Butternut squash makes the best “pumpkin” pie in my opinion and the link to the pie-crust below is hands-down the best pie crust I have ever made—a winning combination thus!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Radicchio, Beet, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
Marinated Lentils with Roasted Beets Walnuts and Orange Vinaigrette
Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
Celeriac Remoulade
Winter Squash Coconut Milk Curry
Roasted Squash and Onions with Lemony Tahini Sauce
“Pumpkin” Pie (with Butternut Squash)

Radicchio, Beet, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad

This is a beautiful, substantial salad. The sweetness of the beets is lovely with the bite of the radicchio.

2 large or 3 medium beets, baked until tender, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
about 4 cups radicchio cut into ¾-inch ribbons (well washed and dried)
1/3 cup (or more) walnuts, toasted about 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees, and crumbled or roughly chopped
1 shallot, very thinly sliced (or diced) and macerated in 2 tablespoons of red wine or sherry vinegar for 10 minutes (or more)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (Stilton, Roquefort, etc.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil

Drain the shallots and reserve the vinegar. Mix the radicchio, shallots and walnuts in a salad bowl. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well. Add the blue cheese and toss again. Add some of the reserved vinegar, to taste. Finally gently stir in the beets. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Marinated Lentils with Roasted Beets Walnuts and Orange Vinaigrette
–inspired by Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon

4 medium beets, roasted cooled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (roast at 375 – 400 tightly covered with a splash of water until tender)
2 cups French green lentils (or other smaller variety that holds its shape well)
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 quarts veg or chicken stock or water
½ a small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 recipe orange vinaigrette (see below)
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Combine lentils, garlic, cinnamon stick, and stock or water and bring to a simmer and cook for 30- 40 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain the lentils (reserving liquid for a soup if you want) and discard bay, cinnamon stick and garlic cloves. Put lentils in a bowl and cool to room temp.

Toss lentils with red onion and about two thirds of the dressing. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss beat slices with remainder of vinaigrette.

Serve beets on lentils and topped with the toasted walnuts.

Orange Vinaigrette

Juice and grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 tablespoons red vinegar
1 clove garlic minced or mashed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake well. Keeps well for a week or a bit more.

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
–adapted from smittenkitchen.com

This is worthy of the Thanksgiving table and I would happily eat it and a few other sides and skip the turkey. This dish is complex and lovely.

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth (I use homemade veggie bouillon, recipe below)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (or the equivalent amount of regular onion)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 scant tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard (or more to taste)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. (If your sprouts don’t fit in one layer, brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.)

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out Brussels sprouts. Add cream and simmer for three or so minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Return Brussels sprouts to the pan and if sauce is a little thin, simmer for another minute or two and then serve hot.

Celeriac Remoulade

A classic Celery Root Remoulade exclusively uses mayonnaise in the dressing, which is good but I suggest a combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for a slightly tangier and fresher flavor here but by all means use just mayonnaise if that’s what you have.

And again, quantities are approximations so adjust depending on the number of people you’re feeding, etc.

Scant 2 lbs. celeriac, peeled
¼ cup good mayonnaise
¼ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
A little white wine or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

You can either grate the celeriac in a food processor or if you can, use a sharp knife or a mandolin to cut it into matchsticks. Toss the grated or cut celeriac with 1 teaspoon sea salt most of the lemon juice. Let rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 30.

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the veggies. Mix well and adjust seasoning.

Winter Squash Coconut Milk Curry

It is a bit of a pain to seed and peel a raw winter squash but the flavor is awfully good when you cook the raw pumpkin with spices and other vegetables and then add some coconut milk. If you prefer to bake the pumpkin (cut in half and seeded) for a bit to make it easier to peel you can certainly do that.

1 2 lb (or so) butternut squash
2 tablespoon neutral oil (peanut, sunflower, etc.)
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2-3 carrots, well scrubbed and cut into thin rounds on the bias (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 serrano chiles, minced (seeds and all) or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup broth or water
1 can coconut milk (full fat preferably)
chopped cilantro (optional)
lime wedges

Cut the squash in half and scrape clean. Now you can either bake it for a while to soften it a bit and then cut it into bite-sized pieces or do so with a sharp knife and with care in its raw state.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until it softens a bit and becomes translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and hot pepper and sauté over medium high heat, stirring often for about 2 minutes. You don’t want the mixture to brown. Add the carrots and cook for a few more minutes. Add a little oil if it’s too dry. Then add the squash and broth or water and bring to a gentle simmer. After about 10 minutes add the coconut milk and some salt and cook until all the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Roasted Squash and Shallots (or Onions) with Lemony Tahini Sauce
–slightly adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

If you’re loathe to peel and trim the squash raw you can bake the whole squash, seeds and all for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees and then remove it, let cool a little and then peel and cut—a bit easier to handle this way.

1 medium butternut squash (2 1/4 lb. more or less), cut into 3/4 by 2 1/2-inch wedges
6 shallots, cut into 1 ¼ -inch wedges or 2 onions, cut the same
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 tablepoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 small clove garlic, crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoons  za’atar (optional – I found it at People’s co-op the other day)
1 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za’atar, if using, and parsley.

Chez Pim Pie Crust

Well, after years of making a certain all-butter pie crust (inspired by the Chez Panisse galette crust) I have 100% switched this recipe and technique. I find it completely unbeatable and while it includes one extra step, I don’t think twice about it anymore. Some of you may have adopted this technique ages ago so I may be late to the game. Better late than never. I’m making more pies than ever before☺!

Pumpkin Pie

This  is a fairly classic pie, with the exception of the sour cream/Greek yogurt and optional rum. I do not blind bake my crust for this pie though most recipes call for doing that. I have great luck with the below method and the crust doesn’t get too dark and brittle.

1 9-inch single crust Pie shell, chilled (not partially baked using ½ of above recipe)
1 ¾ cups butternut squash puree
 (bake the squash until very soft in a 400 degree oven–cut side down–takes about 35 minutes or more depending on size of squash)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup whole milk or cream
 or a combination of the two or half and half
1/3 cup sour cream
 or Greek yogurt (which is what I use)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum or cognac  or brandy (optional)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Lightly sweetened lightly whipped cream, for topping

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 pan and crimp edges as described in apple pie recipe above, though your just crimping a single layer of crust, the technique is the same. Chill or freeze 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.  Tap the pan gently—if the custard only 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

Some favorites this week include the leek and kale pizza and the Thai-style Brussels sprouts, but the I love celery root so much that both of those recipes rank high too. Enjoy!

Celery Root Soup
Celery Root Sauté
Carrot Puree with Dukkah
Miso Sesame Delicata Squash
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai-style Dressing
Brussels Sprout Pasta “Risotto” with Bacon
Braised Kale and Leeks (on a Galette or Pizza)

Celery Root Soup
–adapted from www.davidlebovitz.com

8-10 Servings

This is delicious, elegant and easy to make. If your celery root is smaller or you want to make a smaller batch just adjust everything accordingly.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
One large celery root (about 3-pounds), peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
3 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Scant 1/8 teaspoon chile powder

In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic cloves and season with salt, and continue to cook until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent.

Add the celery root and stock. (Or use all water.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a strong simmer. Cook, with the lid to the pot ajar on top, until the celery root pieces are soft and easily pierced with a paring knife, about forty-five minutes.

Add pepper and chile powder, then purée using an immersion blender, or let the soup cool to a bit and whiz in a blender until smooth. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. If the soup is too thick, it can be thinned with water or stock.

You can vary the soup by adding some pieces of crisp bacon as a garnish or a dollop of sour cream or some heavy cream can be stirred in. Chives or parsley would be a nice garnish. But a nice drizzle of good olive oil is perfect too.

Celery Root Sauté

This is the way I prepare celery root when I’m in a hurry and I’m NEVER disappointed and I tend to eat to much of it. . ..

Peel the celery root and cut it into French fry sized batons. Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Now you can also dice a slice or two of bacon if you want and toss that in. Add the celery root and a few pinches of salt. Cook on medium-high heat, tossing fairly frequently, until browning and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Adjust for salt and enjoy.

Carrot Puree with Dukkah
–adapted from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

This is good and the Dukkah (the spice and nut mixture below) is delicious sprinkled on most anything—roasted vegetables, salads, grilled meats, you name it. And you know about harissa, the Morrocan spice paste I’ve used several times before, and how delicious it is.

The way to serve this is to take good bread or baguettes and dip or brush with olive oil, sprinkle with dukkah and spread with carrot puree. It could be part of a simple supper, lunch or a snack or a Thanksgiving appetizer.

2 pounds carrots, well scrubbed and cut into 2-inch lengths
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for dipping
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
5 teaspoons harissa (or much less depending on how spicy your version is—they vary widely so taste first or just add a teaspoon or two at a time and taste again0
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over high heat, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and return them to the dry saucepan. Cook the carrots for 30 seconds or so over medium heat to dry them out. Remove the pan with the carrots from the heat and coarsely mash them with a fork or whisk. You want a coarsely ground carrot puree, not a smooth puree.

Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, cumin and ginger and then season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Dukkah
–adapted slightly from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

This is a little bit of a project, timing the toasting of the spices and then letting them cool but it’s well worth it and it makes enough for several dishes/meals.

1/2 cup almonds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a work surface to cool, and then finely chop them.

Put the coriander and cumin seeds in the same skillet and toast, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and allow them to cool completely before coarsely grinding.

In a medium bowl, combine the almonds with the ground spices.

Put the sesame seeds in the same skillet and toast them over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the spice grinder.

Toast the coconut in the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden (be careful not to burn!), about 2 minutes. Add the toasted coconut to the grinder and let it cool completely.

Grind the sesame seeds and coconut to a coarse powder. Combine with the almond and spice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Miso Sesame Delicata Squash
–adapted from The Inspired Vegan by Bryant Terry, via 101cookbooks.com

Serves 4-6

2 pounds delicata squash (~2), halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch inch thick pieces
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon tamari or shoyu
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
5 tablespoons water
8 ounces organic extra-firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, chopped arugula, lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Spread the squash on a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 40 minutes, turning over with a fork after 20 minutes, or until golden on both sides.

In the meantime, in a medium-size bowl, whisk together the molasses, tamari, maple syrup, miso, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the tofu, toss to coat, and set aside.

When the squash is deeply golden on both sides, remove from the oven.

Transfer the squash to a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the tofu mixture over the squash, and gently toss. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until a good amount of the marinade boils off. Toss a couple times along the way. Finish under the boiler if you like, or if you like a bit of extra color on top. Remove from the oven, and season with salt, if needed. Finish with some toasted sesame seeds, chopped arugula, and/or herbs, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side (to squeeze on top).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai-style Dressing
–adapted from Food52.com

I included this recipe last fall and can’t wait to make it this coming week whenw e get our first Brussels sprouts. This is a knock-you-over-the-head kind of dish. It’s not for the faint of heart but if you like strong, fresh flavors and unusual combinations please try it.

2-3 tablespoons very thinly sliced cilantro stems, plus 1/2 cup leaves
3 tablespoons chopped mint (optional—I did not have any and it was still superb)
2 pounds Brussels sprouts

Combine the vinaigrette (below), cilantro stems, and mint in a bowl, and set aside.

Peel away any loose or discolored outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, trim the ends and cut the sprouts in half. Cut any especially large ones in quarters. Wash well and shake or pat dry with a towel.

Now you can either roast the Brussels sprouts in a 400 degree oven tossed with a bit of olive oil or you can start them on the stove top in 2 large skillets, cut side down in a splash of oil. If you do the latter, cook them undisturbed like this over medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes until nicely browned on the cut side. Then move the skillets to the oven and continue roasting for about 15 minutes until tender but not at all mushy.

And if you don’t have two large skillets or are cooking more sprouts for a larger crowd, roast them in the oven: toss them with 1 tablespoon of oil per pound and spread them on a baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast in the oven, checking for browning every 10-15 minutes, tossing them around with a spatula only once they start to brown nicely. The sprouts are ready when they are tender but not soft, with nice, dark brown color.

When ready to serve (warm or at room temp), toss the Brussels sprouts with the dressing to taste and cilantro leaves, and toss once or twice to coat. You might not need quite all the dressing so start with 2/3 of it.

Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

1/3 cup fish sauce (adjust to taste — some fish sauce brands are saltier)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 to 3 Serrano chili very thinly sliced, seeds intact

Combine the fish sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chiles in a jar. Taste; If too salty, add more water and/or lime juice. This vinaigrette will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Brussels Sprout Pasta “Risotto” with Bacon
–inspired by Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 3-4

As Dorie notes, “this is risotto” the way that finely sliced apples are carpaccio, which means not at all. . .” but the technique is just enough reminiscent of risotto that I appreciate the reference and continue to use it.

1 1/4 lbs. Brussels sprouts (if you have a half share 1 lb will be just fine), washed, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half moons
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices bacon, diced
1 1/3 cup tubetti (or ditalini or other small pasta) (Pastaworks has tubetti)
4 cups flavorful vegetable broth (homemade veggie bouillon) or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard, grating cheese (Asiago Stella is a good, cheaper alternative)
Salt
Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt and cook for 5 minutes to soften a bit and then add the bacon. You may need to reduce the heat a bit and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the bacon is beginning to render but is not crisp. Now add the broth or stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and then simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered. Now add the Brussels sprouts, stir well to incorporate and then cover and cook for another 7 or 8 minutes until the sprouts are tender. At this point add the cream and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Stir in the Parmesan and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Braised Kale and Leeks (on a Galette or Pizza)

Leeks and kale make for a wonderful combination. You can serve this is a side dish or, surprise, surprise (!) fry an egg in one side of the pan 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 yourself a lovely, hearty pizza. I think it’s particularly good on Grand Central Bakery’s whole-wheat pizza crust.

1 large bunch kale, well washed, trimmed and cut into thin ribbons and stems finely chopped
2 medium leeks or 1 large one, well washed and cut into thin half-moons
1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ – 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 stir well and sauté for 2-3 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
1/4 cup ice water

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.

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 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. If you don’t want the cheese to get brown you can just sprinkle on the cheese when you take it out of the oven.

The beautiful Castlefranco Chicory is wonderful in the risotto below but makes for a handsome salad too. Be sure to dress it well—Dijon-style mustard and sherry or red wine vinegar and maybe a few capers stand up well to this colder-season lettuce, as do toasted nuts and hard cheeses.

Baked Acorn Squash with Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto
Toasted Squash Seeds
Carrot, Parsnip and Parsley Fritters (pan-fried)
Pan-fried Parsnips
Caldo Verde (Portuguese Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
White Beans, Onion and Parsley Salad with Oregon Albacore
Farro and Chicory Risotto

Baked Acorn Squash with Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto

Acorn squash is really best baked and then turned into a variety of dishes or eaten just as is. The scalloped, tough skin is a bear to manage raw so either bake the whole thing for 20 minutes until it’s soft enough to more easily cut in half or cut it in half raw, scoop out seeds and save those, and bake cut side down for about 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees until tender.

I like this combination of bright, fresh parsley and sweet nutty squash seeds and lemon juice over the soft, sweet squash. I particularly like barley hard-cooked eggs, quartered and also dressed with the pesto along side. You could also use some of the pesto to make deviled eggs:)!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

1 or 2 Acorn squash (might as well bake both at once if you have two) (see headnote)
1 batch Toasted squash seed and parsley pesto (recipe below)

Bake the acorn squash until tender. Scoop out flesh and leave as is or roughly mash. Serve tossed with or topped with the pesto.

Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto

Squash seeds (1/2 a cup’s worth, more or less)
1 small bunch parsley
1 small to medium clove garlic, chopped
Juice of half a lemon or 2 teaspoons red wine or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1/3 cup olive oil

Rinse the squash seeds and pat dry. Toss with a little olive oil and salt and spread on a baking sheet. You can bake them alongside the squash but they will only take 10 minutes or so. Check frequently as they burn quickly. Let cool.

In a food processor, process the seeds for a few seconds. Then add the remaining ingredients and quickly process. I like a fairly rough texture, not a paste. If it’s too thick thin with a little cream, water or more olive oil. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with baked squash and cooked eggs, if you’d like (see headnote).

Carrot, Parsnip and Parsley Fritters
–inspired by Tender by Nigel Slater

If you have a jalapeno or Serrano chili sitting around by all means mince it and add it.

This makes quite a few pancakes–about 12 or more 4-5-inch cakes.

Carrots, well scrubbed and grated on the large holes of a box grater to make about 2 cups of grated carrots
Parsnips, same as above to make about 1 ½ cups
1 small-ish onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (optional – see headnote)(seeded or not depending on comfort with heat)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup grated sharp cheddar (or more- to taste)
1 heaping tablespoon of flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil for frying

Mix everything except the oil in a large bowl. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning. Then fry large dollops in a large, heavy bottomed skillet lightly coated with oil until crispy and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes on the first side and a bit less on the second. Enjoy, you guessed it (!) with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Pan-fried Parsnips

When the first parsnips come around each year I just make this, simplest of simple dishes. The tender sweetness of the parsnips gets to shine. And of course a fried or poached egg on top would not be amiss!

They are so tender and fairly small this week that there is no need to peel them. Just scrub and slice!

However many parsnips you want to use, scrubbed (not need to peel), trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds (if larger)
Olive oil
Salt
Chopped parsley for serving

Heat a heat skillet over high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the parsnips rounds and toss well to coat with a little oil. Sprinkle with salt. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. When tender, which should take more than 10 minutes, remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and serve with another little drizzle of good olive oil if you’d like and a scattering of chopped parsley.

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
–adapted very slightly from Tender, by Nigel Slater

I’m guessing you have couple of potatoes leftover from previous shares. I used a couple of huge red ones for this soup last night and it was wonderful. One chorizo is enough to flavor this soup but if you’ve got meat lovers at the table feel free to toss in another. If you’d like to make this without the meat, 2 teaspoons of 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
3 -4 medium potatoes
6 cups broth or water
2 bay leaves
1-2 chorizo sausage (4 or 8 oz.), cut into thin rounds
 (see headnote) (I particularly like Pastaworks’ fresh Chorizo for this dish but use what you have/can easily find)
5 cups cabbage, cored and cut into thin strips
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.

White Beans, Onion and Parsley Salad with Oregon Albacore

This is a quick, hearty and classic Italian salad and a great place for your parsley this week. It’s strongly flavored with generous amounts of acidity from both vinegar and lemon juice and capers and onions. It’s best with some of our local Oregon Albacore that can be found in cans at New Seasons, Pastaworks, Fred Meyer, etc. It’s worth getting good-quality canned tuna (something I always keep in the pantry) for this dish.

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

1 or 2 (5 or 6-ounce) cans tuna (preferably Oregon Albacore)
3 cups cooked white navy or cannellini or other white beans or 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cups parsley leaves, just slightly chopped
2 tablespoons capers, in brine or packed in salt, drained and rinsed and chopped up a bit
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion very thinly sliced (soaked in ice water for 20 minutes to remove some of the onion’s bite if you have sensitive eaters)
Zest of half a lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a large bowl, add the tuna, reserving the olive oil or juices from the can in a separate small bowl. Break tuna into bite-size pieces with a fork. Add the beans and capers. Into the bowl of olive oil or tuna juices, add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and zest and extra olive oil. Season with salt and pepper Pour dressing on the tuna, bean and caper mixture and add the onion and the parsley to tuna mixture and toss gently. Serve with good, crusty bread.

Faro Risotto with Chicory
–very loosely adapted from Food and Wine via smittenkitchen.com

This is creamy, delicious and perfect for this blustery weather.

Feel free to make changes. . . add a clove of garlic, use romano instead of parmesan, dollop in some crème fraîche at the end; use red wine or skip the wine.

Serves 3 to 4

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I use homemade veggie bouillon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup white or red wine (optional)
1 cup faro (if you have whole, not pearled faro, par boil it for 10 minutes, drain and then proceed with the recipe)
6 cups thinly sliced chicory
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, grated
1 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the veggie or chicken stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the faro and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine if using and cook, stirring until absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup or so at a time. When the faro is just about tender, add a bit more broth then add the chicory and let it wilt and then cook for an additional couple of minutes. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese and the butter and season with salt and pepper. Let sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes at least, then serve, passing more cheese at the table if you’d like.

Some new and old favorites–two fairly quick one-pot dinners that are ideal CSA catch-alls. My favorite fall winter condiment in the form of a reduced apple cider syrup that is the perfect ingredient for an escarole salad. . . Happy cooking!

One-pot Winter Squash and Pasta with Escarole
Escarole Salad Note
Apple Cider Syrup
Wilted Escarole (with Roasted Beets?)
Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
Maple Spice and Delicata Bowl
CSA Risotto with Leek, Fennel, Carrots
Seafood and Fennel Soup (link)

One-pot Winter Squash (and Fennel?) and Pasta with Escarole

I created this recipe for a cooking workshop with Early Head Start staff last week. The escarole is a SIO addition but this has already become a favorite in our household—fast, one pot, endlessly adaptable! It makes good leftovers and can be adapted with spices, herbs and other vegetables or meats even depending on your taste and/or what you have on hand. You can change the ratio of vegetable to pasta and if you add the fennel (as suggested below) you could reduce the pasta by ½ cup and reduce the liquid by a bit as well.

I think dicing a fennel bulb and adding it to the onion or leek would be a delicious addition.

Generously serves 4-5

Oil
1 onion, diced (or 1 large leek, well washed, halved and thinly sliced)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into small dice (optional)
1 small-ish delicata squash, scrubbed but not peeled, halved, seeds and strings removed and cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 ½ cups small pasta such as small elbow macaroni or ditalini (tiny tubes)
3 ½ cups water (or broth or chicken stock)
3-4 cups shredded escarole
Salt
½ cup or so grated cheese (parmesan or sharp cheddar or whatever grate-able cheese you have)
Black pepper

In a large heavy skillet heat about 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and thyme, if using, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the squash pieces and a few pinches of salt and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add a little oil if it starts sticking. Add the pasta and the water and about ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well, bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes. Check occasionally to see if there is enough liquid. When the pasta and the vegetables are almost tender add the escarole and cook for 2 more minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed at this point. Take it off the heat and stir in the cheese and add some black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if need be. Cook for another few minutes if at all watery. You want to have a silky sauce coating the pasta.

Escarole Salad Note

I love heartier and more strongly flavored greens for salads and escarole is a favorite. It stands up beautifully to Caesar-like dressings or capers and hardboiled eggs. I also like it with a dressing that includes a teaspoon or so of apple cider syrup (recipe below), sherry or red wine vinegar, olive oil s & p and some shaved manchego and toasted filberts. Heaven!

Wilted Escarole (with Roasted Beets?)
–from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

Escarole is part of the fall/winter greens in the chicory and endive families. I love them all—they are crunchy and slightly bitter (in a very pleasing way when dressed or cooked) and can often be cooked or grilled since they’re more substantial than other lettuces.

This is a very simple technique that just begs for a fried or poached egg or maybe some fish or lovely bowl of beans and good olive oil as an accompaniment.

Wash and trim the escarole. Cut the leaves into wide strips. Saute in olive oil, covered, until wilted and bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add a splash of vinegar, and serve.

While I haven’t tried them together I would imagine some roasted beets dressed with red wine or sherry vinegar on the side, would be lovely.

Apple Cider Syrup

This is my go-to secret ingredient in salad dressings, soup and dessert enhancers from now until late spring!

Bring 1 gallon of cider to a boil in a large pot. Uncover the cider and cook on high heat until the cider has reduced to about to about 3 cups. You’ll want to check it periodically to see if it’s getting syrupy and viscous. It will depend on your pan and your stove as to how long this takes. My guess is somewhere around – 2 hours but start checking after about 90 minutes. If you cook it too long you get a wonderful apple cider caramel if you stir in a bit of cream and a tablespoon or so of butter.

When the syrup is cool pour into glass jars and keep in the refrigerator or freezer (for back up). Use a couple of teaspoons in salad dressing or drizzle over Greek yogurt, or on your hot cereal, or in salad of thinly sliced fennel, etc.

Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
–from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This is a gorgeous, easy to make and elegant dish. I just eat it by the spoonful and spoon it into warm pita bread. It makes quite a bit so halve the recipe if you’d like but go ahead and roast all 6 beets while you’re at it and use half for something else.

6 medium beets (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed and scrubbed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and minced
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon za’atar (middle-eastern spice mix including hyssop and sesame seeds—I found it at People’s co-op recently). You can substitute a mixture of dried thyme and toasted sesame seeds.
Salt
1/4 cup roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.

Peel the beets, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile and yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and scallions on top and serve with bread.

Maple Spice and Delicata Bowl
–adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen

This recipe is written to include kale which you don’t have in your share this week. You can just omit the kale, or substitute wilted escarole (for a slightly moister texture than the baked kale) or toss the squash and fennel with a bunch of fresh parsley or cilantro.

A note on texture. As written, the kale ends up somewhere between a kale chip and sauteed kale – crisp edges and a tender center. If you want it more crisp, make sure your kale is completely dry and add 5 minutes to the baking time. If you prefer it less crisp, take 5 minutes off the baking time, giving it just enough time to wilt.

2 small delicata squash (about 1 – 1.5 lb. total) skin on, halved and seeded
1 large fennel bulb
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or less if you don’t like much spice)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 bunch kale, stems removed (see headnote) or escarole
3 tablespoons minced red onion

Preheat the oven to 400′. Arrange one oven rack in the upper third and one on the bottom third.

Slice the squash into 1” half moons. Slice the fennel down the center, cut out the tough core, slice into 1/2” wedges. Spread everything on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, maple, mustard, cayenne, red pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat everything, adding another drizzle of oil or maple if it seems too dry. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the squash is tender and caramelized, tossing the vegetables half way through.

Rip the kale into large chunks, drizzle it with remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread it on another baking sheet. At the 30 minute mark, move the squash tray to the lower rack and put the kale on the top rack. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are crisp. Add your minced onion and gently toss everything together. Enjoy warm.

CSA Risotto with Leek, Fennel, Carrots

Tonight I had 1 yellow sweet pepper, 1 bulb of fennel, 1 red onion and a bunch of broccoli about to go bad and 1 bunch of red chard stems. So I made risotto with all of it and not very much rice in fact. It was just dandy and I feel very pleased about my cleaned out crisper ready for tomorrow’s share.

Use any manner of leftover veggies or new ones from this week, just chop it all rather small. And much like the One-pot Pasta and Delicata squash, above, you can stir in a bunch of shredded escarole at the end. It would be a wonderful addition.

Olive oil
1 leek, washed, trimmed and cut into thin half rounds
½ onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 bunch chard stems if you happen to have them
1 or 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into small dice
2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
6 cups vegetable stock or homemade veggie bouillon broth (see below)
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan bring 6-7 cups water with about 10 teaspoons of homemade veggie bouillon to a boil and keep at a bare simmer or use whatever stock/broth you have. Be sure to taste the broth to make sure it’s well-seasoned but not too salty.

In a large sauté pan cook onion, leek, and bacon and chard stems, if using, for 5 minutes in a bit of olive oil. Add the fennel and carrots and a splash more olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring, until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in rice, stirring until each grain is coated with oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine (if using) and cook, over moderately high heat, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add about 3/4 cup simmering broth and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Repeat several times until the rice is nearing tenderness, about 15-18 minutes.

Add escarole, if using and the butter and Parmesan, another ladleful of broth—you want it to be quite soupy. Let rest for 7-10 minutes, covered, before serving. Most of the liquid will be absorbed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and or freshly ground black pepper.

Homemade Veggie Bouillon
–adapted from 101cookbooks.com

This bouillon paste that you dilute with water (about 1 ½ teaspoons per cup of water) has become my go to stock for everything from risotto to chicken noodle soup. I cook rice and quinoa in it instead of water as it adds so much flavor. It’s basically a fresh, instant stock. None of the vegetables or herbs is cooked. They are just processed in the food processor into a paste that keeps perfectly in the freezer for months and because of its salt content it does not freeze solid making it very easy to use. Don’t be put off by the quantity of salt. Once you dilute it with water it tastes perfect and is still lower in salt content than commercially available bouillon cubes. And this is much cheaper!

This recipe requires a food processor. I have an 8-cup / 2 liter / 2 quart model, and need every cubic inch of it. I found the best approach if you are tight for space in your food processor is to add a few of the ingredients, then pulse a few times. The ingredients collapse and free up more space for the next few ingredients. If you don’t find yourself using much bouillon, I will suggest making a half batch of this.

NOTE: You can also just make this with what you have. Onions, celery, carrots and parsley are enough. Use the proportions that make sense to you. Use 1/3 cup salt for each 2 cups of finely blended veggies/herbs.

5 ounces / 150 g leeks, sliced and well-washed
(about 1 medium)
7 ounces / 200g carrot, well scrubbed and chopped
 (about 3 medium)
3.5 ounces / 100 g celery
 (about 2 big stalks)
3.5 ounces / 100g celery root (celeriac), peeled and chopped (a piece about 3” x 4”)
1 ounce / 30g sun-dried tomatoes
 (about 6 dried tomatoes)
3.5 ounces / 100g onion or shallots, peeled
(about half a small-medium onion)
1 medium garlic clove
6 ounces / 180g kosher salt
(scant 1 cup)
1.5 ounces / 40 g parsley, loosely chopped
 (about 1/3 of a big bunch)
2 ounces / 60g cilantro (coriander), loosely chopped (about ½ bunch)

Place the first four ingredients in your food processor and pulse about twenty times. Add the next three ingredients, and pulse again. Add the salt, pulse some more. Then add the parsley and cilantro. You may need to scoop some of the chopped vegetables on top of the herbs, so they get chopped. Mine tended to want to stay on top of everything else, initially escaping the blades. You should end up with a moist, loose paste of sorts. Freeze the bouillon paste. Because of all the salt it barely solidifies making it easy to spoon directly from the freezer into the pot before boiling.

Start by using 1 1/2 teaspoons of bouillon per 1 cup and adjust from there based on your personal preference.

Seafood and Fennel Soup
–from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This is a bit more involved than the other recipes but I trust everything in this cookbook and it uses several of your items this week including the fennel and potatoes.

It’s the last of the peppers I’m guessing and some Spanish or Spanish-inspired recipes are here to enjoy them. Pick up some cilantro this week since several of the recipes call for it.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Roasted Carrots and Cumin/Lemon Dressing
Roasted Pepper Salad with Onions, Cumin and Sherry Vinegar
Romesco
Simple Turnip and Joi Choi Stir Fry
Baked Acorn Squash Wedges with Sweet Pepper and Cilantro Sauce
Slow Cooked Chard and Onions
Rice with Eggs, Cheese and Chard
Carrot and Cumin Salad with Cilantro

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Roasted Carrots and Cumin/Lemon Dressing

This salad is also delicious with grilled or sautéed shrimp, rounds of cooked pork sausage or served with quartered, hard-boiled eggs over which you drizzle some of the dressing. You could also easily add leftover chicken to this to add even more protein. The garbanzo beans have a good amount already though. You can also add chunks of roasted acorn squash to this or use it instead of the carrots.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

5-6 medium carrots, sliced into ½-inch slices on the bias
Olive oil
Salt
3-4 cups cooked garbanzo beans (soaked and cooked or canned) if using canned beans, rinse well before using.
½ bunch of parsley (optional, but excellent and you might have some left over from last week)
Green onions or chives (fine to omit if you don’t have it on hand)

Vinaigrette
2 tsps red wine vinegar
2 tsps lemon or limejuice
3 tsps ground cumin
1-2 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Clean carrots slice in the bias into 1 ½ – 2-inch pieces. Mix with olive oil and salt and roast carrots at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes until tender and browning on the edges. Mix garbanzo beans and carrots with dressing, add green onions and parsley (if using). Let marinate a few minutes.

Roasted Pepper Salad with Onions, Cumin and Sherry Vinegar

This traditionally includes roasted tomatoes as well as the peppers but it is such a good combination it’s worth doing with the last of the peppers.

All the peppers you have—broiled until blackened and blistered and seeded and peeled and coarsely chopped
Small chunk of onion, sliced as thinly as you can
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
Salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sherry or champagne or red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
Some slices Jamon Serrano or prosciutto

Arrange the roasted peppers, slivered onions on a platter. Sprinkle the hardboiled eggs over the peppers.

In a small bowl mix the cumin, salt, olive oil, pepper, garlic and vinegar. Drizzle the dressing over everything and top with the slices of jamon. Enjoy with some good bread.

Romesco

There are so many versions of this pungent, zippy sauce. It’s delicious with many things and often served with roasted waxy potatoes or with fish.

2-3 sweet peppers, broiled until black and blistered, deseeded and peeled
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped and fried in olive oil until golden brown and removed from pan
1 thick slice crusty bread, fried in the garlic oil
1/4 cup toasted almonds (marcona almonds if you have them)
about 1/3 cup sherry or red wine vinegar or a combination
good glug of olive oil
Salt

Process everything until smooth in a food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should have a good vinegary kick.

Simple Joi Choi and Turnip Stir Fry (with or without tofu)

This is more of a technique than a recipe. Play around with it as you like.

If you’re going to use tofu, use firm tofu and pat it dry well. Cube it and pan-fry it in a little peanut oil, without disturbing for a 8 minutes or so. Gently turn and fry the other side. Set aside.

Peanut oil
2 clove garlic, minced
chunk of ginger, minced
4 cups Joi choi, sliced
2 turnips, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks or small dice
1 bunch turnip greens, well washed and chopped
about 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
about 1 1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
about 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

Mix the sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 ½ tablespoons or so of peanut oil over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and turnips and cook for about 4 minutes, keeping the ingredients moving the whole time. Add about half the oil and vinegar and soy mixture to the pan and the joi choi. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, then add the turnips greens and the rest of the oil/vinegar mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes. If you’re using tofu you can add it back in at this point and gently heat through. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Baked Acorn Squash Wedges with Sweet Pepper and Cilantro Sauce

1 large acorn squash
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sweet peppers, broiled until blackened and blistered
2 cloves garlic, minced
about 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped cilantro (or parsley)
Salt and pepper

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss squash with black pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

Peel and deseed the roasted peppers and chop finely. In a small bowl mix the peppers with the cilantro, vinegar, oil, garlic and salt.

Arrange squash wedges on a platter and drizzle with the sauce. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Slow Cooked Chard and Onions

This is a bit of an atypical way to cook chard since you cook it for a quite a long time. It is well worth it though—silky and rich.

Wash a large bunch of chard. Separate the leaves from the stems and reserve stems for another use. Cut the leaves into 1-2 inch ribbons. Slice 1 large onion into thin half-rounds and begin stewing them in some olive oil in a good-sized pot or pan. When the onion has softened a bit add the chard, season with salt and pepper, cover and stew, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes. You can add a little lemon zest and juice at the end but just by itself it is pretty much perfect

I’ve used this as a pizza topping with some feta or just a side to whatever else I made for dinner. Also wonderful with eggs.

Rice with Eggs, Cheese and Chard
–adapted from Deborah Madison via Ellen Jackson

This is a simple, hearty dish that can be varied with whatever greens you have. It’s a bit like pasta carbonara but with rice and greens and bacon would be a wonderful addition.

1 bunch chard, washed, stems removed and saved for something else, leaves chopped
1 cup rice (uncooked)
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup grated parmesan or other hard cheese
finely chopped parsley or oregano or chives
Toasted nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts or pine nuts (optional)

Blanch chard in an inch of water in a wide skillet for 2-3 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry when cool enough to handle. Chop finely.

Cook rice in salted water until tender. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper and cheese and stir them into the hot rice along with the butter. The heat of the rice will cook the eggs and coat the grains. Stir in the chard and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with toasted nuts, if using.

Carrot Salad with Cumin and Cilantro

I love grated carrot salads. This one is seasoned with cumin, lime juice, minced jalapeno and lots of cilantro.

Grate however many carrots as you’d like. Make a dressing of ground cumin, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. If you have whole cumin seeds, toast them briefly in a dry skillet, let cool and then pound in a mortar or in a spice grinder for extra fragrance or just use already ground cumin. Toss the grated carrots with the dressing and a minced jalapeno and plenty of chopped cilantro or mint. If you have toasted pumpkin seeds they are a wonderful addition as well.