Even if the thermometer does not say fall, the available produce does. Lots of cauliflower, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, and broccoli ready for you to shift seasons on your table.
Gaytan Family Farm
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Romaine Lettuce
Red Leaf Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Onions (Red and Yellow)
Fox Farm
Oranges
Pomegranates
Persimmons
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple, Chile and Walnuts
From Food 52. Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or lesser amount of red pepper flakes), or to taste
Olive oil to evenly coat vegetables (for roasting), about 1 to 2 T
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup walnut halves, toasted
1 tart, crisp apple, cut into 1/2" dice (peeling optional)
2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste, from 1 to 2 small limes
2 scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise at an angle into thin slivers (white and light green parts only)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
1 to 2 tablespoons walnut oil, or to taste
¼ cup finely chopped or crumbled aged cheddar (I used Cabot clothbound)
Directions
Heat oven to 425° F. Spread Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish, and toss to evenly coat with Aleppo pepper and olive oil and season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts are tender and golden brown with a few crispy, singed leaves, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. During the last 5 to 10 minutes of roasting time, toast your walnuts on a separate baking sheet, making sure to not burn them. Remove Brussels sprouts and walnuts from oven, and let cool about 10 minutes before adding them to the other ingredients in Step 3.
While the vegetables and walnuts are in the oven, toss the apples, lime juice, scallions, parsley, and mint in a large bowl.
Add the Brussels sprouts to the apple mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cheese, walnuts, and walnut oil; toss gently. Squeeze some more lime juice over the top if more acidity is needed. The salad is best served slightly warm or at room temperature. It can be made several hours in advance; the lime juice prevents the apple from turning brown.
Summer Squash Ribbons with Green Beans and Herbs
From Martha Rose Shulman. Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds mixed yellow squash and zucchini
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as chives, basil, parsley, tarragon, marjoram
Salt
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta or grated Parmesan
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, spiralize the squash using the slicer blade. Take up handfuls and cut into manageable lengths, then transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
2. To the boiling water, add the green beans. Blanch until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Cook gently, stirring, until translucent, about a minute, then stir in the green beans and herbs. Remove from heat.
4. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the squash ribbons. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute to soften. Drain the squash noodles and add to the pan with the green beans and herbs. Add the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, black pepper and the feta, and toss together using tongs. The squash will continue to release water, so the mixture will be moist. Use tongs to serve.
As the weather cools enough for soups and stews, give this a curried stew a try.
Curried Chickpeas with Cauliflower and Coconut Milk
From Food 52. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
For soaking and cooking the chickpeas
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound dried chickpeas, see notes above if using canned
few sprigs thyme
1/2 onion
For making the curried chickpeas and cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, 2 to 2.5 lbs.
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced to yield about 1 cup
1 tablespoon curry powder
13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup raisins, golden are nice
¼ cup toasted pine nuts, optional
1cup finely chopped cilantro
Directions
Dissolve the 3 tablespoons of salt into a large bowl of water (your largest mixing bowl, or about 4 quarts water). Add the chickpeas and soak for 8 to 24 hours. Drain, and place in a pot with the onion, thyme, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Cover with water by three inches. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook at the gentlest simmer for about an hour or until the chickpeas are cooked through. Let chickpeas cool in their cooking liquid. Discard thyme sprigs, and onion. Store chickpeas in their cooking liquid. You need 4 cups of cooked chickpeas for the recipe.
Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut out the core of the cauliflower and remove the leaves. Cut the cauliflower into florets about 2-inches in size — they’ll break down further when they cook with the chickpeas. You should have about 6 cups. Add the 1 tablespoon of salt and the cauliflower to the boiling water, and cook for 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy. Lift out the florets with a slotted spoon, and spread on a tray or plate to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and curry powder and cook, stirring now and then, until the onions are softened and the curry is very fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, then fill the empty can with water and add it to the saucepan. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, the cooked cauliflower, 4 cups cooked chickpeas, raisins, and pine nuts, if using. Stir everything together, turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let simmer, stirring now and then, for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced, the cauliflower has broken down a bit, and the chickpeas taste flavorful. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Serve with naan.
For a Thai variation, omit the curry powder, raisins, and pine nuts and add minced ginger in with the onion and a tablespoon or two of Thai red curry paste with the coconut milk.
This next cauliflower dish is a whole, meatless meal. You may adjust the spiciness to your taste, of course.
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Stir Fry
From The Kitchn. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Salt and pepper
6 slices fresh ginger
1 small onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the cauliflower in a single layer and toss with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes. Stir the cauliflower halfway through baking.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook for 2 minutes until caramelized. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes, making sure they don’t burn.
Turn up the heat to high, and add the cauliflower and scallions. Cook for 30 seconds and then add the crushed red pepper flakes (if using), sesame oil, Shaoxing rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, and sugar. Toss everything together, stir-frying for about 1 minute, and serve with steamed rice.
Here is yet another way to use cauliflower. Yes, cauliflower is having a moment.
This is a recipe that nods at a lesson taught by the British writer Nigel Slater, which is to poach the cauliflower in bay-leaf scented milk while the potatoes bake. The soft florets are then mashed in with the potato flesh and a healthy splash of the cooked milk. Add butter. Top with cheese.
Twice-Baked Potatoes with Cauliflower and Cheese
From the New York Times. Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes, like russets
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
3 cups milk
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Directions
Preheat oven to 450.
Scrub potatoes under running water; dry them, and rub the skin of each with the oil and a little salt. Pierce the skin of each in three or four places with the tines of a fork.
Place the potatoes in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, until they offer no resistance when a knife is inserted in their centers.
While the potatoes are baking, put the cauliflower into a saucepan set over medium-high heat, and add the milk and bay leaves. Heat until almost boiling, then reduce flame to low, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes.
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven, slice them open down the middle and use a spoon to scrape out their flesh into a bowl. Add the butter, the cauliflower and a healthy splash of the milk, and mash to combine. Spoon the mixture back into the empty jackets, place on a baking sheet and shower with cheese. Return to the oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
As I am writing this, we have had one soup weather day. Hooray! I hope for many more. An easy way to prepare for those that sneak in this changing climate, try this trick I recently learned.
Use it for simmering any bean or grain, as the base for your soups, stews, braises, sauces, and risottos. Or, if you’re feeling under the weather, it will make a soothing broth with hot water, all on its own. Recipe adapted slightly from The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin. You can use just about any vegetables and herbs you like—the important thing is that they are fresh and taste as vegetable-y as possible. You can easily cut this recipe in half too.
The River Cottage’s Vegetable Bouillon (a.k.a. Souper Mix)
Makes 3-4 8 ounce jars
Ingredients
9 ounces leek
7 ounces fennel
7 ounces carrot
9 ounces celery root
2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
2 or 3 garlic cloves
3 1/2 ounces parsley
3 1/2 ounces cilantro
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Note: The ingredients above are given in prepared weights — i.e., they should be washed, trimmed of any stringy or tough parts, and peeled where necessary before weighing.
Directions
The helping hand of a food processor is essential in this recipe. Simply put all the ingredients into the processor and blend together. The result will be a moist, granular paste. Spoon into clean jars with tight-fitting lids.
Keep one jar of the mix in the fridge—within easy reach for everyday cooking. The rest can be stored in the freezer—it will stay soft and spoonable due to all the salt. Use within six months. To use the souper mix directly from the refrigerator or freezer, just stir about 1 teaspoon of it into 1 cup of hot water.
The kale pesto recipe could be just the same to stir into your vegetable soup for a flavor kick. You can also use in on crostini with some ricotta cheese, or spread on sandwiches, especially grilled cheese sandwiches.
Kale Pesto with Dried Mushrooms and Rosemary
Ingredients and Directions
Cover dried mushrooms in boiling water and set aside to rehydrate. (Madison uses 4 large slices of dried porcini.)
Sauté about 4 slices of onion, 1 clove of sliced garlic, and a couple teaspoons of minced rosemary in a slick of olive oil until the onion softens.
Add 4 cups of stemmed kale leaves (you could surely use other sturdy greens instead), season with salt, and add the mushrooms and their soaking liquid. Cover the pan and cook until the kale is tender.
Let this cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until smooth, adding more olive oil as needed to reach your desired consistency.
I LOVE soup, and this is one that will become a regular part of our menu rotation. Searing one side of the broccoli qualifies this as a Genius Recipe on Food52.com. See what you think.
Melissa Clark's Seared Broccoli and Potato Soup
From Food 52. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
½ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
2 pounds (2 heads) broccoli, separated into small florets, stems peeled
and diced
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper, more for finishing
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ pound potatoes, peeled, and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
Grated or shaved Parmesan, to finish (optional)
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Directions
In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add about a third of the broccoli, just enough so that it covers the bottom of the pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook broccoli without moving it for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until dark brown on 1 side only (leave the other side bright green). Transfer to a big bowl and repeat with remaining broccoli and more oil. When all the broccoli has been browned, season with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to pan. Add onions and garlic, black and red peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook onion-garlic mixture until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add potato to the pot with 1 quart water and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover pot and cook until potato is just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broccoli, cover again and cook until tender, another 5 to 10 minutes.
Add lemon zest and roughly purée soup with an immersion or regular blender, leaving some small chunks for texture. Stir in lemon juice. Finish with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and flaky sea salt.