Winter Squash Soup
Top this silky, creamy soup with candied squash seeds.
Ingredients:
2 winter squash, such as Delicata, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place the squash, cut sides down, in a baking dish. Add a few tablespoons of water to the baking dish, cover with foil and bake 35-40 minutes or until tender. Cool.
2. In a large stock pot, melt butter. Add the onion and garlic cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Scrape out the squash flesh from each half and add to the pot with the onions. Add the stock and cream. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
4. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor, or in the pot using an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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Tahini-Lemon Dressing
Nutty, creamy, and a little zippy from the lemon, this dressing is incredibly versatile.
Ingredients:
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
Method:
1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding more water if needed to thin the dressing slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning (don’t worry if it tastes a little sharp on the lemon, it will marry perfectly with the sweet grated carrots).
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Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon
A great holiday side!
Ingredients:
3 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed of any tough core ends and halved lengthwise
6 slices thick-cut bacon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
20-25 whole fresh chestnuts
½ cup turkey or chicken stock
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To prep the chestnuts, cut a slit in the shell of each chestnut with a serrated knife. Roast the chestnuts in a cast iron skillet in a 400° oven for 20 minutes or until tender. Peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. If you have difficulty peeling them, reheat them for 5 minutes to further loosen their skins.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the butter. When the foam subsides, add the Brussels sprouts and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and season with salt and pepper. Add the turkey or chicken stock, simmer until heated through and serve.
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Roasted Fennel & Tropea Onions
These tender, broiled vegetables make for a fantastic side dish.
Ingredients:
3-4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and coarsely chopped, with fennel fronds reserved and finely chopped
4 Tropea onions, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toss together all ingredients except fennel fronds 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, or until vegetables are tender and browned in spots.
3. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.
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Cranberry-Glazed Brie
Baked until the brie is warm and gooey, and the cranberries are soft and spreadable, this appealing appetizer is a true holiday favorite.
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh cranberries
¾ cup firmly-packed brown sugar
â…“ cup dried currants
â…“ cup water
â…› teaspoon each of ground allspice, cardamom, cloves and ginger
1 large brie cheese wheel
Crackers or crostini
Apple and pear slices
Method:
1. To make the marmalade, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, dried currants, water and spices in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until most of the berries pop, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle in the top rind of the cheese, leaving a small border of rind. Carefully remove the center circle of rind from cheese. Place cheese on a foil- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread cranberry marmalade over the cheese (you may have extra marmalade depending on the size of your cheese wheel).
3. Preheat the oven to 300° then bake until the cheese is soft and warm, about 25 minutes. Set on a large platter and surround with crackers/crostini and the fruit slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make it ahead: The marmalade can be made up to three days ahead of time. Bring both the marmalade and cheese to room temperature before popping in the oven.
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Grilled Eggplant with Lemon & Mint
Tossed with fresh mint for added brightness, this barbecued eggplant boasts a wonderfully-rich and smoky flavor.
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
Olive oil, for basting
For dressing:
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons very coarsely chopped mint
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Prepare the dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon zest and juice and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Add in sugar, salt and pepper and check for taste (it should be fairly sweet). Add in half of the chopped mint and set aside.
2. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into about 8 thin slices about ¼-inch thick, then brush each liberally with olive oil. Lay on the grill, cooking each side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and slightly charred.
3. Arrange the slices on a large platter and spoon dressing over top. Cover and set aside to allow eggplant to soak up the dressing. Sprinkle with the remaining mint and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Sautéed Collard Greens
Try this traditional Southern favorite with a fried egg on top for breakfast!
Ingredients:
1 large bunch collard greens, tough stems and ends removed, leaves coarsely chopped
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in Collard greens and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, and steam, covered, until greens are just tender and water evaporates, about 10 minutes. If greens are ready but there is still water in the pan, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, until completely evaporated.
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Fragrant Fried Herbs
Crisp-fried herbs are an unexpected (and delicious!) garnish for the likes of pastas, salads, soups and more.
Ingredients:
Fresh herbs of your choice, such as basil, mint and sage leaves, plus parsley, thyme and rosemary sprigs
Neutral frying oil, such as canola or vegetable
Method:
1. Wash and dry all herbs thoroughly. The herbs need to be very dry to prevent splattering when fried.
2. Pour oil about ¼ -inch deep in a small pot and bring to 325°. (To test the heat, drop a small piece of bread into the oil and it should turn golden brown in about 30 seconds).
3. Working in batches, drop a few herbs at a time into the hot oil. Cook for 30 seconds. Flip over using tongs and continue cooking for 30 seconds to 1 min, or until the herb appears slightly darkened in colour and evenly fried. Gently remove from oil with tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool before serving.
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Apple, Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Mizuna 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.
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Carrot Salad with Tahini-Lemon Dressing & Crisped Chickpeas
This crunchy, crisp, and utterly refreshing salad from Smitten Kitchen is a longtime favorite in our kitchen!
Ingredients:
1¾ cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and patted dry on paper towels
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 cups coarsely chopped parsley
¼ cup shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Tahini-Lemon Dressing (see recipe)
Method:
1. Heat oven to 425°. Toss chickpeas with the tablespoon of olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. (This can take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas.) Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly. Set aside until needed.
2. Place grated carrots in a large bowl and toss with parsley. Mix in â…” of the dressing, adding more if desired. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with a large handful of chickpeas and pistachios and dig in.
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