Summer's ending. Can you feel it? It's cold. Away goes the fresh summer produce and its fresh, tasty goodness.
But, for argument's sake, I'm going to put this out there- fall produce is probably the best!
Think about it- amazingly juicy apples and pears of all the delicious varieties, naturally sweet and rich squashes and pumpkins, root veggies like potatoes and turnips, and the peak time for vegetables like cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Right in time for the many Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving, not to mention tailgating at a concert or football game!
The great thing about the fruits and veggies of fall is that they're super easy to prepare, and you don't need to add a lot of fluff (or fat) to make them taste good. My favorite thing to do is cut a whole mix up of some of my favorites- butternut squash and potatoes- keep them the same size so they cook evenly, chunk up an onion, throw in a few cloves of lightly smashed garlic, a few springs of thyme and sage, drizzle the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil on a sheet pan and roast it in the oven. It's so simple and the flavor it gets from caramelizing in an oven is unreal. It makes a great vegan/vegetarian side dish, or you can toss the whole thing with pasta (add some applewood chicken sausage if you're a meat eater) and some pecorino romano cheese and you have a vegetarian meal (nix the cheese and oh, hey, its vegan!).
Enjoy the peak of apple and pear season while you can! This is the time you can find your favorite variety when it's at its freshest. Of course you can enjoy these by simply munching, but apples and pears make for some of the most amazing desserts. Not just pie, but cakes, cookies, or poached on their own with some ice cream or whipped cream. Apples also make a great addition to savory dishes; they pair well with onions, and make a fine accompaniment to pork, beef, and chicken dishes.
Here are some recipes for the lot. Chili's are great because they can sit in one hot pot for as long as you want, and can be tweaked to your liking. I have an awesome one for those of who like meat in their chili and another one for those of you who would rather not. Either way, the great thing about chili is that the longer it sits in that hot pot, the better it gets, and makes for some great leftovers that can be used in other meals! Also, get some good use out of your favorite apples with this delicious recipe for apple cake.
CHILI- Meat Lover's3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 lbs Ground Sirloin or Turkey, Whatever your preference
2 Red Bell Peppers, small dice
1 medium onion, small dice
1 chipotle in adobo pepper, chopped
1 tbsp adobo sauce from chipotle in adobo can
4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp Mexican Oregano (substitute regular if you can't find)
1 bottle of lager style beer (I like Dos Equis in my chilis)
1 cup of beef stock
1 can of whole tomatoes (San Marzano is the way to go!), mashed up with (clean) hands until saucy but still chunky
Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Heat up a large pot or dutch oven. (Tip: Make sure the pan is very hot before you add the oil and the meat, otherwise the meat will steam (gross!) instead of carmelize (yum!)) Add the oil to the pan, then add the meat. Allow the protein to brown and break up with a flat wooden spoon every so often as it cooks. When the meat is mostly cooked, turn down the heat a little bit, and add the onions, peppers, and garlic. You don't want to get color on the vegetables, so lower the heat if it starts to burn. Add a pinch of salt- this allows the veggies to sweat quicker and add a little flavor. When the onions have softened, about 4-5 minutes (they'll turn translucent), go ahead and add the whole bottle of beer. Allow the beer to cook for a minute, and use your wooden spoon to free up any of the good brown bits that are on the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and the tomatoes, a long with all the spices and flavorings. Bring to boil, then bring the heat down to a low simmer. Allow this to cook for 15 minutes at least, then reduce to barely a simmer to keep warm. The longer it sits the better it gets! I like my chili served with some sharp local cheddar cheese, a small dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of chives right on top.
VEGGIES FROM THE GRILL WITH BEANS CHILI1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of grapeseed oil
2 zucchini, cut into around half-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into quarters
3 portobello or large shiitake mushroom caps
1 onion (I like red better in this one) cut into half inch slices
1 cup of canned diced tomatoes
1.5 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 chipotle in adobo pepper, finely chopped
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1 cup beef
1 cup vegetable stock (make your own! it's super easy and a great way to use veggie leftovers! a recipe will be coming up shortly)
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped (if you're not a cilantro fan, like me- I substitute parsley)
Salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Drizzle some of the grapeseed oil with some of the extra virgin olive oil onto the zuchinni slices, mushroom caps, bell peppers, and onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred, around 7-10 minutes depending on how hot your grill is. Take the grilled vegetables and, when cool, cut them into small, bite size chunks.
In a pot, sweat the garlic and jalpeno in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the beans and cook until heated through. Add in the grilled veggies, along with the spices, chipotle, and some fresh ground black pepper. Cook 1 minute. Mix in the tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes. Add the beer. Allow the beer to reduce for around 10 minutes at a simmer. Add the veggie stock and tomatoes, and cook another 8 minutes at a low simmer.
Serve with a sprinkle of fresh herbs on top and some tortillas along side and lime wedge. If you're not vegan, I recommend a pepper jack cheese for this particular chili.
APPLE CAKESatisfy that sweet tooth! I've included the vegan equivalents next to ingredients if you'd like to make a vegan version.
3 tbsp butter (4 tbsp Earth Balance)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg (1.5 tspns of egg substitute)
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp milk (3 tbsp soy milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
1/3 tsp of freshly ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp of allspice
Apples, your favorite baking variety, peeled and diced- you want about 3 cups worth
Add nuts if you'd like! 1/4 cup, chopped
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish- 8 inch is good.
Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy/ crumbly.
Blend together the rest of your wet ingredients- egg, water, milk, and vanilla or their vegan equivalents- with a whisk or your hand mixer until foamy.
Mix the wet ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar mixture.
Mix your dry ingredients- flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.
Mix in the apples (and nuts if you want). Mix the whole thing together until well combined.
Spread the batter in the pan and cook around 35 minutes. You know its ready when you can stick a skewer, toothpick, or cake tester in the middle and it comes out clean.
Once its ready, take it out, allow it cool, and slice it. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, or some berries.
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If you have an questions about these recipes, or about cooking in general, don't hesitate to ask! E-mail me, lotbites@gmail.com follow me on twitter @LotBites or just comment on the post and I'll get back to you.
