This is a dish of contrast. The bright green of the brussels is beautiful next to the orange squash and the butter-colored mushrooms. The acidity of the vinaigrette balances the sweetness of the butternut squash and the nuttiness of the brussel sprouts. The crispness of the bacon is balanced by the tenderness of the squash and the crunchiness of the occasional hazelnut.

All of this contrast works, however, because this dish encompasses many of the wonderful flavors of Thanksgiving. It makes a wonderful, quick-cooking, bright-flavored side dish that adds color and nutrition to your table. You just might find yourself making it again before the next Turkey Day rolls around.

This recipe is much easier and less stressful if all ingredients are prepared before you begin the cooking process.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 lb. of brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut in half, lengthwise
• 1/4 lb. Chanterelle or other wild mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 3 slices of good bacon, cut into 1 in. pieces
• A handful of hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a large ice bath by filling a large mixing bowl with water and ice.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt liberally and add the butternut squash.  Blanch for about three minutes and then add the brussel sprouts.  Blanch for another four minutes and remove from heat.  Immediately strain and place vegetables in the ice bath.

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium high heat.  Once the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy and brown on both sides, remove the bacon and set aside for later on a paper towel.   Then, reserve most of the bacon fat in a bowl to use for the vinaigrette.

Add the olive oil to the hot skillet, and add the brussel sprouts and squash.  Saute for about five minutes, letting the vegetables caramelize.  Add the garlic and the fresh rosemary and thyme.  Add the Chanterelle mushrooms.  Continue to saute for another three minutes, or until the squash is tender, and then remove from the heat.

In a small nonstick skillet, toast the chopped hazelnuts over medium heat.  Stir frequently until the nuts begin to become a light golden-brown.  Do not walk away!  They will burn!

To the bowl with the reserved bacon fat, add the dijon mustard and the juice of the lemon and whisk until the mixture emulsifies.  Poor the vinaigrette over the vegetables, toss or stir well to coat, and serve immediately, topped with the crispy bacon and toasted hazelnuts.

While making the rounds at the Farmer’s Market this weekend, a beautiful, bright yellow bunch of squash blossoms stopped me in my tracks.  I had never previously cooked squash blossoms, though I have always been thrilled to see them on a menu.  I decided that I would fork over the four dollars for a dozen.  Now, every girl loves a nice bouquet, but I discovered that my husband likes to get flowers too, especially when they are seasonal and edible.

I put aside my temptation to place them in a vase on my dining room table (they really are beautiful!) and we began to brainstorm recipes.  We were torn between two preparations, both of which we had discovered on our honeymoon it Italy.  The first idea was to stuff them with something, like cheese or risotto, bread them, and deep fry them.  This is a seasonal favorite in Italy, and it is also one of the appetizers we passed at our wedding, the food item that undoubtedly received the highest praise from our guests.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this preparation, and I recommend that you try it, but it is certainly the more mainstream approach in American kitchens.

The other preparation we discovered in Italy was to stir the blossoms into a risotto.  We decided on this preparation for two reasons:  for one, it seemed to us like a creative use of the ingredient, and furthermore, it allowed for the flavor of the squash blossoms to shine.

The blossoms can be slightly bitter, so make sure you remove the stems and the base of the flower.  Cut them in half lengthwise to inspect for bugs, and chop them into quarters or thirds.  They will shrink the same way a leafy green will during the cooking process.  What I enjoyed most about this recipe was how delicate the flavors were and how beautiful the dish looked when served.  I would recommend serving the risotto with a nice light fish or scallops and a crisp white wine.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and gently smashed
• 2 medium zucchinis, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 8-12 squash blossoms, stems and base removed, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dry, white wine, room temperature
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, warmed in a small pot
• 1/4 cup Parmegianno Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a deep sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and a pinch of salt.  Saute until the onions are soft.  Remove the garlic cloves and add the rice.  Once the rice becomes translucent, add the wine and a ladle of stock.  Stir frequently and allow the liquid to reduce until it starts to thicken.  Continue to add more stock, ladle at a time, stirring frequently, until you have only two or three ladles of stock remaining.  Add the chopped zucchini, and continue to add stock and stir.

When you come to the last ladle of stock, stir in the squash blossoms.  Add your final ladle full of stock, and stir gently until the risotto is moist, but the liquid is thick.  Add both cheeses and the butter to finish the risotto and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Serves four.

The first time I ever heard of Zucchini bread, I thought is was rather gross sounding, but that was before I tasted it.  You see I’ve never been a huge fan of zucchini, besides in certain French applications like ratatouille.  This recipe was adapted from an old friend who swore by it (and by this, I mean typically made it like once a week).  So I’ve finally decided to try it for myself.  I couldn’t find Christina’s recipe, so I took the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and adapted it a bit to our tastes.

What I found through the process of making zucchini bread, is that it’s a lot like banana bread or other sweet breads like this blueberry bread recipe.  In all honestly, I messed up in making this a bit and actually added a little bit too much sugar, which made the bread a bit sweeter that I was looking for, but I’ve adjusted that in the recipe, so that should be good to go.

This is also one of those recipes that you can use with some of the larger zucchinis too, you know, the ones that are supposedly bad to eat.  Use this recipe for them.  Also, my zucchini bread always comes out a little darker – a direct result of using brown sugar instead of white.  The molasses gives it a good taste and texture.

Wet Stuff

• 2 medium zucchinis – around 1 1/4 cups – grated on the medium holes of a box grater
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2  cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Dry Stuff

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 pinches of salt
• Heaping 3/4 cup raisins (more or less depending on your taste)

This recipe is actually really easy.  Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Grab your trusty (non-stick if you have it) loaf pan (see the pick for what I’m talking about…) and lightly oil it with some vegetable or canola oil.

In a mixer with a whisk attachment or simply with a whisk and a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the oil and sugar until there are some streaks left by your whisk.  Add the zucchini and vanilla and continue mixing until the mixture is well combined.

Separately, add the raisins to a large mixing bowl and then sift in the rest of the dry ingredients listed above on top of the raisins – make sure there are no lumps left.  While stirring the wet stuff, add the dry ingredients in three parts, waiting until the last part is combined well before adding the next part.  Once all of the dry ingredients have been mixed in, pour the mixture into your loaf pan and cut a small line down the center of your batter to create a nice ‘crack’ in the finished cake.

Bake in the oven for about an hour, but check after 50 minutes – you want a small skewer stuck in the middle of the cake to come out just clean, with potentially a few crumbs still sticking to it.  Let your cake cool, cut and serve!  It’s delicious with some peanut butter btw…Enjoy!

We’re going to focus on some good Thanksgiving food leading up to our national food holiday, seems like good timing, right? Everyone loves Thanksgiving after all – a time to celebrate with friends and give thanks for what we have. Of course the best part of Thanksgiving for me has always been the food no matter what. This first Thanksgiving post incorporates a really tasty mash which brings together some interesting flavors that really work well together.

We owe part of this recipe to our good friend Katharine of From My Table (who used to post to TFD) – she’s the one who recommended the excellent new cookbook “The Flavor Bible” which has been inspiring us to try some cool new flavor combination ideas – we totally recommend it, it’s an excellent book.  The flavors for this recipe were somewhat drawn out of the charts of this book – which you’ll quickly see are totally unique and really helpful.  We combined traditional butternut squash with allspice, ginger, mango, garlic, leeks and coconut milk.  We also added some chickpeas and what came out was nothing but delicious.  Especially when paired with a nicely cooked lamb steak (or turkey leg).

The finishing touches on this mash was the pork.  We decided to go a little unconventional and cook the veg with some pork fat we rendered out from pancetta, then added the Italian bacon back on top of the mash when served.  The product was somewhat sweet, but ultimately savory with the bacon and chickpeas mixed in.  Bottom line: you’ll be happy making this dish to serve along with your other Thanksgiving spread – it’s can’t miss and the flavors will dance in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium to large butternut squash – peeled and cut into 2″ pieces
• 2 ripe mangoes – peeled and cut into 2″ pieces
• 2 slices of pancetta – 1/2″ think – cubed into 1/2″ cubes
• 1 cup of chickpeas, cooked through or canned
• 1 leek – sliced into half moons
• 1/2 a large white onion – diced
• 1 knob of ginger (about 2 Tbsp.) – grated over the small holes of a box grater
• 4 cloves garlic – diced
• 2 Tbsp. allspice
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup coconut milk
• A couple splashes of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  This method should be somewhat straight forward.  Start out by taking a large mixing bowl and combining the butternut squash, (most of) the allspice and a little olive oil.  Mix them together and spread the squash out onto a medium baking sheet so that all of the squash pieces are even on the sheet.  Season over the top with salt and place in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the squash is cooked through, but still a little firm.

Halfway though the squash cooking process, put a heavy bottomed deep pan or pot over medium heat and add a small amount of olive oil.  Add the pancetta and brown it until it’s basically cooked through and its fat has been rendered out.  Remove the pancetta and add the onion and leeks to the pot.  Soften the vegetables for 5-7 minutes but don’t let them brown.  Next add the chickpeas, garlic, ginger and mango and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

Next add a little chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pot to get up those little bits of pancetta that were left.  When the squash is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and add it into the pot and mix together.

** At this point, you could simply add in 1-2 cups of stock, puree and you’d have an awesome soup!!

Add in the coconut milk and transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree it into the desired consistency.  Serve the mash and top with the pancetta pieces.  This dish goes great with lamb (see the pics – served with a lamb steak) or the Thanksgiving bird!  Enjoy -

Summer has come and gone and as usual, I’m wishing for more of the nice weather and great fresh, simple ingredients and recipes.  Fall season is here though, and with it brings the awesome earthy, organic flavors of squash, apples and mushrooms.  I gotta say, it might be my favorite season of the food calendar.  The nights get shorter, the beer gets darker and so does the food.  Bring it on!

Our local farmer’s market is still hanging on to some of the last fruits of the summer though, as there was still an abundance of summer squash, as well as some late season tomatoes, which I’m happy for as I try to wrap my head around doing some canning for the winter.  This recipe really was thrown together at the last minute and the final product was good, so I’ve decided to post it – if for nothing else then as another good idea on using summer squash – an ingredient that I find sort of difficult to innovate dishes around.  When in doubt – make a pasta, it is really hard to screw up.

The dish is sort of similar to one of Aimee’s classic pasta recipes like Linguine with Little Neck Clams and Chorizo Sausage or Pork, Spinach and Feta Ragu with Vodka Sauce. The one thing that differentiates this dish from the rest is some of the ingredients, the fact that it doesn’t include any meat (hence the ‘Primavera’ aspect of it) and the combination of summer and fall flavors.

I also added some Marscarpone cheese to the dish to finish it, as it added a layer of creaminess to the dish, something I like with veggie pastas.  The other tip I want to share is a method of finishing a pasta, something I will always do now (especially after reading Bill Buford’s book ‘Heat’).  This method entails actually under-cooking your pasta somewhat in the pot, then removing it and finishing it in another pan with a tablespoon or two of your pasta water.  This really creates an awesome binder between the flavors that are in play and will make any pasta better, I promise.  The pasta itself will finish cooking and your final result will be perfect!  Here’s how it went:

For the tomato sauce first:

• 1/2 a large white onion (1/2 for the sauce, 1/2 for the veggie portion)
• 1 medium carrot – shredded on large holes of a box grater
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup good (at least decent) red wine
• 1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional and add based on your own heat preferences)
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano (optional)
• Salt and fresh pepper
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

Start the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and carrot and season with salt.  Sweat the onion and carrot and let them cook for 5-10 minutes.  Add the garlic, oregano, a little more salt and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so.  Add in the wine and let it reduce by half to 3/4.  At this point, you should start the rest of your dish!!!  Add in the tomatoes and the bay leaf with a little more salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, add a little water and keep the sauce at a slow simmer while you cook the rest of the dish:

• 2 medium summer squash or 4-5 small round summer squash – shredded on a box grater
• 1 bunch red kale (or green) – chopped
• 1 small head fennel – sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 a large onion (large dice)
• Small bunch of basil, 1/3 to 1/2 a cup – roughly chopped
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup almonds – whole and chopped, then toasted in a small pan over low heat until golden brown
• 1/2 cup good dry white wine
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese, ricotta, feta…)
• 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Start a large pot of boiling water.  In another large skillet (aside from the sauce) over medium/low heat, add the butter and olive oil.  When they’ve come up to temperature, add the onions and fennel and cook them for around 10 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.  Add in the kale and combine it with the other veggies – it should wilt a little as it cooks down.  Before adding the squash, turn up the heat on the pan a bit and make some room for it on one side of the pan.  Add it in and let it brown a little bit before mixing it together with the rest of the veg.  Finally, add the basil and cook to combine.

In a small separate pan over medium/low heat, add in the almonds and brown them until golden, then take them off the heat.  When the water comes up to a boil, add a few pinches of salt and the pasta, stir and cook until it’s JUST al dente and kill the heat but don’t drain it!

Meanwhile, when the veggies are cooked to a desired doneness, add in the wine and cook off until there’s very little left.  At this point, add in the tomato sauce that you made in the separate pan to the veggies and cook together for a few minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasonings to your liking.  Add in the marscarpone and mix together.

So now you should be ready to combine the sauce and the pasta.  The way I do this is in a separate pan (the one I used for the sauce).  Simply ladle around a cup of the sauce into the pan once it’s gotten hot, and grab a bunch of pasta with tongs and add it to the pan and combine it with the sauce.  Next, add in around 1-2 tablespoons of the water you cooked the pasta in to the pan and mix together.  Serve the pasta on a dish of your choice and top with grated Parmesan.  Buon appetito!

Growing up, acorn squash was probably my favorite vegetable.  My sister and I used to beg my mom to buy it whenever we spotted it at the grocery store, usually around this time of year.  She usually agreed, and when we got it home, she would split the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, fill it with a pat of butter and a spoonful of brown sugar and roast it for about an hour.  What emerged from the oven was a soft, caramelized, sweet and salty.  Could this really count as “eating our vegetables”?  We were sure we had pulled a fast one on her this time!

Looking back on this memory, I realize that if anyone was pulling a fast one, it was my mother.  Acorn squash is unbelievably affordable, loaded with vitamin A and C, and, when prepared as my mother did, relatively hassle free to cook.  The best part was that if she planned really well, there would be only one half of the acorn squash left after our first serving, which she could use to bribe one of us into doing the dishes.

Over the years I have learned that there are many wonderful preparations of acorn squash that don’t rely on butter or sugar.  I’ll often roast acorn squash, puree it and mix it with ricotta cheese, fresh sage, and walnuts, which makes an exceptional filling for fresh ravioli.

This acorn squash recipe is a new one for me, and came to mind because I purchased the squash from a farmer who was selling pumpkin and sweet potato pies.  The pies looked delicious, but I knew that fitting one in my reusable grocery bag which was already brimming over was an unlikely scenario, especially since my only companion was my dog, who is wonderful company but is better at occupying my hands with her leash than offering to free them up.  Then, I thought, why couldn’t I make a similar pie myself with the acorn squash that was already lingering in the bottom of my bag?

I wanted to make this pie on a weeknight, and the thought of making and rolling out pie crust was daunting enough to discourage the idea all together.  Then I spotted the apples and thought that they could add substance to the pie that might be lost without a crust.  If you prefer, I encourage you to make the filling and use it in a pie crust, but the apples truly made the dish taste like fall.

Here are the ingredients for the pie filling:

• 2 whole acorn squash
• four tablespoons butter
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• A pinch of salt
• 1 Granny Smith or Macintosh apple

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out with a spoon.  Fill each half with 1 teaspoon of butter.  Place in a baking dish and add two cups of water.  Bake the squash for one hour, or until it is very tender when you poke it with a fork.

Scoop the squash out of it’s skin into a food processor.  Puree until very smooth.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the squash, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and spices.  Mix well.

Peel and cut the apple into 1/4 inch slices.  Arrange them in a circle around the bottom of a well-buttered glass pie dish.  Pour the filling over the apples until it almost reaches the top of the pie dish.  Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Let the pie cool for about twenty minutes before serving.  The pie will be good served cold or hot.  Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

This one is for Aimee, as since our relationship began, beef hasn’t really been on the menu much in our house.  For ecological reasons, Aimee doesn’t eat cow – a stance that I respect and admire, though one that does have me missing a good steak every now and then.  In any case, we use turkey for a lot of our ground meat needs (as well as lamb and pork), especially for the great American meal: the burger.  Turkey burgers rule in our house, and I like to think we’ve gotten pretty good at making them.  Hopefully, some of our tricks and tips will help you appreciate the turkey burger the way we do.

A lot of people almost immediately complain that Turkey burgers are not good because they are made of a leaner meat, which is true, but we make up for it by adding some ground pork into our mix.  This will add in a nice balance of fat back to the burger – and we all know that fat = flavor.  I also like to add some other big flavors to my burger mixture (turkey or beef).  These include Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and fresh garlic (not to mention lots of diced, raw sweet onion).

I also like to get a little creative with my burger sides – tonight I decided to do a non-traditional sort of potato chip – using butternut squash which has just started to come into season.  These are wicked good – topped with some Manchego cheese and salt – delicious!  FYI, you should prep the chips FIRST, scroll down for the explanation.  Here’s what to do – first for the burgers:

• 1 lb of fresh ground turkey
• 1/2 – 3/4 lb ground pork
• 1/4 of a large sweet white onion – small dice
• 1 large clove of garlic – minced
• A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. plain or panko breadcrumbs

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and let the mixture rest for a while while prepping the other ingredients.  For the toppings for your burger, here are some ideas for you:

• Apricot mayonnaise: Simply buy some apricot preserves from the market and mix and equal amount with some good mayo, then add a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt – perfect for a turkey burger.

• Avocado slices – it wouldn’t be a turkey burger without the avocado.
• Smoked ketchup – mix smoked paprika with ketchup to kick it up a notch
• My personal favorite – thin sliced onion rings:  Slice 1/2 of a large sweet onion (part of the onion that you use to put into the burger mix) on a thin setting of a mandolin or really carefully with a sharp knife.  Then take 2 plates and lightly cover them with flour (whole wheat preferred!).  Also take a bowl and fill it with a bit of buttermilk.  Take the onions and coat them in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip them in the buttermilk and back into the other pile of flour.  You then want to fill a heavy bottomed pot with about 2-3 cups of oil (peanut, olive or vegetable preferred – or a mixture).  When the oil reaches 350 F drop in the onions and let them cook for a few minutes until they’re golden brown.

• Smoked cheese (I use smoked mozzarella, but you can use what you like)
• Bacon – if you really want to do it up right.

Once your condiments are prepared, you can cook your burgers.  I recommend doing this on the grill, but in a pinch or in the winter time, you can make delicious burgers on the stove.  Take a heavy bottomed skillet (don’t use non-stick here) and over medium heat, add in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Shape your burgers into the size and shape of your choice and place them into the hot pan.  Let them cook for a few minutes until they easily lift off of the man without ripping or scrapping!

Meanwhile, you can make the butternut squash chips.  Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 medium butternut squash – top part only, reserve globe bottom for something else
• 5-6 sprigs of thyme (lemon thyme preferred) – leaves take off the stems but left whole
• 2-3 sage leaves – chopped
• Small block of Manchego cheese
• Salt
• Oil for frying (use the same oil as you used for the onions)

Peel the squash and slice on a very thin setting on your mandolin.  Place the slices into a bowl of ice water and let them rest for 15-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, fry the herbs in the hot oil, removing them when they become dark green and crispy.  Remove the squash from the water and dry the slices off with paper towels – then place them in the hot oil and fry them for around 7-8 minutes per side.  You’re looking for the squash to turn a darker color of orange so that they are partially crispy.  Experiment and you’ll get the hang of it.

Once the chips are cooked, remove them to some paper towels, top them with some salt, the fried herbs and grate some Manchego cheese on top (with a microplane).

Flip the burgers and finish cooking them by topping with cheese, moving them to some fresh buns and topping with your favorite toppings.  Plate with the chips and enjoy!

Poblanos are a wonderful introduction to the world of hot peppers.  Compare them to bell peppers and they pack a punch, but next to jalapenos and serranos, they are pleasantly mild.  They are a beautiful dark green color, and they are the perfect size for stuffing.

My first experience with poblano peppers was at El Charro, a Mexican restaurant in Lafayette, California, the town where I grew up.  My mother loves chile rellenos, and she would always order at least one when we ate at El Charro.  These poblanos were beautifully disguised to be appealing even to a young child, as they were coated in a golden batter and topped with sour cream and guacamole.  When you cut into them, they oozed melted cheese.

Since the years of eating rellenos at El Charro, I have come to love poblanos in many forms, most of which are easier to prepare and at least slightly healthier than my mom’s favorite treat.  My favorite taqueria in Cambridge, Olecito in Inman Square, roast their poblanos until they are soft and creamy and serve them in soft corn tortillas with black beans, lettuce, and guacamole (tacos rajas).  Roasting them is a wonderful preparation, because they become soft, sweet, and smoky.

Yesterday, at the Central Square farmers market, Kimball Fruit Farm had a small barrel full of firm, dark green poblanos that were just the right size for stuffing.  I decided to take advantage of the time of year and stuff these poblanos with other summer treats, such as sweet corn and globe squash.  A vendor from Belchertown, MA was selling homemade organic pork sausage, so I picked a couple of those up as well.  The result was every bit as savory as the rellenos I grew up eating, but the crunch from the corn and the sweetness of the squash added the unmistakable freshness of summer.

Here are the suggested ingredients:

• 4 large poblano peppers
• 2 links of uncooked Italian sausage
• 1 medium zucchini or 1/2 of a large globe squash,cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 2 ears of fresh corn, cut from the cob
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 chopped scallions
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 lime
• 1/2 cup sour cream (crema)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Begin by cutting an L shaped incision into the sides of the poblanos.  Fold up the flaps and cut out the seeds.  Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and season with salt, and place peppers in a roasting pan.  Roast the peppers for about twenty minutes, or until they are beginning to become soft and darken.

In a medium sized skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts.  Add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic, and cook over medium heat until vegetables soften.  Add the sausage, removed from its casing, and break it up as it cooks.  When the sausage begins to brown, add the squash.  Continue to cook over medium heat until the sauasage is browned and cooked through and all of the vegetables are soft. Add the corn, stir, and remove the pan from the heat.

Remove the peppers from the oven, and carefully stuff with the mixture.  It is okay to let the filling overflow from the pepper.  Top the stuffed peppers generously with shredded cheese, and return to a 450 degree oven for about ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to turn golden brown.

Mix the sour cream with the cumin.  I use cumin seeds, which I toast in a pan and then grind in a coffee grinder that I use only for spices.

Plate the stuffed peppers and top them with the cumin sour cream and scallions, and serve with a wedge of lime.

I’m not sure that any European country can claim that their national ethnic cuisine can rival Greek food in terms of being the perfect summertime fare.  I find that every time I try a new Greek recipe, I’m reminded of summer, so why not put together a Greek menu to entertain guests when it’s 80 degrees and humid (at night) in Boston.  I went with a roasted rack of lamb with summer herbs (rosemary, mint and garlic), accompanied by some zucchini fritters inspired by Michael Symon, my favorite Iron Chef (now that Mario is MIA) as well as a warm Swiss chard salad with fennel, spring onion, eggs and balsamic.

The fritters were fantastic, though I think made even better by the yogurt dipping sauce, which is that classic savory, sweet, sour combination of the rich Greek yogurt, honey (local preferred) and lemon juice – a dash of salt accentuates the flavors even more.

I think I love this recipe so much because honestly, it gives me another way to use zucchini, a vegetable that I sometimes struggle to come to terms with.  Sure, there’s ratatouille and zucchini soup which are delicious, but almost seem more like autumn dishes to me.  Squash is certainly interesting to cook with, as it contains a lot of water, and is therefore rather tough to create great texture with.  As soon as I saw this fritters recipe from Michael Symon, I acknowledged that the first step he did was to ‘de-liquid’ the squash, making it possible to achieve that wonderful crispiness that everyone loves.  A truly fantastic appetizer or side dish, fit for any summer protein.

For the fritters:

• 1 large zucchini (or 2-3 medium zucchini) – a vendor at my farmer’s market happened to be having a special on their zucchini where the huge one’s were only $1 each, but get 2-3 from your grocer.
• A rough 1/2 cup feta cheese – I prefer sheep’s milk feta for this, but cow feta is fine
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp. fennel fronds
• 1 small head fennel (or 1/2 a larger head – finely diced
• 5-6 scallions – finely chopped
• Scant 1/4 cup mint leaves (spearmint preferred) – finely diced
• 1 Tbsp. Thyme – chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. whole wheat flour (or white…whatever you have)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 cups canola oil for frying

For the yogurt sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp. chopped spearmint leaves (use regular mint if you can’t find spearmint)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

To make the fritters, first start by grating the zucchini on the largest gauge of your box grater you typically use for pizza cheese.  Take the grated squash and place it in a cheese cloth of paper towels.  Your goal here is to squeeze the zucchini as much as possible as to extract as much water as you can from the vegetable.  You can add a little salt to it to help extract the water.  The more water you can remove the better.

Once you’ve done your part with the grated squash, add it to a medium mixing bowl and add the feta (crumbling as you go), mint, scallion, lemon zest, garlic, fennel and fronds, thyme and salt and pepper (a decent pinch worth of each).  Mix to combine, then add the egg and flour and continue to mix.  The consistency should be a tad moist, but not watery at all.  Prepare the oil over low heat (to around 350 F if you have a candy thermometer) – you don’t want it too high, as it will burn the outside of the fritters.  Add enough oil to a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven to cover 1-2″.

Shape the fritters with your hand to resemble a crab cake or a 2″ round shape.  Place in the oil and cook on one side until it’s turned a dark brown color.  A key to cooking these is to get the outside consistency right (crispy, but not burned) while still ensuring the inside is cooked through.  Do this by maintaining that the heat is low and the fritters are being monitored for their color.  Once the fritters are done, remove and place on paper towels to dry.

Meanwhile, you can mix together the yogurt sauce – in a small bowl or ramekin, mix all of the ingredients listed above until the honey dissolves into the yogurt and comes together.  Set aside until the fritters are done and then serve either on the side as a dipping sauce or on top or under the fritters on the plate.

Makes around 6 fritters

Plus, Risotto is an excellent base from which a true plethora of recipes can be created.  Learn to make good Risotto, and you will be able to make some fabulous dishes!  To illustrate this point, I’ll first describe a method of cooking Risotto.  Then, I’ll provide a simple variation so you can see how easy it is to create unique and interesting dishes from this versatile base.

Ingredients

On to the ingredients.  I don’t have any exact measurements, but that’s part of the point.  Risotto is very intuitive; instead of worrying about exact amounts, pay attention to relative quantities.

When it comes down to it, Risotto has five basic ingredients:

The Rice: Risotto is made using round, medium grain rice. The easiest type to find (in the US, anyway) is Arborio. Choose the amount of rice based on the amount of servings you want. One and a half cups will make a good side dish for 4-6 people. The quantity of rice dictates the quantities of the other ingredients.

The Aromatics: To begin with, just use onion. As you explore the world of Risotto, you’ll discover that other aromatics can be a nice addition (garlic or fennel, for example). Pick the aromatics based on your mood and the other ingredients you plan on using. As for measurement, use about half to three quarters the amount of rice. So here we’d be using about a cup.

The Broth: If you can, use homemade broth. It really makes a difference. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth would work just as well. I would recommend a low sodium broth, as you can always add salt later. You need to get the broth hot – if you introduce cold broth to your Risotto, it will not turn out well. Use about two times the amount of rice.

The Fat: I use a combination of butter and olive oil, but you could use either of those on their own as well. I think I end up with about two tablespoons of fat in total. You need enough to coat the rice and the aromatics.

The Cheese: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is the best choice here. How much you use is really up to you – I probably use about one third the amount of rice.

* Some people would argue that Risotto without wine is not Risotto. Actually, it is still Risotto. It’s also simpler and cheaper to make. I’ll describe the use of wine below.

Cooking Method

Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to low heat and put a lid on it.

Over medium low heat, warm the fat in a heavy skillet.  (Cast iron skillets are cheap – like $25 – and they rock).  Add the onion and sauteé until softened. For now, avoid browning (most people brown the onions, but this adds complication; I’ll describe below).

Now add the rice and sauteé until mostly translucent (5 minutes?), stirring constantly (you do not want the rice to brown). If things dry out, add more fat.

Mix in a ladle or so of your hot broth, and stir occasionally after that.  When the broth is nearly all cooked off (3-4 minutes), stir in another ladle or so.  Keep doing this until the Risotto is cooked to perfection.

How do you know when the Risotto is done? It should be soft but a little bit firm. It should be very easy to chew, but not turned into a paste. In short, it should be al dente.

Stir in the cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Using Wine

Most Risotto recipes call for wine. Wine is a nice addition, but is not so significant as to change the dish entirely. If you want to use it, heat it up and add it in place of the first flush of broth. You’ll only need a ladle or so (about half a cup). Choose the type of wine based on the other ingredients. For the basic Risotto above, use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc.

Browning the Onions

Most people brown the onions, and this is probably the “right” way to do it. Still, I don’t usually bother. If you do this, you should take the onions out before frying the rice so they don’t burn. Re-introduce them when you add the first flush of broth (or the wine, if using).

Developing your Technique

If you find a particular variety of rice that you like to use for Risotto (i.e., a particular type—like Arborio—and a particular vendor), you can learn how much liquid it will absorb before it is cooked to your liking. Once you learn this, you don’t need to add the broth progressively anymore. Just add your desired amount all at once and stir occasionally.

Branching Out: Autumn Risotto with Kale, Delicata Squash, and Fennel

One of the best things about easting seasonally is that you gain a new appreciation for each of earth’s bounties, as you rediscover them year after year when they come into season.  I love kale.  Fresh, properly cooked kale is a delicious and very nutritious ingredient.  I love most squash, but I am picky about it.  Overcooked squash is gross.  Fennel is more of a late summer item, so maybe this is Early Autumn Risotto.

For this recipe I used local green kale and Delicata squash.  First, choose your quantities.  I used a cup or so each of squash and fennel and two cups of packed kale.  Add the fennel when you add the onion. Add the squash when the rice is about halfway done, and the kale a few minutes later, depending on how you like it (I like mine bright green and a little bit firm).

When you add the cheese, also add some lemon zest.  This may sound like a small addition, but it really adds something to this dish.

Obviously you can improvise and improve on this ad infinum. Make Risotto when you have some leftover veggies in your fridge and you don’t know what to do with them. Make it in a pinch when you have unexpected guests and you need to whip up a quick meal. Make it when you want to impress someone (it will). Try it with walnuts and dried fruit. Try it with mushrooms and sausage. Try it with basil and roasted tomatoes. You see? You can do pretty much anything with it. Since I’ve started making Risotto, it has become one of my primary go-to dishes for just about any situation.

I hope you enjoy preparing and eating Risotto!