Beet and Chipotle Soup

Recipe by Katharine Kagel, Cooking with Cafe Pasqual’s

(serves 4 to 6)
2 pounds whole beets, stems trimmed to less than 1-inch
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup full-bodied red wine
6 cups water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
2 chipotle chiles in adobo (you’ll find these canned)
Fresh chives or other herb, chopped for garnish

Put the beets, stock and wine into a large soup pot and add the water. The liquid should cover the beets by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Fork test the beets for tenderness before removing them from the pot. Remove the beets with a slotted spoon and reserve the cooking liquid in the soup pot. When the beets have cooled enough to handle, peel them and remove the stems and roots. Cut up 1/2 cup of 1/2-inch diced beets for garnish and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and when it is melted, add the onion and brow sugar. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the onions, coarsely shopped beets, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, and chiles in adobo to the beet liquid in the soup pot. Whirl everything in the container of a blender until smooth (in batches if needed). The soup can be served hot of cold; if cold, chill for at least 6 hours. Garnish with the reserved beets and 1 Tablespoon of sour cream, then garnish with chives.

Veggie Burgers

You can make these with different fall veggies (just make sure you have roughly the total quantity called for), they are delicious, and they freeze well and can be warmed in the oven for a quick weeknight meal.

(makes 8 burgers)
4 each carrots and parsnips, grated (about 2 cups each, 4 total)
1 large sweet potato or small winter squash, grated (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-6 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
sea salt
1 each handful parsley and ciantro, chopped
whole wheat english muffins, good cheese and Dijon mustard for serving

Combine all veggies in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In batches, pulse in a food processor adding 1-2 tablespoons more oil only as needed to process until coarsely chopped and moist. (If it’s too wet, they’ll be mushy). Return mixture to large bowl. Mix in 1 egg, bread crumbs, seeds, chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Use your hands like you would with any burgers to mix until well combined. If the mixture is too moist, add more bread crumbs. If it’s not sticking, more oil. Form the mixture into balls, and place on a non-stick backing sheet. Press flat with the palm of your hand to form patties. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the patties are soft and golden brown. Serve them on english muffins with good cheese and Dijon. When cool, layer any uneaten burgers in a flat container with wax paper between them and freeze. To cook from frozen, place the burgers in a 375˚ oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Curried Squash & Mushroom Soup

This easy and delicious recipe was given to me years ago by my friend, Beth Sugarman. It has since become a fall favorite at my house, and just this past week I made it with some incredible oyster mushrooms from the Grand Army Plaza Green Market.

(serves 6)
2 medium acorn or 1 large butternut squash
(I used a mix of 4 small squashes from Ted and it was awesome )
2 ½ cups water or stock
1 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium clove crushed garlic
8 oz. any type of mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 ¼ tsp. salt
a few dashes cayenne
optional: fresh lemon juice
* Serve with plain yogurt &/or chopped almonds.

Cut squash in half and bake in a 375’ oven on a baking tray until soft and pierces easily with a fork. (This can be a day in advance, just refrigerate till ready to make soup.) Cool, discard seeds and scoop out the insides. Put in blender with water/stock and puree till smooth. Combine with orange juice in a large pot. Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat and add garlic, onion, salt and spices in a skillet. Saute until the onion is very soft – add a little water if it sticks. Add mushrooms, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the saute’ to the squash, scraping the skillet well to salvage all the good stuff. Heat everything together very gently. Taste to correct seasoning. Serve garnished with a dash of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice. You can serve immediately or simmer a while and the flavors will mature. Freezes well.

Coconut Curry Stir Fry

Recipe by Heather Thomason

This is a deliciously easy week night dish that is a great way to use up any vegetables you have on hand.

(serves 4)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1-2 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 carrots, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
***Be creative and try other veggies: green beans, cauliflower,
potatoes, eggplant or bok choy are all delicious, just cut the vegetables to be a consistent size. You’ll want to have 6-8 cups in total.
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons good curry powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
cooked long grain white rice for serving

Whisk together milk, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil for 30 seconds. Add the pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until very fragrant. Stir in the milk mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the wok and heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the veggies and stir fry for about 5-6 minutes until crisp tender, if they start to stick add a bit of water (cooking time may vary slightly with vegetables used). Pour the curry sauce over and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the basil and serve immediately over rice.

Carrot, Marsala, and Ginger Soup

Recipe Katherine Kagel from Cooking with Cafe Pasqual’s

(serves 6)
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds carrots, peeled and diced
2 yellow onions, diced
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon dry marsala wine
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
paprika, for garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the carrots and onions. Saute until onion is translucent. Add the water, cayenne, ginger and pepper. Simmer a few minutes more until the carrots are fork tender. Stir in the orange zest and juice, marsala and half-and-half. Puree in batches in a food processor or the container of a blender until smooth and velvety. Add the salt to taste and add more of the ground spices if desired. Heat when ready to serve but do not boil. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Eggs in a Nest

Recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

(This recipe makes dinner for 4 but can easily be cut in half.)
2 cups uncooked brown rice
Olive oil – a few tablespoons
1 medium onion, chopped, and garlic to taste
Carrots, chopped
1⁄2 cup dried tomatoes
1 really large bunch of chard, coarsely chopped
8 eggs

Cook rice with 4 cups water in a covered pot while other ingredients are being prepared. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a wide skillet until lightly golden. Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes, adding just enough water to re-hydrate the tomatoes. Mix chard in with other vegetables and cover pan for a few minutes. Uncover, stir well, then use the back of a spoon to make depressions in the cooked leaves, circling the pan like numbers on a clock. Break an egg into each depression, being careful to keep yolks whole. Cover pan again and allow eggs to poach for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Parsnip and Rosemary Risotto

Recipe from Bon Appétit, March 2006

(makes 6 servings *you could easily half this recipe and still have a meal for 4 with a great salad and some bread)
8 cups vegetable broth
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds parsnips (about 7 medium), peeled, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Aged balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)

Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep warm.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsnips and 3 teaspoons chopped rosemary. Cook until parsnips begin to brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Add enough warm broth to cover; simmer until almost all broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, and cook until rice and parsnips are tender, allowing each broth addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring frequently, about 20 minutes total. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary, and cheese. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among 6 shallow bowls. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Chipotle Salsa

Recipe by Rick Bayless, from Everyday Mexican

These are awesome. That’s all I can really say....

(serves 4)
1 bunch swiss chard, collards, mustard or beet greens or spinach, about 12-oz., touch stems removed
1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 small onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced
about 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
12 corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese (feta is a nice substitute)
3/4 cup smoky chipotle salsa**

Cut the chard crosswise into 1-2 inch slices. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until they become golden and caramelized. Add the garlic and red pepper and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the broth, greens and a pinch of salt. Cover reduce heat to low and cook until the greens are almost tender, (spinach will just take about 2 minutes, chard about 5, and heartier greens like collards, about 7-8) stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat back to medium, stirring, until the mixture is nearly dry and adjust salt to taste. Meanwhile, heat a flat skillet over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas for a minute or so per side. Fill the warm tortillas with veggies and top with crumbled queso and salsa.

**You can use your favorite salsa, or make a quick, smokey chipotle salsa. Place 1-2 tomatoes, cut in half, half side down under the broiler with a few peeled cloves of garlic until slightly charred - a few minutes. Blend, tomatoes, garlic and 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce (you’ll find these in a can) with a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Pizza with Broccoli Raab, Onions and Olives

Recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables

(Makes 6 first-course servings)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
salt and pepper
olive oil
leaves from 2 sprigs thyme (optional)
1 bunch broccoli raab
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
dough for 1 pizza (you can buy this fresh from almost any pizzeria)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
16 nicoise olives, pitted
juice of 1 lemon,

Preheat the over to 375˚. Toss the onion in an oven proof dish with a pinch of salt, thyme and olive oil to coat lightly. Roast, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes until the onion is cooked and golden. Wash, drain and roughly chop the broccoli raab. Heat a large sauté pan and coat with olive oil. Add the broccoli raab and season with salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes. Fry over high heat until broccoli raab is tender, then add the garlic, tossing for a few seconds. When onions are done, remove from oven. Turn up heat to 500˚ and put a pizza stone in the oven to preheat (you can use an upside down baking sheet). Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, spread the onions on top, and top with broccoli raab mixture and olives. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and slide onto the stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is brown and crisp (time may vary on thickness of crust). Remove from oven and drizzle with lemon juice, slice and serve.

Tomato, Onion and Potato Gratin

Recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables

(serves 6-8)
1 medium yellow onion, as thinly sliced as possible
2 1/2 lbs. red or yellow potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock

You will need a 9-inch square or oval gratin dish with 2-inch sides. Preheat the oven to 375. Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick and hold in cold water until ready to use. Lightly oil the dish and distribute the onion slices evenly on the bottom. Drain the potatoes and arrange half of them over the onions, overlapping like shingles. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Make a layer of tomato slices on top of the potatoes, salt and pepper them and layer with remaining thyme and garlic slices. Finish with a final layer of potatoes, more salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine, and add enough chicken stock to come 2/3 inch up the sides. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and press down on the gratin, flattening to ensure the top layer of potatoes is moistened. Continue to bake uncovered for 40 minutes until a knife pierces easily and the top is golden-brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pan Grilled Onion and Chive Relish

Recipe adapted from Nicole’s, New York City. As seen in The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook.

This recipe is a fabulous condiment for simple grilled steak of fish. Try tossing it with arugula or spinach for a great salad.

1/4 cup golden raisins
fresh grated zest and juice of 1 orange (or lemon)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon (or more) hot chili pepper with seeds, minced
2 medium onions (red, yellow or both), sliced 1/4” thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil
coarse sea salt or kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 Tablespoon sliced chives, or chopped herbs

In a large bowl combine the raisins, orange juice and zest. Let soak until the raisins have plumped, 10-15 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and chili pepper with the raisins. Heat a ridged grill pan over medium heat and grill the onion slices, turning once until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to the raisin bowl, season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with a tight fitting lid or plate and allow to steam for a few minutes. Add the pine nuts and chives and adjust salt and pepper to taste.