Earthy And Savory Autumn Meals

Fennel,
Sunchoke, and Apple Salad

INGREDIENTS

·        
½
cup extra-virgin olive oil

·        
2
tbsp. rice vinegar

·        
2
tbsp. fresh lemon juice

·        
2
tbsp. chopped fresh chives

·        
2
tbsp. chopped fennel fronds

·        
Kosher
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

·        
8
radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced

·        
6
sunchokes, peeled and very thinly sliced

·        
2
gala or fuji apples, cored and very thinly sliced

·        
2
fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and very thinly sliced

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice,
chives, and fennel fronds to make a smooth vinaigrette. Season vinaigrette with
salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add radishes, sunchokes, apples, and fennel. Toss
well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day, to allow
the flavors to come together. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BAKED APPLES:

·        
1⁄4
cup sugar

·        
1⁄4
cup maple syrup

·        
4
tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

·        
2
tbsp. ground cinnamon

·        
1⁄4
tsp. kosher salt

·        
6
firm Fuji apples, stemmed and cored

·        
Ice
cream, for serving 

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:

·        
1
1⁄2 cups sugar

·        
1⁄3
cup heavy cream

·        
1⁄2
cup raisins

·        
2
tbsp. dark rum
 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the baked apples: Heat oven to 325°. Combine
sugar, syrup, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Cut 1⁄4″ from
bottom of apples so that they sit flat; transfer apples to a 9″ x 13″ baking
pan. Fill hollow cores with reserved sugar–syrup mixture. Cover apples with
foil; bake until tender, about 50 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce: Heat sugar and 1⁄2
cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring,
until amber colored and a candy thermometer inserted into syrup reads 330˚,
about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool slightly. Add cream (caramel
will bubble up slightly). Stir in raisins and rum; set aside. Serve apples with
caramel sauce and ice cream.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. peanut oil

 

1 tsp. cumin seeds

 

10 fresh curry leaves

 

1⁄4 cup Indian chickpea flour

 

2 tsp. ground turmeric

 

1–2 tsp. hot paprika

 

1⁄8 tsp. asafetida

 

1 1⁄2 tbsp. tamarind concentrate

 

1 tbsp. finely chopped jaggery



or packed brown sugar

 

2 15-oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained

 

Kosher salt, to taste

 

2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.
Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin and curry leaves;
cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, turmeric,
paprika, and asafetida and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Stir in
2 3⁄4 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in tamarind and jaggery; stir to
dissolve.


2.
Add black-eyed peas, season with salt; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer
until thickened, 3–5 minutes. Stir in cilantro.


Salata
Adas (Garlicky Lentil Salad)

 INGREDIENTS

1 cup green lentils, rinsed

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

12 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp. minced fresh mint

Kosher salt and freshly ground

black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring lentils and 3 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to
medium-low; simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Drain lentils
and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in an 8” skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook
until soft, 7–8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining oil, lemon
juice, cumin, and allspice. Pour the garlic mixture over lentils. Add parsley
and mint and season the lentils with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve
lentils at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS

 2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground turmeric

½ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

2 acorn squash (about 1¾ lb.), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½″ cubes

2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into ½″ cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups vegetable stock

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 cup canola oil

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tsp. dried mint

½
tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high
heat; add onion, and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 15
minutes. Add ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add turmeric,
five-spice powder, squash, apples, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring,
until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add stock, and bring to a boil; cook, covered
and stirring occasionally, until squash and apple are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup and then return
it to saucepan. Stir in the lime juice and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until a
deep-fry thermometer reads 350°; add mushrooms, and fry until browned and
crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to paper
towels to drain; set aside and reserve oil for another use. Wipe saucepan clean
and add butter, mint, cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper; heat over medium
heat, and cook, stirring, until melted and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

4. To serve, ladle soup into bowls; drizzle each bowl with some of the spiced
mint butter and top with some of the fried mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS

1
lb mushrooms

1/8 c olive oil

1/4 tsp pepper flakes

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 c polenta

1 c milk

1 c water

pinch salt

1/2 c shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

3 eggs

chives for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1.
Preheat oven to 475.
2. Chop mushrooms into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Toss mushrooms with oil, pepper flakes, and salt on a baking sheet.
4. Spread in single layer and roast until browned, about 10 mins.
5. Meanwhile, whisk polenta, milk, water, and salt together in saucepan and
bring to a boil over medium heat, covered.
6. After reaching a boil, turn heat to low and let sit with lid cracked for 15
minutes.
7. While polenta is cooking, heat nonstick skillet over medium heat and crack the
eggs so that they are sunny side up.
8. Cook about a minute and then add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet.
Water will sizzle – cover so the yolks steam and set to your liking. I like
mine somewhat viscous so I wait for the steamed yolks to ‘skin’ over with egg
white. This will happen naturally with the method above.
9. Mix Parmesean into polenta, plate on a dish, spoon mushrooms over and top
with egg. Garnish with snipped chives. Eat and enjoy!

 

 INGREDIENTS

 

1 1⁄2    tsp.
kosher salt, plus more to taste

8 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni

Butter, for greasing

7 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1⁄2″ cubes

(about 1 1⁄2 cups), plus 6 oz. grated (about 2 cups)

2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. flour

1 1⁄2    tsp.
dry mustard

1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1⁄8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2⁄3 cup sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1⁄2 cups half-and-half

1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream

1⁄3 cup grated onion

1 tsp. Worcestershire

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1.
Heat oven to 350°. Bring a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta
and cook until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta and
transfer to a greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Stir in the cubed cheddar
cheese and set aside.

 

2.
Combine 1 1⁄2 tsp. salt, flour, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne in a
large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and the eggs and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in the half-and-half, heavy cream, onions, and Worcestershire. Pour egg
mixture over the reserved pasta mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle the
grated cheese evenly over the surface. Bake until the pasta mixture is set
around the edges but still a bit loose in the center, about 30 minutes. Let
cool for 10 minutes before serving.