Sweet Corn Fritters
These perfectly-crisp fritters are sure to be a new fall favorite!
Ingredients:
3 cups freshly-shucked corn kernels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of your choice, such as parsley, basil and chives
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup heavy cream
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sliced scallions, for serving
Crème fraîche, for serving
Method:
1. In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, flour, sugar, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the eggs, herbs and heavy cream until the batter is well-combined.
2. Line a plate with paper towels. Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, scoop 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds of the corn batter into the pan, spreading it lightly into a flat, circular shape. Cook the fritters for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them once and cook them an additional 3 minutes until they’re golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the fritters to the paper towel-lined plate, season them immediately with salt and repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
3. Garnish the corn fritters with scallions and a generous dollop of crème fraîche.
Blueberry-Nectarine Buckle
This easy dessert is sure to please the whole family!
Ingredients:
For the topping:
½ stick (¼ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
For the batter:
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed
2 nectarines, pitted and cut into 1-inch wedges
Method:
1. Make the topping: In a small bowl, blend together the butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until the mixture resembles coarse meal; chill the topping while making the batter.
2. Make the batter: In a small bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar and beat in the vanilla. In a small bowl stir together the baking powder, the flour, and the salt, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and fold in the blueberries and the nectarines.
3. Spread the batter in a well-buttered 10-by 2-inch round cake pan or 2-quart baking pan, sprinkle the topping evenly over it and bake the buckle in the middle of a preheated 350° oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the topping is crisp and golden. Serve the buckle with whipped cream or ice cream.
Italian Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette
This adaptation of the pungent vinaigrette from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables is magical drizzled over roasted cauliflower!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup golden raisins
3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves
⅓ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Put the vinegar and raisins in a little bowl and let the raisins plump for about 30 minutes.
2. Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the capers and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add the parsley and pulse again until completely chopped.
3. Add in the raisins and vinegar and pulse until the mixture is blended, but still slightly coarse. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil to make a slightly chunky dressing. Taste and adjust with salt or more oil, if needed.
Slow-Roasted Celery
This unexpected side dish is sure to be a new favorite.
Ingredients:
2 bunches celery, halved lengthwise, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tablespoons apple cider
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
3⁄4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
2⁄3 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the celery for 3 minutes, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and let drain. Place the celery on a baking sheet, cut sides down.
3. Whisk the garlic, apple cider and olive oil together, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the celery with half of the dressing and half of the parsley and slide the baking sheet into the oven. Pour the stock over them and cook for 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the thickness of the celery), until the celery al dente and the tips are coloring.
4. Transfer to a serving platter if desired. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing; sprinkle with the rest of the parsley, celery leaves, cheese, and hazelnuts; and serve.
Orchard Fruit & Blue Cheese Salad with Fall Greens
Tossed with a light balsamic vinaigrette, this crisp salad is both bold and beautiful.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups Mizuna greens
1 Manon pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 Arkansas Black apple, cored and thinly slice
½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic until well combined. Season to taste with salt and ground pepper.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine Mizuna greens and apple and pear slices. Toss with about half of the vinaigrette, adding more to taste as desired. Crumble blue cheese over top, season generously with black pepper and serve.
Potatoes à la Robuchon
Of all the haute cuisine in legendary chef Joël Robuchon’s repertoire, he was best known for these super-silky potatoes.
Ingredients:
2½ pounds fingerling potatoes, all of a similar size
1 pound unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
¼ cup milk
Sea salt, to taste
Method:
1. Place unpeeled potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender. Drain and peel. Transfer to a bowl and let potatoes cool slightly.
2. Turn potatoes through a food mill on the finest setting, back into the cooking pot. Heat pot over medium heat stirring until heated through and steam begins to come off the bottom of the pot. Add butter in 5 additions, allowing each addition of butter to be almost melted before adding the next until it all has been incorporated.
3. Stir in warm milk until combined. Using a whisk, vigorously stir potatoes until fluffy. Season with salt. Transfer to a serving dish and smooth the top of the potatoes with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula.
Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This slam-dunk recipe from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy beautiful combines both savory and sweet flavors.
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Put carrots in a large roasting pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey and 2 teaspoons vinegar. Pour over carrots. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Roast carrots for 10 minutes; toss, roast for 15 minutes more, or until carrots are tender and browned in spots.
4. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with a few additional drops of vinegar and a dash of sea salt.
Baked Fennel
This classic Italian finocchi gratinati is simply sublime.
Ingredients:
4 fennel bulbs, cored and sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a frying pan over high heat, sauté the fennel slices with the butter for about 15 minutes until tender, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Transfer to a baking pan, sprinkle the fennel with the grated cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and melted.
Buttery Braised Leeks
Accented with just a squeeze of lemon, these sublime leeks are a worthy side dish.
Ingredients:
2 leeks, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Melt butter and olive oil over a medium-high flame in a large sauté pan.
2. Once the oil and butter are hot, place the leeks cut side down into the pan. Let the leeks brown in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the leeks over and turn the heat on low. Cover and let the leeks braise for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the leeks are soft all the way through.
3. Take the leeks off the heat and squirt the lemon juice over the braised leeks and add salt and pepper to taste.
Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes
These hearty pancakes boast a delightful texture, and are wonderful topped with Maple-Spiced Apples.
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
¼ cup melted butter
Butter or oil, for greasing the griddle
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal/polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just until combined (do not overmix).
2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side, about 1–2 minutes more.
3. Serve immediately with butter, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.