Baked Autumn Cassoulet

Voila! Autumn Cassoulet!

A cassoulet is a typical French stew traditionally made with sausage, flageolet beans, and bouquet garni. It is delicious, hearty and warming, but not always accessible. Flageolet beans can be hard to find and some people don't go for greasy sausage or sausage at all. I have a favorite vegan version of a cassoulet where I have replaced the butter with olive oil added veggies, and tried to duplicate the sausage's essence without actually adding sausage (or sometimes worse,  vegetarian soy sausage). As with most vegetarian versions of things, I usually try to modify seasoning and texture of a dish to come close to it's meaty counterpart without adding the processed stuff. I'm not ripping up all veggie meats. Some are healthy and tasty and definitely have their time and place. For something with so many great ingredients, though, there really is no reason to use it here.

In garden season, I like to take these really simple ingredients and stew them together slowly all afternoon. Then I pop them in the oven about 30 minutes before dinner and have a great French (inspired) meal. Since it is no longer the season for these veggies to be at their peak, but the winter squashes are pouring in all over, I thought I would incorporate a diced butternut squash into the mix and modify the seasonings a teeny tiny bit to give my autumn cassoulet a hint of spice to showcase the squash. If you think you will miss having sausage in it, add some chicken and apple sausage with chardonnay or some such thing. . .I have used the one just mentioned, but can't remember the brand. Aidell's? Al Fresco? Find a sweet and sage-y autumnal variety, brown it, slice it, and pop it in to stew.

Cook it all slowly till the flavors come together.

Autumn Cassoulet

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced shallots
1 cup sliced celery with tops
1 t finely minced garlic
1 cup diced green pepper
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 bay leaves
1/2 t dried sage
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 t sea salt
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
3 cups cooked flageolet beans or navy beans (or approx 2 cans, rinsed)


Warm oil in a cassoulet pan (or medium pot). Add shallots, celery, garlic, pepper, and squash. Cook over medium until everything begins to get fragrant. If you are using sausage, slice it up and throw it in now and let it brown before you continue.

Add herbs, spices (omit smoked paprika if using sausage),  sea salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add fresh and canned tomatoes. Stir to incorporate everything and add drained beans. Stir again and bring the heat up to a rapid simmer/almost a boil to get it hot, then lower to medium-low and set it on the back burner for an hour or so. If you would like to let it go longer, check it for liquid and add a little water or stock (you should maybe do this anyway so it doesn't dry out. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Taste for seasoning after you are happy with it and pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. This part is optional, but I think it really adds something to the finished product.

Serve as an entree with crusty baguette or as a veggie side.**

**a great potluck dish!
**freezes well

Moroccan Lentil Vegetable Soup

Soup in progress!

As usual, I am reluctant to say goodbye to summer, but the darker skies and rain isn't always such a bad thing. After an exciting and very eventful summer and so far a ridiculously busy fall, a few days of rain and accepting that I've caught a cold is a great excuse to stay in and make soup.

Sprouted wheat with raisins, a perfect pairing

I bought the vegetables, broth, and tomato paste yesterday with the intention of making a classic American soup to soothe my sore throat, steam this cold out, and get some veggies down, especially since I'm eating for two now. I haven't been able to stomach any greens all week as this bug slowly started settling in. As I began to chop ingredients and toss them in the pot, I realized I wanted something with some flavor! I'm quite sure a Moroccan lentil vegetable soup in Morocco is nothing like this, but the spices are about right.  Despite my un-Moroccan combo of mirepoix, summer squash, and collards, this soup has a tangy, spicy Moroccan feel and and can fix up a boring soup recipe. If I had some winter squash, it would have gone into the pot in a heartbeat. Whole Foods had a gorgeous loaf of savory sprouted wheat bread that was woven with raisins and absolutely superb warmed up and served alongside this soup.

Enjoy a pungeant and flavorful pot of soup to welcome the first weekend of fall. This one is for the least adventurous to the most adventurous eaters. If you just aren't sure if Moroccan spices are your thing, then go light on them and keep the seasoning subtle. If you are feeling adventurous, go generous with the spices and cayenne. Welcome back, fall!

Typical spices combined for an exotic flavor blend!

Moroccan Lentil Vegetable Soup

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 T ghee (or more olive oil)

1 t ground turmeric
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cumin
1/2-1 t cayenne pepper (or more)

1 t freshly grated ginger root
3 t freshly grated garlic cloves
2 medium onions, diced
4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2 moons
1 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 moons
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
vegetable broth or water or a little of both
1  6 oz can tomato paste
1 small bunch collard greens, roughly shredded
juice of 1 large lemon
2 t sea salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil and ghee in a large soup pot over medium heat add spices, ginger, and garlic and cook for one minute, stirring and releasing their fragrance. Add onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, bell pepper, and any other veggies you feel like throwing in (Save leafy veggies for the end.).Add 1 1/2 cups brown lentils

Stir and cook for about 10 minutes and coating them in the seasoned oil. Add vegetable and/or water to cover by 2 inches. I typically use a 32 oz. Tetrapak, then add water to cover, if needed. Add tomato paste and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes or so, until veggies and lentils are tender and seasonings have married. Add shredded collard greens, or other leafy green and cook on low for 5-8 more minutes until wilted and incorporated.

Finish generously with lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. I'm insane and like to put plain organic whole milk yogurt on everything and this soup is no exception. If you are craving a cooling garnish, it is awesome!

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Spelt lasagna noodles and roasted tomatoes ready to go!

Wondering what to do with a bumper crop of zucchini and tomatoes? Try this improvised version of a classic favorite. I am using whole spelt noodles (from VitaSpelt) to keep it really healthy and nutritious. Thinly slice the veggies you have, broil them, and layer them with the cooked pasta and whole cheese from pastured cows.  Rather than sticking to just my suggestions, use any summer vegetables that tempt you--  artichokes, spinach, chard (the leafy stuff you can saute, not roast, of course), carrots, parsnips, onions, whatever is in season and abundant near you will go just fine.

Instead of a heavy, slow-cooked tomato sauce,  roasted Roma tomatoes will keep this lasagna summery and fresh. For cheese, a classic combo of ricotta and mozzarella is always welcome, but don't be afraid of substituting chevre in the middle or provolone on top. Maybe there is fresh farmer cheese at the greenmarket. Maybe there is something else that strikes your fancy--sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or roasted peppers? Follow this basic formula, whichever you choose. Serve it with some simply dressed greens

Try using a few varieties of summer squash

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

3-3 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes
4 T+   extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
sea and freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg spelt lasagna noodles
2 lb assorted zucchini and summer squash
10-15 leaves fresh basil, washed
1 15 oz container pasture-raised ricotta
3 cups shredded provolone cheese


Preheat oven to broil. Put a big pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil to prevent a nasty clean-up.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/3" thick slices and transfer them to the lined sheet pan. Add a tsp of the minced garlic and about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently rub tomatoes with seasonings with clean hands until evenly distributed. Place under the broiler for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Thinly slice summer squash the long way (1/4"-1/3" thick slices?).  Transfer to the pan that the tomatoes were in and season with the remaining oil and garlic, as well as sea salt and pepper. Broil these for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Let cool and switch oven to 350 F.

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, prepare a 9"x13" lasagna pan. Lightly oil with extra-virgin olive oil.

Layer lasagna in baking dish beginning with a layer of tomatoes and basil leaves, then pasta, then summer squash, pasta, ricotta. Repeat pasta and veggies. Be sure to layer the tomatoes on thick in the middle, so lasagna is saucy and fresh at the same time.  Discard excess tomato juice in bowl (or use it in minestrone) Finish with some tomatoes, then top with shredded provolone.

Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Pumpkin Martinis!

Yikes! Is Thanksgiving only 3 days away?  Is it possible?  I guess it is.  There is Christmas stuff everywhere and I don't recall having eaten any pie.  Well, most people who are hosting Thanksgiving or bringing a dish most likely know what they are making by now.  Thanksgiving food is pretty traditional and doesn't usually veer off too far from the bare Thanksgiving basics of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberries, though I've seen some pretty creative variations this year.  If you are looking for some classic recipes, last year I posted my favorite cranberry recipe, brussels sprouts recipe, Martha Stewart's stuffing, and a cranberry sorbet recipe to use up all of those leftover cranberries.  You can peruse them here.

I've been scanning my brain for new inspiration beyond what I'm doing for my clients today and tomorrow, and then I remembered!  My friend, Melissa's, Pumpkin Martinis!  Of course!  That is the ultimate addition  to a Thanksgiving gathering!  This is easy and delicious and could work for cocktail hour or dessert.  Mmmm. I've had them and can attest to their deliciousness.

Give them a try and be sure to have a thankful and delicious holiday!

yum. seriously.

Pumpkin Martinis

1 750 mL bottle vanilla vodka
1 30 oz can spiced pumpkin puree
6 cups milk
graham crackers
freshly whipped cream
nutmeg

Mix together, taste, and adjust. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, a graham cracker, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

I love this one--baked in my Grandma's old mini cast iron pan!

Recently I had the pleasure of working with artist and photographer, Jon Martin to do some food styling and start a visual portfolio of my work, while he perfected his already superb food photography skills.  We had a great day of working through a few seasonal recipes and capturing the colors, textures, and essence of the season.  Our day of work and exploration of our recipes' visual interest resulted in some truly gorgeous photos and a branching out of my career in food.

Whisking the cream, egg yolks, and pumpkin. I love this one!

My first headshot since my acting days!

A montage of the brie and roasted fig salad we also worked with that day!

We plan on collaborating again soon and continuing our visual culinary journey.  If you know of anyone in need of a food stylist and photographer, you know where to find them!

This recipe for Pumpkin Creme Brulee I chose for it's deep color, simplicity of preparation and visually exciting torch usage! It was so rich and delicious, too!  This would be great for Halloween weekend, an uncommon Thanksgiving dessert, or just a good autumnal treat!  For lunch the day of the shoot, we ate the salads and creme brulee!  Now that was a rewarding day of work.

Pumpkin Crème Brulee with Crème Fraiche

This recipe requires 8- 1/2 cup ramequins and a butane kitchen torch (or a broiler can work, too).

composed and elegant

1 cup organic heavy cream
1 cup organic half and half
½ cup turbinado sugar
Pinch sea salt
7 egg yolks
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

3 Tablespoons sugar or Florida Crystals(natural sugar)
A few teaspoons crème fraiche



Preheat oven to 325 F.

Warm cream and half and half in a medium saucepan.  Whisk in turbinado sugar and add a pinch of sea salt. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

With an electric mixer, whisk egg yolks until they become a little frothy and are bright yellow.  Temper the eggs by pouring in just a bit of the cream mixture.  When blended, go ahead and add the rest in.  Blend for a minute.

Blend in spices, vanilla and pumpkin puree until ingredients are evenly distributed and smooth.

Set up ramequins in a deep rectangular baking/roasting dish.  Evenly distribute pumpkin mixture into the ramequins.  Carefully fill the pan with water (using a small pitcher or measuring cup is the best way) so water surrounds the ramequins and reaches about halfway up the sides. 

Bake for an hour, remove from heat, and let cool for twenty minutes.  Cover and chill each brulee.

Before serving, sprinkle a bit of sugar on each one and torch until sugar is browned and crusty.  If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can do a quick broil.  Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack to the highest position.

Curried Pumpkin Bruschetta

Pumpkins in all colors!

It's that time of year again.  Pumpkin carving, autumn foods abound and a new winter squash idea is always useful.  Last night we went to our annual pumpkin carving party.  Every year we roast the seeds and also roast the pumpkin chunks that are popped out to snack on after the carving segment of the night.  This year I had tons of odds and ends to bring over for hors d'oeuvres since I had a busy cooking week and also had a photo shoot on Friday.  It was a last minute thought that turned out to be my favorite recipe of the season.

This year we did the seeds with butter and sea salt!

The inspiration here?  Pumpkin chunks and leftovers.  The result?  Curried  Pumpkin Bruschetta!  Utilizing extra bread, Indian-style pickled red onions from my last Indian food marathon, a dot of creme fraiche, and an even tinier dot of hot Indian chutney that our friend's grandmother sends us from India.  They were really beautiful and really, really tasty.  Unfortunately, no one captured them on camera in time then POOF they were gone.  A good sign, no?

Here is what I did.

Curried Pumpkin Bruschetta

about 2 cups pumpkin chunks, skin sliced off and pumpkin diced into medium-dice (about 1/3" chunks)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 t honey

1/2 t ground cumin
1 t garam masala
1/4 t ground cinnamon
little dash of cayenne pepper
generous dash sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1/2 ficelle or a few good bakery breadsticks sliced into 1/2" rounds
20 or so chunks pickled red onion (see below)
a few tablespoons creme fraiche (or plain yogurt)
Indian hot sauce or hot chutney

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Toss pumpkin chunks in a bowl with olive oil, honey, spices, salt, and pepper.  Spread out on a baking sheet and roast 20-30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned.

Arrange ficelle slices on a serving platter.  Mound about a tablespoon of roasted pumpkin chunks on each round.  You can smash the diced pumpkin together just a little so they stick a bit and stay on the bread.

Neatly top with a chunk of pickled onion, dot with creme fraiche, then put a tiny dot of hot chutney on top of the creme fraiche and serve!

Note for the pickled red onions:  I had them in my fridge and they work beautifully, but you could use small chunks of raw onion or follow these general instructions.

Simmer a diced red onion with vinegar, sugar/honey, a little salt, 1/2 jalapeno, and ginger matchsticks.  Cover and chill.

Curried Pumpkin Bisque

It got a little sloshed around, but it tasted really good!

Digging through my recipe graveyard for some ideas this week, I found myself wondering if there is anything that could get me really excited and is easy to make.  I, like everyone, find myself in a rut sometimes.  I have a large repertoire of favorite dishes, but even those get dull since I always find myself looking for new flavors, fresh presentation techniques, and a little inspiration.  Fortunately,  I have been really busy with both new and old clients all week and have been finding myself challenged by the clock, if not the food police.

At least the dishes I have made so far this week have turned out, though, it was possibly due to the adrenaline involved in trying to just keep up than my perfect culinary prowess. Sometimes that's the name of the game--when I work, I have to do it quickly, efficiently, and neatly.  The kitchen is always left as I found it and within the correct time frame.  All of the logistics can truly take the soul and the spirit out of the simple act of preparing a dish.  I'm only now warming up for the busy season and being forced to snap to fairly quickly.  Hopefully, something good turns up soon in the recipe graveyard.

Back to the bustle

After long cooking days, I often have to dig through the fridge and freezer later at home trying to scrape up something to eat.  Ironic, isn't it?  Sometimes some of the simplest combinations just work.  Uncommon pairings of leftovers come together to delight my tired palette.  Tonight, my hodge-podge (that's different from Mod Podge) dinner turned out to be seasonal, healthful, ethnic-inspired, and if my memory serves me correctly, local.  Alright!  

Deep in the back of my freezer was last winter's curried pumpkin bisque.  I  got it going on the stove and dug around some more.

Could this be the crunchy and addictive Indian-style pickled red onions with ginger and jalapeno from a few weeks ago?  It was.  I grabbed it along with a little plain yogurt and a few almost-wilted chives, poured a big bowl of the bisque, and topped it with my treasures.  The onions sunk to the bottom and the yogurt melted out of formation into creamy awesomeness on top which balanced out the spicy curry flavors.  The salvaged chives brought the deep flavors up with a bit of green crunch.   It was so satisfying and flavorful and completely something I could pull off as a first course at a client's dinner party if I was so inclined.  Dinner problem solved, for tonight at least.

Tomorrow I may have to actually head to the market.

By popular demand, here is a pumpkin soup recipe just in time for another beautiful September weekend!  I have a few pumpkin and squash soup recipes, but this is my favorite one by far.  Make a double batch and freeze some.  After all, that is how I found some in my freezer today.

Curried Pumpkin Bisque

1  3 lb pumpkin
1 1 lb sweet potato/jewel yam
Olive oil

1 lg yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 apple, cored
3-4 Tablespoons Coconut oil
2 Tablespoons Garam masala
2 teaspoons Ground ginger
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Curry powder
2 teaspoons Sea salt
Black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can coconut milk
3-4 cups vegetable stock

Dash of honey
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Halve pumpkin vertically, cutting carefully with a sharp knife and scoop out seeds and goo.  Rub open side lightly with olive oil and place open side down on baking sheet.

Wash sweet potato and place next to squash to bake.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until pumpkin and sweet potato are very soft.  Flip squash over and slice open sweet potato to cool.

In a large pot, cook onion and apple in a little coconut oil, until translucent.  Add spices/seasonings.  Cook 7-8 minutes more. 

When cool enough to handle, scoop out squash and sweet potato into soup pot. 

Add coconut milk and stock.  Cook about 15 minutes until flavors blend. 

Puree in batches and season with salt, pepper, and honey to taste.  Finish with about 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.

THANKSGIVING WEEK IS HERE! Time to get chopping!

The big week is here! If you are still finalizing the menu, here are some recipes that can simplify things for you. Feel free to share your favorite variations with me! I would love to hear them.

If you have any Thanksgiving questions big or small, please ask me below and I will try to answer them asap.




White Balsamic -Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Tomatoes, & Pine Nuts

4-5 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved the long way
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar ( or regular balsamic)
2 T honey
4 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
lots of black pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved the long way
2/3 cup pine nuts
(opt. 1/2 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds)


Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts with onion, balsamic, honey, oil, salt, and pepper. When mixed, evenly distribute in a single layer on 2 large cookies sheets. Roast for about an hour, tossing once or twice during roasting.

After an hour or so, when veggies are caramelized and tender, add grape tomatoes.
Roast 30 minutes.

Add pine nuts over the top and put back in the oven just until pinenuts are toasted. Serve!

If you make this ahead of time, toast the pine nuts separately and top the warmed dish with them just before serving.

Add cranberries and/or pomegranate seeds just before serving if you are using them.



Classic Stuffing
adapted from marthastewart.com

Here is the perfect classic stuffing recipe (Of course, it is. Thank you, Martha.) I love it because the basic formula is here and there is lots of room for variation.

For vegetarian stuffing, sub the chicken broth for vegetable broth and wine. You can add nuts, fruit, olives, oysters, sausage, etc. Enjoy!

Makes 12 cups

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 onions(2 lbs), peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
16 celery stalks, cut into ¼ inch dice
10 large fresh sage leaves
6 cups homemade chicken stock (or canned low-sodium broth
skimmed of fat)
2 stale loaves white bread (about 36 slices), crust on, cut
into 1 inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 cups (about 2 bunches) fresh, coarsely chopped flat-leaf
parsley

2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
2 cups dried cherries (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and celery, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage, stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock, and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced by half.

2. Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, including the remaining stock; mix to combine.

3. Stuff into turkey's cavity and/or pack into a baking dish and cover. Bake while turkey roasts. Watch it closely, if you are baking it in a separate pan.


Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash

3 lb butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel butternut squash and scoop out the seeds and seed goo with a spoon. Cut into approximately 1"-1.5" chunks. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Roast for 45 minutes. Let cool and store in the fridge until ready to heat.

Sara’s Cranberry Chutney

12 oz bag cranberries
1 apple, chopped
1 orange, chopped and seeded (skin on)
½ c walnuts
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
A little nutmeg
½ c OJ, freshly squeezed
½ c raisins or currants (I like to mix currants and golden raisins)
1/2 cup maple syrup
Dash of agave nectar, to taste

Bourbon (about 1/4-1/3 cup)--a big splash
2 Tbsp butter (optional--this is my addition)



Simmer all ingredients together except for the bourbon and 1/2 cup of the cranberries on medium-low heat about ½ an hour till cranberries start to pop. Stir frequently.
Add a big splash of bourbon and reserved cranberries and cook just a few minutes more, just until some of the alcohol cooks off.

You can add 2 tablespoons of butter at this point--this is my addition and not part of the original recipe. It's good either way. Let cool and serve right away or chill until the big meal.

Remove from refrigerator and let sit about an hour before serving--serve room temperature.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here is a recipe I made up last night when cooking for a client. It was so good, I made some for us, too! Easy to heat up and munch on all week. Quinoa is a really delicious heirloom grain that cooks quickly and is super healthy. I used red quinoa, but you can use regular(white), black, or other small tender grains. The veggies can be easily substituted for whatever you have in the fridge, but this combo worked really well. If I wasn't feeding an anti-olive crowd, I would have also chopped 2/3 cup of mixed Sicilian olives in here, too. Either way, this one was a major hit!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

STEP 1:

The Squash

3 or 4 smallish squashes (here I used 1 4"dumpling squash, 1 5"acorn squash, and 1 7" delicata)

extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash each squash and cut each in half, vertically (from stem to to bottom). Scoop out seeds with a spoon. Rub insides and out with a little olive oil and sea salt. Place halves on a baking sheet with the cut side down. Roast about 45 minutes, or until tender when you poke at them. Remove from oven and let cool.

Continue prepping the next steps while they roast.

Step 2:
The Veggies:

4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
3 t minced garlic
1 1/2 cups diced fennel bulb
1 1/2 cups diced zucchini and/or yellow squash
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup drained roasted peppers, cut into strips
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
squirt of fresh lemon juice
lots of freshly ground black pepper

Warm oil in a saute pan, cook onion, garlic, and fennel over medium for 2 or 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate. Turn up to high for a little while, 5-8 minutes, watching closely, and stirring occasionally. Turn down to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until veggies are reduced and a bit caramelized.

Step 3:
The Quinoa

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup red quinoa (or white or black quinoa)
1 tsp sea salt

Bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and salt and cover immediately. Turn heat to low. Let simmer undisturbed for about 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and quinoa is tender and fragrant.

Step 4:
Stuffing the Squash

Salt and Pepper
10 oz young asiago cheese or fontinelli cheese, diced (1/4")
1 jar tomato sauce (my favorite for this is Paul Newman's Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic)

Combine quinoa and cooked veggies, either in the saute pan if there is room or a mixing bowl, if not. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 3/4 of the cheese to the mixture and stir to distribute, reserving the rest to sprinkle on top.
With a spoon, stuff each squash half with the mixture. Feel free to pack it in firmly and mound filling over the top of each.

Pour sauce around squash and sprinkle a little of the reserved cheese on each. Bake at 375 for about 20 or until cheese is melty and filling is hot.

Serve as a vegetarian entree or an exciting side dish.

** Great reheated**

Pumpkin Soup, NYC Food and Wine Show, Chelsea Market, AND Knives

Silly, silly me. Of all weekends to decide to drag a big bag of stuff on the subway and into Manhattan. I went to Chelsea Market this Saturday to get some knives sharpened. I soon learned that this weekend was the New York City Food and Wine Show. The show is sponsored by The Food Network, which is housed INSIDE Chelsea Market. Oy Vey! Well, I thought, I couldn't very well turn back because I had already made it to the west side on the slow weekend trains and the knife lady was expecting me.

To add to the mess, most lines had limited service due to construction AND when I got off the train I had to plow through the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer to get to my destination. I guess it's a good thing that I had a dozen French knives in my bag--I had a false sense of confidence stomping down the street dragging my bag of sharp stuff and made it through the mess of tourists in record time!

I just wanted to get my knives and my clients' knives to Margery, the knife sharpener who, by the way, is fantastic. She sets up her table outside Bowery Kitchen Supply and is there Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12-6. Her prices are really low and she does a bang-up job! I just added her link, Samurai Knife Sharpening, to my links if you're interested. Oh, yeah, and she's really nice to boot!

So, there I was and decided to make the best of it. Below are some pics taken inside Manhattan Fruit Exchange at Chelsea Market. Yes, this is fresh baby corn and behind them, raw uncured olives. Divine!





Above is a shot of the varied and exotic dried beans, grains, nuts, and pasta offered at very reasonable prices. Just look at the colors!

Anyway, the place was jam-packed, but since I was there, I did my best to do a lap and see what I could see. I didn't run into Guy, Rachel, Sandra, or Alton who were all around giving talks and doing workshops. I noticed Paula Deen wasn't there, but she sent her sons to do a workshop for her, though!?!? I thought that was a little odd, but I'm a little odd myself and shouldn't judge.

I made a point to go to Buon Italia and bought some wonderful semolina pasta and bought some imported fresh sheep's ricotta to stuff them with. Sheep's Ricotta!!!! I also hit Manhattan Fruit Exchange, Fat Witch Bakery, Eleni's, and Amy's Bread before I headed out to get out of the crowd for awhile.

By mid-afternoon, I was back to pick up my super sharp knives and get back to Brooklyn pronto. I did manage to take pics of some impressive carved pumpkin displays and some beautiful shots from the Manhattan Fruit Exchange, though. See photo below for a look at the pumpkins carved to look like Guy Fieri and Rachel Ray. Pretty unbelievable, I would say. I also managed to eat a Pumpkin Walnut Muffin and picked up some homemade brioche hotdog buns at Amy's Breads.
Yes, I do believe it turned out to be a surprisingly fun and tasty day.

To celebrate the season, here is my favorite pumpkin soup recipe that is healthy, seasonal, and oh so dee-lish.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

1 pumpkin, (basketball-sized), halved with seeds removed

1 lg onion, roughly chopped
4 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t sea salt
1/3 c raisins
4 c vegetable stock or water
1 T ground cinnamon
1 t ground nutmeg
½ t cloves
1 T allspice
½ c maple syrup
1 cup almond milk or coconut milk
¼ c lemon juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet and roast pumpkin halves, open side down for 1-1 ½ hours or until very tender and soft. Remove from oven, flip and let cool a little while you put together the soup.

In a large soup pot, cook onion and olive oil for 2-3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Season with sea salt. Turn heat to low.

Scoop roasted pumpkin flesh from it’s skin into soup pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes and stir.

Add raisins, stock, and spices. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom.

Add maple syrup and milk and remove from heat.

Puree in batches until very smooth. Return to a clean pot, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Finish with lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Vegetable Napoleons!

These vegetable napoleons are so easy and versatile. You can make them to accompany any type of meal and use any combination of vegetables, cheese, polenta, or whatever you want to stack!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Slice veggies of your choice about 1/3-1/2 inch thick. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and rosemary in a mixing bowl.

Here are some ideas for stacking veggies:

eggplant
red, green, or yellow peppers
tomatoes
onions
zucchini
yellow squash
fennel
artichokes
portabella mushrooms
butternut or acorn squash

Evenly distribute the veggies on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or so. Some veggies may take a little longer to get tender and slightly browned.

When finished, stack them up, layered with slices of fresh mozzarella, polenta rounds, squares of garlic bread, or anything you can think of! Bake 15-20 minutes, covered, or until hot. Serve with a little marinara and garnish with rosemary.

Yes, There Really are Vegetarians in Texas!

Here is a seasonal, vegetarian dinner party menu that is absolutely delicious, as requested by Phil, a loyal follower. It's full of flavor and elegant enough to serve on the good dishes. This menu works as a "family-style" menu where everything is served in the middle of the table, but it is also a good menu for a plated dinner. The dishes are Mediterranean in structure, with a nod to Tex-Mex for Phil who lives in Dallas-Fort Worth and wants to entertain vegetarian friends.

The risotto is contained in the pepper which keeps things from getting too messy and everything is colorful enough that you don't have to do much garnishing. I have written this to feed a dinner party of 4-6 people with leftovers. Here is a photo I took of a gorgeous poblano at Blue Hill Farm.

Here are some photos to accompany the menu.

1st course
Roasted Tomatoes and Baby Spinach Salad
with Feta Cheese and Moroccan Olives




main course
Carrot and Basil Risotto-stuffed
Poblano Peppers
and
Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash




Dessert
Chocolate Ganache Cake with Whipped Cream



The Day Before

Bake cake

Roast poblano peppers

Roast tomatoes

Make risotto

Chop squash

The Day Of

Prep onions and olives for salad

Crumble feta

Roast butternut squash

Whip cream

Bring cake to room temperature

To Serve

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat stuffed peppers for an hour.

Warm squash about 25 minutes.

Warm tomatoes about 15 minutes.
Put together salad.

Chop basil just before serving peppers.

Turn oven off after entree is removed.

Let cool for a few minutes and put cake into oven as oven cools--by the time you are finished eating it will be slightly warmed.

Bon Appetit!

Roasted Tomatoes and Baby Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Moroccan Olives

about 2 lb plum tomatoes (approx. 15 tomatoes--sounds like a lot but they shrink)
4 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 t minced garlic
2 T white balsamic vinegar (Trader Joe's has it or use the dark kind if you can't find it)

1-5 0z. "clamshell" of baby spinach
1 c diced onion
1 lemon
a 7-8 oz chunk of good feta cheese (try to find a good sheep, goat, or blend of the two)
about 1 cup pitted and halved Moroccan olives (these are very salty, shiny, wrinkled, black olives--you can substitute kalamatas or use a mix of olives, if you prefer or can't find them)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have a large mixing bowl ready for tomatoes. Line 2 baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Wash tomatoes and slice them into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, and transfer to mixing bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. Toss together gently and distribute evenly onto baking sheets.

Roast for 30-35 minutes, tossing once about halfway through roasting. When they are fragrant, a little bit browned, and just beginning to break down, they are done.

If you are making this a day ahead, transfer to a container and store in the fridge, then warm slightly before serving. Set aside at room temperature if you are making just a few hours before.

To serve: Arrange baby spinach on individual serving plates or in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle diced onion over the spinach. Slice lemon into a few wedges and squeeze a little lemon juice over greens. Sprinkle olives on, then add still slightly warm roasted tomatoes on top of greens. Crumble feta and grind some black pepper on top.

Carrot and Basil Risotto-stuffed Poblano Peppers

6-8 poblano peppers ( try to find large ones, that aren't too folded in the center)

2 cans vegetable broth
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
6 medium carrots, grated
sea salt and black pepper
1 1/4 c arborio rice (or long-grain white rice if you can't find it)
1/2 c dry white wine
1/4 c grated parmigiano reggiano
4 cups fresh basil leaves, washed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash peppers and rub them with a bit of olive oil. Line the up on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or so, uncovered. Watch them closely--you want them to be crisp enough to hold their shape, but not raw. Set aside to cool when they are done.

FOR THE RISOTTO:
In a saucepan, bring broth and 2 cups water to barely a simmer over medium.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 Tablespoon butter over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in rice. Add wine; cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1-2 minutes.

Add 2 cups hot broth, stirring constantly. You are essentially knocking the grains together in the broth to create the creamy sauce; keep simmering over medium-low, stirring, until mostly absorbed, 10-12 minutes. Continue process, adding a cup of broth at a time, stirring frequently, waiting until liquid is almost absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove risotto from heat. Finely chop about half of the basil. Stir in parmigiano reggiano and basil. Let cool a bit.

Return to the cooled peppers. With a paring knife, carefully cut a 2"x 4.5-5" piece out along the length of each pepper, preferably on top. You want to be able to dig out the seeds and stuff it without tearing it. Try to rescue the piece you are cutting out and save it for garnish.

With a spoon, try to carefully scoop out the seeds of each. It's okay if you leave some behind. Carefully fill each pepper with slightly cooled risotto.

Top with the saved piece you cut out. If they didn't all make it, cut the remains into long strips and arrange them across the tops of the peppers instead.

If you are making this a day ahead, cover and chill until you are ready to heat them up.

To serve: Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30-35 minutes. Chop the remaining basil and sprinkle on top just before serving.

Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash

3 lb butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel butternut squash and scoop out the seeds and seed goo with a spoon. Cut into approximately 1"-1.5" chunks. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Roast for 45 minutes. Let cool and store in the fridge until ready to heat.

Chocolate Ganache Cake with Whipped Cream
from "Big City Cooking", by Matthew Kenney and Joan Schwartz

2 sticks/1/2 lb butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
8 oz good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup toasted almond flour, almond meal, or toasted ground almonds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar for dusting

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter an 8 or 9-inch cake pan, and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, buttering the parchment as well. If you don't have parchment, butter and flour the pan, knocking out the excess flour.

In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and the butter, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with about half the sugar on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Fold the chocolate into the egg mixture and set aside.

Wash and dry the beaters. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate-yolk mixture in 3 additions.

Put the almond flour, cinnamon, and salt in a fine strainer held over the batter, and sift it into the batter, folding it in 3 additions.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached, 45-50 minutes.

When the cake has cooled completely, run a small knife around the pan sides to loosen it. Invert the cake onto a plate or cooling rack; then invert it again onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

TO MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM:

In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the chilled cream until slightly thickened. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until firm peaks begin to form; do not over beat.

TO SERVE:

Top each slice of cake with a dollop of whipped cream. The cake can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with a dome or with parchment paper and then plastic wrap. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and then brought back to room temperature or gently reheated before serving. It is also good served chilled, but the texture will be firmer.