Cozying Up to Fall Recipes
Much like the autumn leaves that are beginning to burst into brilliant shades of orange, yellow and scarlet, our gardens are gracing us with a bounty of vibrant produce, from colorful peppers and juicy tomatoes to fragrant fennel and crisp garden greens. Celebrate the best of the season this week with a warm-and-wonderful risotto made with our flavorful chicken stock, Grana-style cheese and locally-foraged white Chanterelle mushrooms, plus multigrain bread, farm-fresh eggs and a robust red wine—pour a glass, ladle some piping-hot risotto into a bowl, and cozy up in your favorite easy chair.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
White Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto
Creamy and delicious, this recipe is a favorite here at the farm—just remember to stir!
Baked Fennel
This classic Italian finocchi gratinati is simply sublime.
Bietola Swiss Chard Gratin
Creamy with just a hint of mustard, this rustic gratin makes for a lovely side dish.
Slow-Roasted Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
These roasted beauties are incredibly sweet and juicy.
Pepper, Fennel & Onion Relish
Jimmy Nardello peppers lend themselves well to this classic trio—an excellent condiment-style topping for sandwiches, crostini or scrambled eggs!
Pepper, Fennel & Onion Relish
Jimmy Nardello peppers lends themselves perfectly to this classic trio—an excellent condiment-style topping for sandwiches, scrambled eggs or even crostini!
Ingredients:
4 Jimmy Nardello peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toss together all ingredients with ½ teaspoon salt in a large shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn over and stir, then broil 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.
Slow-Roasted Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
These roasted beauties are incredibly sweet and juicy.
Ingredients:
1 pound Sungold cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 300°. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tomatoes with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tomatoes to the prepared rack
2. Roast the tomatoes until skins are shriveled but tomatoes are still plump, about 1½ hours. Let tomatoes and their juices cool to room temperature.
Variations: For added punch, toss tomatoes with your favorite fresh herb, such as thyme or oregano, or minced garlic, before roasting.
Bietola Swiss Chard Gratin
Creamy with just a hint of mustard, this rustic gratin makes for a lovely side dish.
Ingredients:
1 pound Bietola Swiss chard, with both stems and leaves intact
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1¾ cup heavy cream
Grated Grana-style cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Butter, for baking dish
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 350°. Cut the chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into short lengths, then cook briefly in boiling, lightly salted water until crisply tender. Remove the stems. Drop the leaves in the boiling water briefly, until they relax. Drain, let cool, and wring out the leaves. Spread the stems and leaves in a buttered shallow ovenproof dish.
2. Put the mustard in a bowl and stir in the cream and a grinding of salt and black pepper. Pour the seasoned cream over the stems and leaves, cover with grated Parmesan, and bake, 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden brown.