strings scraped out and then cut into quarters lengthwise and then crosswise into chunks
4-5 medium carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into 1/3-inch slices on the bias
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 generous tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 small serrano pepper, minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread the vegetables on a sheet pan. Mix the remaining ingredients, except the salt, in a small bowl and drizzle over the vegetables. Be sure to use all the dressing/marinade and toss the vegetables so they are evenly coated. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring several times during the roasting, until the vegetables are tender and browning in spots. Toss with the herbs, if using, taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Serve hot or warm.

Chard and Chickpea Stew (with Chorizo)

Delicious with or without the chorizo, or any meat you want to add.

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into small dice
2-4 ounces chorizo, either fresh or cured (use the smaller amount if cured), crumbled or chopped
1 bunch chard, well washed and chopped, stems washed and chopped fairly finely
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed (or 2 teaspoons ground)
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 minced, seeded Serrano or jalapeño pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2-3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (you can use some cooking liquid if you have home-cooked ones)
1 cup water or chickpea cooking liquid
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Greek yogurt for serving

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onions, chard stems, carrots, and chorizo, if using, and sauté for about 10 minutes until softening and browning. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and red pepper flakes or hot pepper and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and chard and water or cooking liquid, stirring well, and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a lively simmer, then turn down and cook gently for about 10 minutes so the chickpeas have a chance to absorb the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice at this point if you want. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and enjoy.

Radicchio, Fennel and Carrot Salad with Parmesan and Sage

This is a fresh, robust salad perfect for a weeknight supper or holiday meal. You can scale it up or down and change the ratio of vegetables any way you’d like.

Serves 4-6 as a side

1 smallish head radicchio, halved and (core removed and tossed if there is one) and thinly sliced
2 small-medium carrots, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks or julienned (by all means use a mandolin if you have one)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into matchsticks
2-3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 ounce (or more) Parmesan or aged Asiago thinly shaved
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
Dressing:
11/2 – 2 teaspoons apple cider syrup (reduced apple cider) or honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl or on a platter. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then pour dressing over salad. Gently toss to thoroughly mix. Taste and adjust seasoning with more vinegar, oil or salt and pepper.

This is a quick dish that pairs the robust, slightly bitter flavor of the radicchio with a little cream, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice and parsley.

Spaghetti with Radicchio
–Inspired by the radicchio, lemon, ricotta spaghetti recipe in The Lemon Cookbook by Ellen Jackson

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 head radicchio, about 3/4 lb, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 large red onion (or any onion/shallots you have), diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 lb spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil in very large skillet (ideally the pasta will fit in it eventually) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until softening. Add the radicchio and a few more pinches of salt and a tablespoon or two of water. Saute for about 2 minutes, just until wilted. Add the lemon juice and mix in well. Add the cream and simmer for 2 minute until thickened. Stir in the lemon zest and the parsley and plenty of black pepper and taste for salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of hot, starchy cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the radicchio sauce, along with the Parmesan and a little of the hot, pasta cooking water. Stir well and add a little more water if it’s at all dry. Serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Carrot Fries

Carrots get even sweeter roasted in the oven with just a little spice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub but don’t peel carrots, however many you want, and cut into carrot sticks. In a small bowl mix together a bit of ground cumin, paprika or pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika) and salt. In a large bowl mix the carrot sticks with the spice mixture, as evenly as you can. Then mix in a tablespoon or two of olive oil and spread the carrots on a sheet pan. Bake, tossing occasionally until tender and crisped a bit around the edges.

Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and or homemade aioli or store bought mayo doctored with a little garlic and lemon juice, if you’d like.

Beet Pesto

This is a delicious and beautiful variation on regular pesto. And if you have cooked or roasted beets on hand it’s very quick to pull together. You can serve over grains, hardboiled eggs or other egg dishes or roasted veggies or as a spread or dip.

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced beets
Generous handful of walnuts, toasted or raw (or hazelnuts or almonds)
1 small clove garlic
About ¼ -1/3 cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
¼ cup good-tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of cider, white wine or sherry vinegar

Process the cheese and nuts first until finely ground. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

To use with pasta, dilute with ¼ cup of hot pasta-cooking water before tossing with cooked pasta. Top with extra cheese.

Chard and Onion Panade
–Inspired by the Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers

I love panades–stale bread and stewed onions slowly baked with stock and other vegetables. This one takes quite a while to bake so it might be a better weekend dish or prep it in the morning and then put in the oven the minute you get home.

Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced onions or use 3-4 shallots and 4 leeks
Up to 1/3 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt
1 very large bunch or 2 smaller bunches chard, leaves cut into 1-inch-wide strips, stems thinly sliced
10 ounces stale, crusty bread, cut into cubes
Up to 4 cups chicken or good vegetable stock 
or homemade veggie bouillon broth
6 ounces Gruyère or sharp cheddar, coarsely grated

Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot and cook the onions or leeks and shallots and chard stems over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so until they begin to soften, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and a few pinches of salt and lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are a pale golden color and tender about 15- 20. If at any point the onions look as if they may dry out, cover them to trap some of the moisture in the pan. Taste for salt.

Wilt the chard, in batches if it doesn’t all fit at once, in a large pan or pot, with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of water. This should just take a few minutes. Set the chard aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the bread with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a generous 1/4 cup of the stock or broth and a few pinches of salt, to taste.

In a 3-quart Dutch oven assemble the panade in layers, starting with a generous layer of onions, followed by scattering of bread cubes (you don’t have to cover the onions completely), a second layer of onions, a layer of chard, and a handful of the cheese. Repeat until you’ve used up the ingredients, aiming for 2 to 3 layers of each. It’s pretty to have each item visible on the top layer, just for fun, and drizzle with any remaining olive oil.

Bring the remaining 3 3/4 cups stock to a simmer and taste for salt. Add stock slowly, around the edge of the dish. For a very juicy, soft panade, best served on its own, like a soup or risotto, add stock nearly to the rim; for a firm but succulent panade, nice as a side dish, fill to about 1 inch below the rim. Wait a minute for stock to be absorbed, then add more to return to the desired depth. The panade may rise a little as the bread swells.

Set panade on the stove top over low heat and bring to a simmer; look for bubbles around the edges (heating it here saves at least 30 minutes of oven time). Cover the panade with foil and put in the oven. Bake until the panade is piping hot and bubbly. It will rise a little, lifting the foil with it. The top should be pale golden in the center and slightly darker on the edges. This usually takes about 45 minutes but varies by baking dish and oven.

Uncover panade, raise temperature to 375 degrees, and leave until golden brown on top, 10 to 20 minutes. Slide a knife down the side of the dish and check the consistency of the panade. Beneath the crust, it should be very satiny and it should ooze liquid as you press against it with the blade of the knife. If it seems dry, add a few tablespoons simmering chicken stock and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Escarole, Leek and Potato Soup with Parsley “Pistou”
Skirt Steak with Harissa and Chimichurri
Roasted Winter Squash and Escarole Salad
Red Cabbage and Apple Salad with Crispy Caraway Breadcrumbs
Butternut Squash and Farro Soup
Indonesian-Style Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk
Bruschetta with Stewed Leeks and Goat Cheese

Escarole, Leek and Potato Soup with Parsley Pistou

This is a pretty, green-flecked soup topped with more green in the form of the parsley garnish. Pistou is sort of a French version of pesto (usually without nuts) made with basil and used to top soups. This lemony parsley version brightens up this simple, creamy (no cream) soup.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (or more olive oil)
1 large leek or 2 smaller ones, trimmed, carefully washed and cut into thin half moons
½ onion, diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 small-medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced (about 2 ½ cups), for a more refined soup feel free to peel the potatoes
6 cups escarole, washed, chopped and tightly packed (about ½ a head)
4-5 cups broth or stock (I used about 3 cups of light chicken stock and 1 ½ cups water)
Salt
Juice of half a lemon, more to taste

Parsley “Pistou”
1 cup or slightly more parsley leaves, chopped very finely
1 small clove garlic, minced and mashed with a bit of coarse salt on the cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife to make a rough paste (or pressed or just finely minced)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
¼ – 1/3 cup good olive oil
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste,
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter, if using, in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, leek, garlic and potatoes and a few pinches of salt. Stir well and cook, covered, for about 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat down if vegetables begin to brown. Add the broth/water and bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 10 more minutes until potatoes are tender. Add the escarole and cook for another 5-7 minutes until it is tender.

Stir together all the pistou ingredients. It should be strongly flavored and bright.

Puree the soup, in batches in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender. Be very careful blending hot liquids. Return the soup to the pot. Add lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with the parsley pistou.

Skirt Steak with Harissa and Chimichurri

Two of my favorite condiments/sauces in one dish. They have cumin and hot pepper in common and the heat and spice from the harissa, thinned down with red wine vinegar and a little olive oil, tenderizes the meat which also nicely absorbs the flavors. I developed this recipe for Carman Ranch who’s meats are delicious and need little fanfare. Serve this with rice or roasted potatoes or something that can soak up the juices and any extra chimichurri. If you don’t have harissa you can just make a simple paste of garlic, red pepper flakes a little olive oil and salt and ground cumin.

Serves 4

1 1/4 lb +/- skirt steak, any connective tissue and fat removed
2-3 tablespoons harissa, depending on how spicy yours is, or 1 tablespoon of a simple paste of garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin and salt (see headnote)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive, grapeseed or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon salt

Chimichurri
(There are many versions of this Argentinian sauce typically served with beef. Change the ratio of herbs to suit your tastes or what you have on hand)
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix the harissa, vinegar, oil and salt in a small bowl. Pat the meet dry and lay it out on a sheet pan. Spread the steak evenly with the harissa mixture on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-12 hours.

Stir the chimichurri ingredients together in a small bowl.

Heat a cast iron skillet, grill pan or any heavy skillet over hight heat. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and scrape off most of the marinade with the back of a knife. You don’t need to get it all. If your pan does not accommodate the whole piece, cut it in half. They cook so quickly you can cook them back to back.

Put the steak in the pan and turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook for about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 2 minutes for medium rare. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your steak. Err on the side of less time on the heat as this cut can get chewy if it’s cooked beyond medium rare. Remove from the pan and put on a cutting board and cover tightly with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the meat against the grain, on the diagonal, into 1/2-inch or so strips. Serve hot or warm.

Roasted Winter Squash and Escarole Salad

I love combining cooked vegetables and salad greens and this one’s a winner.

Serves 4-6, generously (it keeps quite well and you can also reduce the recipe of course)

4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges or chunks
1 teaspoon each finely chopped sage and rosemary (or just one or the other or skip the herbs entirely)
Salt
Olive oil
4-5 cups washed, chopped and dried escarole (packed)
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
Salt
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup or 1 teaspoon honey
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss the squash and onions in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and mix in the chopped herbs, if using, and about 1 teaspoon sea salt. Spread on a sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and browning.  Put the vegetables on a platter and let cool a bit.

Stir the vinegar, oil, syrup/honey, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Toss the greens with the sliced scallion, the vegetables and the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or vinegar.

Red Cabbage and Apple Salad with Crispy Caraway Breadcrumbs

Savory, sweet, crunchy and beautiful. .. I love this salad.

½ a medium red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 7-8 cups)
1 large, crunchy and tart apple, cored and cut into match sticks, more or less
1/3 cup diced sharp cheddar or Emmenthaler or Gruyere or the like
2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (optional) or mince a little scallion or onion instead
1 cup rough/large bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
½-1 teaspoon caraway seeds (depending on how strong of a caraway flavor you want)

Dressing
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, more to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey, maple syrup or sugar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Put the cabbage, apple, cheese and herbs in a large salad bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and when hot add the bread crumbs, caraway seeds and a few pinches of salt. Stir well and toast until fragrant and dry and crispy and a few shades darker.

Stir together the dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Toss well and let vegetables soften for a bit. When ready to serve scatter over the crispy bread crumbs and toss again.

Butternut Squash and Farro Soup

This soup sounds fabulous. I haven’t tried it but will this week once I get my butternut squash.

Indonesian-Style Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk

This is a smooth, complex and rich soup. Feel free to double this recipe if you have a crowd to feed or want to freeze half for future use.

Serves 6

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons minced, fresh ginger
1 medium onion, diced
1 3/4 lbs carrots, well scrubbed and sliced
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or some minced fresh hot pepper) or more to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry or dry vermouth or 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice
1 can coconut milk (preferably full fat)
½ cup chopped, fresh cilantro or mint

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and carrots and a few generous pinches of salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the stock and wine and bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stir well. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender. Adjust seasoning and bring back to a simmer. Serve topped with additional cilantro or mint.

Bruschetta with Stewed Leeks and Goat Cheese

You can serve this as a hearty appetizer or first course or even as dinner with a big salad on the side. If you don’t have goat cheese on hand, feta would work too or even just a little butter. Quantities are approximate so scale up or down to suit your needs.

Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a side

2 large leeks or more smaller ones (discard only the top couple of inches that are tough and scruffy. Most of the green part is good to use.)
Olive oil
4 slices of good, crusty bread
3 ounces soft goat cheese (see headnote for alternatives)
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, minced or crumbled (optional)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Clean leeks well and cut in half lengthwise then cut into ½ inch half-rounds. Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks when the oil is hot. Stir well to coat, salt with a couple of pinches of salt. Add thyme and stir well. Cook for a few minutes uncovered, then turn the heat down a bit and cover. Check occasionally to make sure the leeks aren’t browning or burning. Add a splash of water if they start to stick and turn the heat down a bit more. Cook for about 15 minutes until leeks are meltingly tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, toast the bread and hard-boil the eggs and peel and chop those. Spread the goat cheese on the bread, arrange stewed leeks on cheese, sprinkle with egg, salt and a couple of grinds of pepper and drizzle a little good olive oil over the whole thing. Garnish with parsley. There is no way to eat this delicately. They make a mess, the toppings fall off. . . no matter.

Warm, cozy dishes this week for our very abrupt beginning of fall. Enjoy!

Roasted Celery Root and Mushrooms with Parsley Vinaigrette
Barley, Vegetable and Beef Stew (w/ Celery Root, Carrots & Peppers)
Beet Dip/Spread with Sage and Thyme
Corn Chowder with Peppers and Delicata Squash
Chard Baked with Orzo
Caramelized Onions
Roasted Delicata (& Fennel) and Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted Celery Root and Mushrooms with Parsley Vinaigrette

Roasting celery root together with mushrooms (most any kind) and a little white wine is delicious as is but bright and more beautiful dressed with a parsley-rich vinaigrette.

Serves 4-6

1 small to medium celery root, trimmed and cut into 3/4 – 1-inch dice/chunks
1/2 lb mushrooms (I used shiitake mushrooms here but any kind will work or any combination), brushed clean and roughly chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt

Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon vinegar (more to taste)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 scallion or 2 teaspoons onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Put the celery root and mushrooms in an 8 x 13″ oven proof dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the thyme. Pour over the wine and drizzle and olive oil. Stir to coat evenly. Cover with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting for 10 minute or until most of the liquid that was released from the mushrooms has evaporated and the edges of the celery root and mushrooms are browning and everything is tender.
Meanwhile mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Toss with the warm or room temperature vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Barley, Vegetable and Beef Stew (w/ Celery Root, Carrots & Peppers)

This recipe makes a lot and it tastes even better on the second and third day and it freezes well but feel free to halve it if you’d like.

If you have an open bottle of red wine you can replace 1-2 cups of water when you add the stock/water for an even deeper flavor.

Serves 10 +/-

Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery (with leaves if you there are any), chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh or dried marjoram or oregano (optional)
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 1/2 – 2 lbs beef (stew meat, Eye of Round roast or any lesser cut that benefits from long, moist cooking)
3 medium carrots, scrubbed and chopped
3 cups celery root, peeled and trimmed and cut into medium dice
4 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, beef)
2 cups canned or fresh tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup roasted/frozen tomatoes
5-6 cups water (you can use some red wine for part of this, see headnote)
1 1/2 cups barley (I use a whole hulless barley variety) but hulled or pearled works too. If you’re using pearled barley, add it 30 minutes before the stew is done rather than with all the other ingredients.
Salt
Parsley for serving (optional)

If you are using a roast (I tend to use the very reasonably priced Eye of Round which is often suggested to be roasted but I find works beautifully for this stew), slice it in 3/4 – 1-inch thick slices.

Heat three tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, pepper (if using) garlic and herbs and turn the heat down to medium and saute for 7-8 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots, celery root and a few pinches salt and mix well. Cook for another few minutes. Add the beef, barley, stock, water, tomatoes and a bit more salt if you’re stock isn’t very salty. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook, covered for about 90 minutes or until the meat is tender and easy to break apart. If you’re using a sliced roast, remove the meat and tear it into small bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to the stew and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. If you have the time, let the stew cool and then reheat, for maximum flavor.  Serve garnished with fresh parsley if you’d like.

Beet Dip/Spread with Sage and Thyme
–adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This brilliantly colored puree is a wonderful appetizer or snack. The original recipe calls for Za’ atar, a wonderful spice mixture which I don’t always have on hand. I do have both thyme and sage in my garden and thought the combination was a great substitute. If you have Za’ atar by all means use it—use 2 teaspoons of it instead of the sage and thyme.

About ½ lb cooked, trimmed beets (4-5 small-medium)
½ up Greek yogurt or plain regular yogurt
1/2 a small jalapeno (discard some or all seeds if sensitive to spice)
2 small cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon chopped fresh or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried sage
Sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Thinly sliced chives or green onions
Toasted, chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
1-2 ounces crumbled feta
Good olive oil
Bread or crackers for dipping

Cook the beets (or bake) until tender. Peel and roughly chop. Put the beets, yogurt, hot pepper, garlic, syrup, herbs, salt and olive oil in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. I like a little bit of texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Put puree in a bowl and top with green onions, nuts, feta and a good drizzle of oil.

Corn Chowder with Peppers and Delicata Squash

Corn chowder is quick to make, adaptable, and a rich yet fresh late summer/early fall dish that takes advantage of corn, peppers of any kind, potatoes and herbs. While I haven’t tried this particular version I think the addition of Delicata squash, especially if you don’t have a lot of corn, will be delicious, adding sweetness and a creamy texture.

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bacon, diced (optional) or 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or dried thyme (optional but very good)
2 -3 sweet peppers, seeds and membranes removed and diced or
1 small jalapeño or serrano, minced (if you want a little heat, especially if you’re using sweet peppers instead of anaheims or poblanos)
Kernels from 2-4 ears of corn (see headnote), sliced off the cob
1 ½ cups potatoes, well scrubbed but not peeled and cut into 1/2 –inch dice
1 Delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and membranes scraped out and then cut into 3/4-inch chunks, more or less
2 1/2 cups whole milk (or part milk, part cream)
3 cups vegetable broth or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A little chopped parsley (optional) for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and bacon (if using) and thyme (if using) and sauté for about 5 minutes. If you’re not using bacon and have smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton) add a teaspoon of it at this stage. Add the garlic and the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and all the milk (or milk and cream) and stock or broth. Add salt if your stock is not very salty. Bring to a boil and let simmer briskly for about 8 minutes. Add the corn, and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes until everything is tender. The potatoes should be falling apart and will help thicken the chowder. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley if you’d like.

Chard Baked with Orzo

This an ideal cook-with-what you have formula. Saute onions, garlic and maybe some carrots and celery; add whatever vegetable you have–in this case chard, stems and all, and add broth, lots of fresh herbs, some cheese and rice-shaped orzo pasta and bake it all until cooked and set.

Serves 4, generously

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced or cut in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into thin slices
2 stalks celery, including leaves, finely chopped (optional)
2 sweet peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch chard, stems and leaves separated, stems finely sliced and leaves chopped
1 heaping cup orzo (I didn’t have quite enough orzo in the pictured version so topped it off with Israeli couscous)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or basil or a combination of other leafy herbs (oregano, mint, etc.)
¾ cup grated Parmesan or really most any cheese (sharp cheddar, provolone, firm mozzarella, even crumbled goat cheese or feta would be good though quite different)
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, chard stems and celery and a few pinches salt and saute for 7 or so minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened. Add the chard leaves and stir well and cook for another 5 minutes or so, then stir in the orzo. Cook for a few more minutes and then stir in the herbs, broth, cheese and plenty of freshly ground pepper and take off the heat. If your broth is well seasoned you probably won’t need more salt but taste and make sure.

Empty the contents of the skillet carefully into a baking dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake or broil for another few minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is tender.

Caramelized Onions

Stewed or caramelized onions flavored with just a bit of vinegar and thyme are one of my favorite things. I forget about them and when I do remember to make them I put them in/on everything. You can stir them into rice or serve them as a condiment/side to chicken, pork or beef. . .

You can use red or yellow onions here.

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

2 large onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil (or 2 tablespoons of olive or butter)
3-4 sprigs thyme or 1 generous teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar (more to taste)

Cook onions in a large skillet in the butter and/or olive oil and thyme over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add several generous pinches of salt as the onions break down. Continue cooking until they begin to caramelize. Add the vinegar towards the end and cook for a few more minutes. You can cook them anywhere from 20-45 minutes.

Spread over your favorite pizza dough, dot/sprinkle with your cheese of choice (fresh goat, blue, or a good cheddar are all great options) and bake until bubbly and crusty in a hot oven of 450 or 500, preferably on a preheated pizza stone.

You can also spread the onion mixture on crostini for a snack or side or appetizer or toss it with pasta, adding a bit of hot pasta cooking water at the end to make it saucier and topping with grated cheese.

Roasted Delicata (& Fennel) and Pumpkin Seeds

I had a fennel bulb leftover from last week and decided to roast it with a Delicata squash, salt, a dusting of chili flakes and some pumpkin seeds. Whether or not you have any fennel, this is the essence of simplicity and very tasty.

2 Delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed and cut into ¾-1-inch chunks, more or less
1 fennel bulb (optional—see headnote), trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces, more  or less
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt
Olive oil
1/3-1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put vegetables on a sheet pan and sprinkle generously with salt, and chili flakes, if using, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Roast in center of oven for 20 minutes. Scoot the vegetables to make room for the pumpkin seeds and roast another 10 minutes or until seeds are puffed and browned. Put contents of the sheet pan in a serving dish and serve immediately. If serving later, keep the seeds separate and add when serving, to maintain their crunch.

The Ribollita (Tuscan Bean & Kale Soup), the Mojadra and Chickpea, Carrot and Bulgur Soup are nice hearty entries with vegetables playing key, if not central roles–all will be delicious as the weather cools a bit, not to mention the Carrot, Nutmeg and Oat muffins. Happy fall cooking!

Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges with Cilantro and Garlic
Braised Fennel, Sweet Peppers and Onions
Sweet, Sour and Hot Eggplant
Ribollita (Tuscan Kale and Bean Soup)
Chickpea, Carrot and Bulgur Soup with Harissa
Harissa (Spicy pepper paste)
Mojadra (Indian Lentils with Rice and Caramelized Onions)
Oat, Carrot and Nutmeg Muffins

Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges with Cilantro and Garlic

While acorn squash can be hard to cut raw, getting it into wedges or some kind of chunks is doable and makes for a wonderful dish, when roasted and tossed with an herby dressing. This preparation would be delicious with most any kind of winter squash so substitute as you see fit.

Serves 4-6

1 medium-large acorn squash or two smaller ones
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped (leaves and stems)
1 Serrano pepper, minced (de-seeded if uncertain of heat level) or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Juice of half a lemon
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or mashed
Salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds and strings and discard. Cut the squash halves into wedges about 1 inch thick. Don’t worry if the pieces are a bit irregular or break. Put the squash wedges on a sheet pan and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper and toss well with your hands. Spread wedges out evenly and bake, flipping the wedges about 15 minutes into the baking. Bake another 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool a bit. You can either peel the squash now or toss the cooked wedges as is and let people remove the skin as they eat.

Meanwhile mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Gently toss the squash with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Braised Fennel, Sweet Peppers and Onions

This dish takes about 25 minutes to cook but is dead simple and mostly hands-off and it’s very versatile.

You can toss this dish with just-cooked pasta and a bit of hot pasta cooking water and some grated Parmesan and a good drizzle of olive oil for a luscious main dish. Or you can serve it as a side with most anything or top it with an egg.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 fennel fronds, chopped
2 sweet peppers, trimmed, seeded and sliced
½ large onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons cider vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have except for balsamic which is too sweet)
1 ½ cups water, divided
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley, optional (and skip if you have fennel fronds)
Grated Parmesan
¾ lb pasta (optional)
Good olive oil (optional)

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add the onions, fennel and pepper and a pinch or two of salt. Toss well and cook over high heat for 7-10 minutes or so, stirring frequently until the vegetables are browning in places.

Add the vinegar and 1 cup water and a bit more salt. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the water is mostly absorbed. Add the remaining ½ cup water and continue cooking until the fennel is tender throughout and all the water has been absorbed/evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If you’re going to toss it with pasta, reserve 1/3 cup or so of hot pasta cooking water and toss it with the fennel mixture, the pasta, some grated Parmesan and a splash of good olive oil.

Sweet, Sour and Hot Eggplant

My favorite way to serve this quick Chinese-inspired dish is over short grain brown rice but any rice is excellent. If you’re short on eggplant, you can fill it out with more onion and sweet peppers.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
2 medium eggplant (or several smaller ones—any kind of eggplant will work in this dish—the long slender Japanese ones, more common Italian, globe ones, . . .), skin on, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (more, see headnote)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh, minced Serrano, jalapeno or other hot pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
3-4 tablespoons Thai basil, basil, cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok heat the oil and sauté onions and pepper (if using) over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes until they soften. Add red pepper flakes (or minced hot pepper) and eggplant and cook until it softens and browns a bit, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. A few minutes before the eggplant is done add the minced garlic and stir well. Then add the sauce and stir well to mix and coat veggies. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until sauce thickens and veggies are tender. Stir in the herbs, saving out a few for garnish if you’d like. Serve hot over rice with herbs.

Ribollita (Tuscan Kale and Bean Soup)

This luscious soup is a mainstay of Tuscan cooking and used to be made by re-cooking (ribollire) yesterday’s minestrone and simmering it over stale bread in this second incarnation. I make it all in one go, as do many Italians, but it is even better the next day. It takes a bit of time to make but there are some short cuts and it’s worth it.

I made a quick version of this with last week’s kale and used fresh tomatoes, no celery and skipped the last step and just served it over bread I’d toasted and rubbed with a garlic clove. It was excellent.

Serves 4-6

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
1 large or two smaller stalks celery (if there are leaves attached include those), chopped (optional)
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch dice
Scant 1 cup chopped canned, fresh or roasted tomatoes
1 cup dry white beans (that you’ve soaked over night or for at least 4 hours), drained (or you can use already cooked beans as well but you’ll add them to the soup a bit later).
1 very large or 2 smaller bunches kale, washed and well chopped
8 cups water
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Good olive oil
4-6 slices good, crusty bread (several days old is fine), toasted

Sauté the onion, celery, if using, and carrot and thyme in about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the potatoes and tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Add the drained (but not cooked) beans, water and kale. Bring everything to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. If you are using already cooked beans, add them one hour into the cooking time. At the end, season generously with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the bread in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven. Pour the soup over the bread, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or so. Serve hot with plenty of good olive oil and more salt and pepper, if needed.

Chickpea, Carrot and Bulgur Soup with Harissa
–adapted from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi

This takes advantage of your carrots and you sweet peppers (if you use some to make Harissa) this week. And as it gets cooler towards the end of the week, it would make a  lovely supper.

This is simple, comforting and warming and makes delicious leftovers. It begs to be varied with the addition of other vegetables. Add some diced (either raw or already cooked) winter squash or most any root vegetable. If you’re adding them already cooked just add them at the very end just to get heated through and marry the flavors a bit.

Serves 5 generously

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, including leaves, rinsed and thinly sliced
3-4 carrots, scrubbed and quartered lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
1 1/2 – 3 tablespoons harissa, depending on how spicy yours is and how spicy you like things (storebought or using the recipe below)
3 cups cooked chickpeas
6 cups chickpea cooking liquid or vegetable broth or a combination of the two
3/4 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons additional harissa and a splash of olive oil
Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot and celery and a few pinches of salt and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the spices and harissa, stir well and cook until fragrant, another minute or two. Add the chickpeas, cooking liquid and/or broth and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the bulgur and cook for about 7 more minutes until it’s tender but still has some bite.

Put the Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Swirl in the harissa and a little olive oil Serve the soup hot, topped with the yogurt and a few cilantro leaves.

Harissa
–adapted from smitten kitchen.com

I used to buy harissa but eventually switched to making my own in large batches and freezing several jars. I tend to triple the below recipe. Harissa is a spicy paste/sauce common in Tunisia and Morocco and other countries of the Mahgreb. No two batches I make are ever quite the same. I use whatever dried and/or fresh peppers I have on hand. I’ve used dried Aci Sivri peppers (from Ayers Creek farm), dried New Mexico Chilies and several kinds of sweet and semi-hot fresh peppers–red bell peppers or roasters, Anaheim and poblano peppers and jalapeños even. You can use what you have and heat things up with red pepper flakes. It’s a flexible condiment/paste and will be delicious in many variations.

It’s delicious with eggs, stirred into hummus, spread with goat cheese on little toasts, with fish, in a soup, with beans, as a sandwich spread, by itself or mixed with mayo (this is especially good with avocado and pickled onions on good, toasted bread) . . .

A combination of peppers (see headnote) such as:

2 sweet red or yellow peppers, broiled until blistered then peeled and seeded
3 dried New Mexico chiles, covered with boiling water and soaked for 20-30 minutes then drained, deseeded and flesh scraped from tough skin
If you don’t have any spicy peppers add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 roasted tomatoes or dried tomatoes (if dried, rehydrate with the peppers), and use more if you have fewer peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

In a small dry skillet toast the seeds all together for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat until a shade darker and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and put in a mortar pestle or spice grinder. Let cool for a few minutes and then grind. I don’t grind them terribly fine and like the bit of texture they retain. I use a mortar and pestle.

Put the ground spices, the peeled, rehydrated peppers, tomatoes, garlic, salt and oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store in small jars in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 10 days. Freeze it if you make a bigger batch or don’t go through it quickly enough.

Mojadra (Indian Lentils with Rice and Caramelized Onions)

This is a wonderfully satisfying dish that uses the most basic staples to delicious effect. It’s a great way to use lots of onions and they are the stars of the show, nicely caramelized. It’s also a simple dish to create with little time. Cook the rice and lentils in the morning while you’re making breakfast and then quickly finish the meal in the evening with the onions and toppings from the pantry.

There are variations of this dish from Egypt to Lebanon and Israel with many different spellings and iterations.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil, divided
1 cup small French green lentils (or brown lentils)
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 bay leaf
3 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-large onions, sliced thin (about 4 cups sliced)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup full-fat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
Harissa or hot sauce of your choice

Heat 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter, ghee or olive oil in a 4-quart pot. Add rice and lentils and mix well. Sauté for a minute or two. Add bay leaf, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 35-40 minutes or until both lentils and rice are very tender and all the water has been absorbed.

While the rice and lentils cook heat the remaining oil or butter in a large skillet medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt and sauté. When onions begin to soften, add garlic and spices. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until well browned and significantly reduced in volume, about 20 minutes. (Add a splash or two of water if necessary to prevent sticking or burning.) Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Remove the bay leaf from the rice and beans and serve them topped with caramelized onions and a generous dollop of yogurt and Harissa. The Harissa (a North African hot chili sauce) is not a classic accompaniment but it’s really good but feel free to omit it and serve with your favorite hot sauce or none at all. Both Pastaworks and New Seasons carry, good jarred Harissa.

Oat, Carrot and Nutmeg Muffins

A lightly sweet, chewy yet airy muffin packed full of carrots, rolled oats, yogurt and nutmeg that are perfect for (school) snacks or breakfast. I grate the carrots on the smaller holes of a box grater which gives these muffins a fine texture.

Yields 12 muffins

1 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I’ve used Emmer flour, barley flour as well as regular whole wheat pastry flour in these, all with great results)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole milk)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted or 1/2 cup sunflower or mild olive oil (the thick part of full-fat coconut milk might work just fine too though I haven’t tried it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter or oil a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a medium bowl combine the flours, oats, spices, soda and salt. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, carrots, sugar, melted butter or oil and yogurt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, combining them quickly and well. Do not over mix. Portion the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 18-25 minutes, checking after 18 so as not to dry them out. Remove from the tin and let cool on a rack.

The escarole is perfect just with a nice tangy vinaigrette with plenty of lemon and garlic. Add a few croutons and you have a bit of a Caesar salad. If you get a head of radicchio, do the same but add some rich, crumbly cheese to the mix. And the first of the Delicata are wonderful just sliced crosswise and roasted on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt.

Gingery Coconut Milk Soup with Carrots, Potatoes and Basil
Eggplant Rounds with Tomato and Basil
Baked or Sautéed Kale with Tomatoes and Egg
Frikeh (Parched Green Wheat) or Barley/Farro/Lentils w/ Roasted Vegetables & Egg
Polenta with Sweet Pepper and Tomato Sauce
Escarole and Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Roasted Squash and Onions tossed with Escarole

Gingery Coconut Milk Soup with Carrots, Potatoes and Basil

This a fragrant, simple and delicious soup. It’s begging for adaptations: add chicken or use different vegetables such winter squash or sweet peppers. Add lots of cilantro at the end instead of the basil. Spice it up with chilies or more green curry paste. Serve it over rice for a complete meal.

Serves 4

1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 – 1 teaspoon green curry paste (I particularly like the local Thai & True brand), depending on how much spice you want
1 onion, finely diced
2 medium to large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon minced fresh green chili like jalapeno or serrano including seeds, or more to taste (optional)
3 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut into rounds or chunks
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium dice
3-4 cups chicken broth, veggie bouillon or water (depending on how thick/thin you want it)
1 cup basil leaves, roughly torn
Salt, to taste
Lime juice, optional

Scoop the thick/solid part of the coconut milk from the top of the can (usually the liquid and solid parts are nicely separated–if this is not the case just use about 1/3 of the can for this step) into a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric, green curry paste and hot pepper if using, and mix well. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until fragrant and reduced a bit. Add the onions and carrots and stir well and cook for another few minutes. Add the potatoes and stir well. Add the remainder of the coconut milk and the broth or water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the torn basil leaves. Simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice, as is or over rice.

Eggplant Rounds with Tomato and Basil

There are many variations on this theme, most use mozzarella or another gooey cheese. I made these when I had just one medium-sized globe eggplant to use. It comes together quickly and is good hot and at room temperature.

Serves 4

1 medium globe eggplant
2-3 medium-large slicing tomatoes
1/2 cup basil leaves (save a few to garnish)
Salt
Olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Turn on the broiler.

Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the rounds, sprinkled with salt over high heat until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes for the first a bit less for the second side. Put the browned rounds on a baking sheet.

Top each round with a few basil leaves, then a slice of tomato, a sprinkle of salt and drizzle of olive oil.  Set the pan under the broiler and broil until the tomatoes have softened and are bubbling a little. Remove from the oven and divide the Parmesan between all the rounds. Return to the broiler for another minute or two until melted and browning. Garnish with chopped basil and serve.

Baked or Sautéed Kale with Tomatoes and Egg

This is fun and delicious. The dish takes about 7 minutes to pull together and about 45 minutes to bake. Toast a little bread and you’re set for dinner (or brunch). You can also make a quicker version on the stove top. Same process just in a large skillet and the cooking time is about half of that in the oven, see photo below. 

Serves 4

1 bunch kale, well washed, tough stems discarded and leaves cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes (juice and all)
1/4 -½ teaspoon smoked Spanish Paprika (pimenton)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 eggs
More good olive oil for drizzling
Good, toasted bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Put tomatoes in a baking dish (8 x 13 works and gives you room for six eggs) and stir in pimenton. In a large bowl, toss the kale ribbons with the vinegar, minced garlic, some salt and pepper and some olive oil. Stir this mixture into the tomatoes. Taste to make sure it seems well-seasoned and put in the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes until bubbly. Remove the pan from the oven and make four (or six) indentations in the vegetables and crack the eggs into these. Season with sea salt and pepper and return to the oven. Bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking. I takes about 7-10 minutes in my oven to get eggs with the whites set and the yolks runny. Serve with good, crusty bread and a generous drizzle of the best olive oil you have.

Polenta with Sweet Pepper and Tomato Sauce

In late summer and early fall in many parts of Italy, sweet red peppers are stewed with onions and tomatoes (and sometimes sausages) and then ladled over bowls of creamy polenta. It’s a lovely dish.

If you want to add sausages you can either cook them whole, separately or slice or crumble them into the skillet when you’re cooking the onions and peppers, before you add the tomatoes.

Serves 4

For the sauce:
3 sweet peppers (more or less), well washed, cored and seeded and cut into thin strips
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4-5 medium tomatoes (heirloom or slicers), diced
Olive oil
Salt
Chopped basil (optional)

For the polenta:
1 1/2-cups polenta
6 cups water, veggie bouillon broth or milk or a combination of any of those
1-teaspoon sea salt (less if you’re using veggie bouillon)
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup grated cheese (Parmesan, Asiago Stella, . . .), divided

To make the polenta, bring the liquid and salt to a boil in a heavy, large saucepan. Whisk in the polenta and turn down so that it’s at a steady simmer. Whisk or stir frequently for the first few minutes to ensure that there are no lumps. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally over low-medium heat for about 45 minutes until the cornmeal is tender. Add butter and half the cheese.

For the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and several pinches of salt and sauté, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. You do want the onions and peppers to take on a bit of color. Now add the tomatoes and bring to a lively simmer. Turn down and gently simmer for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes have thickened a bit. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and another good glug of olive oil.

Top the polenta with the sauce and the remainder of the Parmesan and some chopped fresh basil if you have it.

Frikeh (Parched Green Wheat) or Barley/Farro/Lentils w/ Roasted Vegetables & Egg

Frikeh is parched green wheat. It is smoky, chewy and delicious. You can substitute regular wheat berries, farro or barley or even small green lentils (that keep their shape when cooked) for the frikeh in this dish. Consider adding a little smoked paprika (pimenton) if you are not using frikeh to intimate that smoky flavor.

Frikeh is often sold cracked, rather than in whole kernels, in grocery stores and cooks more quickly in that form and has a much finer texture and increases in volume from dry to cooked more than the whole kernels. Adjust quantities and cooking times as needed.

Serves 4-6

3 cups cooked frikeh, drained and cooled (cook frikeh in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until tender about 35-40 minutes for whole kernels–see headnote)
1 globe eggplant (or 2 smaller Japanese ones), cut into 3/4 -inch rounds
2-3 sweet peppers
Handful of small tomatoes, cut in half on the equator (crosswise) or into chunks if you only have large tomatoes (you want them to brown/roast quickly)
1/2 cup or more fresh cilantro, chopped or basil or parsley or a combination of those plus a little mint if you’d like
1 large scallion, thinly sliced or 1 tablespoon onion, minced
2 large eggs, covered with cold water, brought to a boil, then heat turned off and left covered for 9 minutes then rinsed in cold water; roughly chopped

Dressing
1/3 cup whole milk yogurt, Greek-style if you have it
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small serrano chili, minced (including seeds if you like heat)
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed with plenty of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon or more sea salt

Set your oven to broil. Arrange the eggplant rounds, halved tomatoes (cut side up) and the peppers on a sheet pan. Broil, turning the peppers and eggplant rounds to ensure even browning, and broil until the peppers are blackened and the eggplants and tomatoes are well burnished. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel and seed peppers and coarsely chop all vegetables.

In a small bowl mix the dressing ingredients. Put the frikeh, roasted vegetables, herbs and scallions in a serving dish and mix gently. Drizzle over the dressing and scatter the eggs over the top. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve just warm or at room temperature.

Escarole and Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

I particularly like the heft and slight bitterness of chicories (escarole, frisee, radicchio, sugarloaf) here. And by all means use hazelnuts,walnuts or almonds in place of the pistachios or use sunflower or pumpkin seeds and skip the sesame seeds.

Serves 4

2-3 medium beets, roasted or boiled and diced
4 cups washed, dried and chopped escarole and/or radicchio
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup toasted pistachios (or other nuts/seed, see headnote)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons minced shallot or onion
Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the lemon juice, shallot/onion, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl or shake well in a small, lidded jar, until emulsified. Taste it. It should have a nice tart tang to balance the sweetness of the beets.

Put the greens in a bowl an toss with half the dressing. Toss the remaining dressing with the beets in a separate bowl (to prevent the beets form “bleeding” all over if you’re using red beets. Chioggia and golden beets don’t bleed).

Add the goat cheese and seeds and nuts to the greens and toss gently. Stir in the beets and taste and adjust seasoning with a bit of  vinegar or more lemon, and salt to taste.

Roasted Squash and Onions tossed with Escarole

A nice vinegary dressing pulls together this lovely of earthy, sweet, roasted vegetables and bright escarole.

Serves 4, generously (it keeps quite well and you can also reduce the recipe of course)

1-2 Delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and membrane scraped out and cut into ½ – ¾ inch half rounds
1 large onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges or chunks
1 teaspoon each finely chopped sage and rosemary (or just one or the other or skip the herbs entirely)
Salt
Olive oil
5-6 cups escarole, washed and dried
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced (optional)
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
Salt
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss the squash and onions in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and mix in the chopped herbs, if using, and about 1 teaspoon sea salt. Spread on a sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and browning a bit.  Put the vegetables on a platter and let cool a bit.

Stir the vinegar, oil, syrup, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Toss the greens with the sliced scallion, the vegetables and the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or vinegar.

Make the Peperonata if you make anything this week. It improves the next day so make plenty! Lots of beet recipes this week maybe because they’re piling up a bit in my fridge–but they are so sweet and perfect in any form, they shouldn’t be. Happy cooking!

Peperonata (Stewed Peppers, Tomatoes & Onions)
Oven Braised Cabbage with Apple Cider and Wine
Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto and Basil
Cook-with-What-You-Have Succotash
Beets, Chard and Garlicky Yogurt
Grated Beet and Apple Salad
Beet Pesto
Joi Choi Fried Rice with Peanuts and Coconut Milk

Peperonata (Stewed Peppers, Tomatoes & Onions & Potatoes if you’d like)

The classic Italian Peperonata is made with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. This version includes potatoes which makes it a more substantial dish and with a green salad and piece of bread, a perfect summer/fall dinner.

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium or 1 ½ large onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ -2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes (optional but wonderful)
¼ – ½ teaspoon of hot chili flakes (to taste) or 1 serrano pepper, minced (remove seeds if sensitive to heat)
3 medium tomatoes, diced
3-4 sweet peppers, washed, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon or more salt
More good olive oil for serving
Chopped parsley for serving, optional

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add the onions and several generous pinches of salt and sauté until they are translucent. Do not let them brown (though the dish will still be delicious, so don’t worry if you do). Add the potatoes and cook slowly, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the hot pepper and sweet peppers and saute uncovered, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and another pinch or two of salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the peppers are tender and the juices have thickened.  Serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with a little more olive oil at the table and scatter over fresh parsley, if using.

Oven Braised Cabbage with Apple Cider and Wine

This is a simple and delicious way to work your way through a lot of cabbage. I can eat a quarter of a good-sized cabbage in one sitting prepared this way but by all means scale this down to suit your appetites/needs.

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 small red cabbage 
Salt
Olive oil
1/3 cup dry white or red wine (I tend to use red wine with red cabbage and white with white but anything you have will be fine)
1/2 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon sherry or balsamic vinegar

Remove the outer most leaves of the cabbage if ratty. Cut the cabbage in quarters and remove most of the core, leaving enough so that when you now cut the cabbage into wedges about 2 inches wide, so the wedges stay together. Place the wedges snugly next to each other in an 8 x 13″ or comparable baking dish.

Generously sprinkle the cabbage wedges with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Pour in the wine and cider. Bake the cabbage for about 45 minutes until nicely browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the sherry or balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes and then serve hot or warm.

Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto and Basil
–adapted from Bon Appetit

This dish is ridiculously good. It’s sort of end-of-summer comfort food, in a very good way. To make this vegetarian, instead of the bacon you can sauté the corn in butter or olive oil and add 1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish Paprika) and then add a few squeezes of lime juice at the very end. There is no excuse for not having a photo of this dish other than maybe that it is inhaled so quickly, never leaving a chance to photograph.

Serves 4, generously

3 bacon slices, diced
3-4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 4-5 ears)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 serrano chili minced (with seeds if you like heat)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or aged Asiago or Pecorino cheese
1/4 cup almonds, pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts (I typically use almonds because that’s what I have on hand)
1/3 cup good olive oil
3/4 lb penne or fettucine or tagliatelle
3/4 cup torn basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Pour off all but 1-2 tablespoon bacon fat (and reserve for frying potatoes or some such). To the skillet with the bacon fat add corn, garlic, about 1 teaspoon sea salt, red pepper flakes or serrano pepper, and some black pepper. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn kernel mixture to a bowl and reserve. Process almonds until finely ground, add cheese, process again, then scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. With machine running, add olive oil and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, bacon (if using) and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer pasta to a serving dish. Sprinkle with remaining basil leaves and serve immediately.

Cook-with-What-You-Have Succotash

You could just make this with onions, peppers, corn, chard stems and maybe some cooked dried beans and it will be delicious. Succotash was created by the Naragansett Indians and remains popular especially in the South and there are dozens of interpretations of the dish. I think of corn as the essential ingredient and that all the vegetables are chopped quite small. Lima beans are the classic bean to use but I’ve used many different kinds and sometimes substitute or just add blanched, green beans (as I did here). It’s a great technique to employ with CSA/market/garden vegetables since you can adapt it with what you have (summer squash, turnips, chard stems, etc.) and vary the ratio of vegetables as you like.

I make it with and without bacon and both versions are wonderful.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 slices bacon, diced (optional and if you use bacon you can skip the butter)
Kernels from 3-4 ears of corn
1 onion, diced
3 sweet  peppers, deseeded and diced
1 bunch chard stems, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked beans such as lima, flageolet, navy, etc; drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons (or more) herbs (thyme, sage, savory, oregano, chives, etc.)

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bacon, if using, and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and some salt and cook for another 8 minutes or so. Then add the corn and beans and cook until heated through and browning just a little, 5-7 more minutes. I cover the pan for this stage. Stir in the herbs and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Beets, Chard and Garlicky Yogurt

Typically I use beet greens for this but chard would be perfect and they are cousins after all. This dish is quite garlicky. Reduce if you want it milder.

Serves 4

1 bunch chard (reserve the stems for the succotash, above, or another use), washed and leaves cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ribbons
5 or so medium beets
3 small garlic cloves, divided and minced
1 cipollini onion, finely chopped
½ cup of full fat Greek or regular yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus an extra squeeze or two
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Scrub the beets well and cut into wedges. Put the beets in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for about 15-20 minutes or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively you can roast them (takes a bit longer). Drain well. There is sometimes no need to peel them but if they skin is prominent and at all tough, peel it off the wedges and discard. Then toss the beets with a little lemon juice and salt. Meanwhile sauté the onion in a little olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Add chard and a little olive oil if necessary and one clove of garlic, minced, and a few pinches of salt. It will only take about 5-7 minutes for the greens to be tender. In a small bowl mix the yogurt with the remaining garlic, a pinch or two of salt and the teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix the beet wedges with the greens and heat thoroughly and then serve with a generous dollop of the yogurt.

Grated Beet and Apple Salad
–adapted from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

This is a gorgeous and refreshing salad.

Serves 4 +

2 large beets or 4 small ones, peeled
2 large apples, cored, peeled
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (warmed if too thick)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins (or regular ones or dried currants or any dried fruit, chopped if needed)

Coarsely shred beets and apples on box grater or in a food processor fitted with large grater attachment. Put the grated apples and beets in large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the sweetener, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over grated beets and apples, add raisins and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more vinegar or sweetener, if needed.

Beet Pesto

This is a delicious and beautiful variation on regular pesto. And if you have cooked or roasted beets on hand it’s very quick to pull together. You can serve over grains, hardboiled eggs or other egg dishes or roasted veggies or as a spread or dip. I don’t tend to use it over pasta, however, as somehow the even pink coating doesn’t seem quite right to me.

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced beets
Generous handful of walnuts, toasted or raw (or hazelnuts or almonds)
1 small clove garlic
About ¼ -1/3 cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
¼ cup good-tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of cider, white wine or sherry vinegar

Process the cheese and nuts first until finely ground. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

To use with pasta, dilute with ¼ cup of hot pasta-cooking water before tossing with cooked pasta. Top with extra cheese.

Joi Choi Fried Rice with Peanuts and Coconut Milk
–loosely inspired by Food Matters by Mark Bittman

This is a great way to use up leftover or previously frozen rice and whatever veggies you have on hand. The pictured version includes carrots and doesn’t have sweet peppers but it’s eminently adaptable. You can also easily add chicken or beef cut fairly small. If you’re going to add meat, stir-fry the veggies first, then remove from pan, add meat and stir fry until cooked. Add veggies back in as well as rice, garlic, etc. and proceed with recipe. The addition of coconut milk is a bit unusual here but I think it’s a nice touch.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons coconut, vegetable or olive oil, divided
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3-4 medium cloves)
1 medium head joi choi, trimmed, well washed, leaves and stems cut in half lengthwise and then into thin strips crosswise
1-2 sweet peppers, trimmed, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice, day-old (freshly cooked rice is much too sticky)
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup coconut milk
2-3 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
2 serrano chilis (or small green Thai chilies), seeded and minced (or ¼ tsp chili flakes)
Salt
1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts (wonderful but can do with out in a pinch)
½ cup chopped basil or cilantro or mint

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in the largest skillet or wok you have over high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and sweet peppers and cook, stirring frequently for about 1-2 minute until fragrant. Add the joi choi and cook for a few more minutes. The joi choi will give off some liquid and you want to keep the burner up as high as it goes to evaporate that quickly. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and the rice, breaking up the chunks (with your fingers is easiest) as you go. mix the rice in well and cook for a minute or two then make a well in its center and pour in the egg; scramble it a bit then incorporate it into the rice.

Add the coconut milk and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has boiled off or been absorbed, a couple of minutes or so. Add the fish and soy sauce, and the minced chilies. Turn off the heat and serve, topped with the herbs and peanuts. Taste and add salt if needed.