SEASONAL SAVORY SIDES

Seasonal Savory Sides

            It may be “Bleak mid-winter” as stated in poem and song, but looking all around  at bright decorations of the season it is almost possible to forget that this is the darkest time of the year. In pre-historic times, humans wrapped themselves in animal skins and watched the bonfire light flicker on cave walls hoping and dreaming of the warmth of spring and for return of light. Our lights may be less smoky, but they still brighten the dark and our spirits this season.

            No seasonal festivities would be complete without gathering of friends and family.  The pot of stew or roasted boar of the lucky cave dweller celebrations have been replaced by more elaborate tables in our times. Unfortunately many still require help with the basic need for food as demonstrated by the increasing use our local food pantries.

            The winter seasonal specialties often center on sweets in form of mouthwatering cookies and cakes with wonderful and ingenious decorations.  So, today we will focus on savory sides, not only to sidestep the ever tempting sugar high, but also to provide special treats to those who need to avoid sugar and even those who find the holidays difficult because of gluten intolerance.

                                    Manchengo cheese crisps

            Thoroughly mix together 2 cups coarsely shredded Manchengo cheese with 1 ½ Tblsp. flour (or rice flour for gluten free).  Drop level tablespoons of mix about 3 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool on the pan before removing the fragile crisps with a spatula. Makes about 24 wafer thin crisps. Store between layers of wax paper in an air tight container at room temperature.

            Seasonal colorful sides for ham, pork, beef and even roast chicken are decorative on any table. Here are two colorful favorites at our house. Both of these are a bit different from the usual roast vegetables, potatoes or rice.

                                    Barbecued 3 bean casserole

              Drain and rinse 1 14 oz can each of cannellini, garbanzos and black beans. Chop and sautè 2 onions, ½ red pepper, 1 ½ stalks celery and 2 cloves garlic in 2 Tblsp. olive oil for 7 minutes. Stir the vegetables together with the beans, 1 can chopped tomatoes undrained, 1 Tblsp. brown sugar, ½ cup barbecue sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 lb diced linguica (optional). Pour in an 8x8x2 inch casserole sprayed with non-stick baking spray, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Dish can be made a day ahead and reheated.

            One of the colorful vegetables at this time of the year is red cabbage. It gives a color lift to cabbage and other salads, but unfortunately cooked in water it turns an unappealing gray. To make a colorful side dish for meats it requires cooking in a bit of wine or other acidic medium

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                                    Red cabbage with apples and pancetta

            Sautè 2-4 oz of pancetta in 2 Tblsp. olive oil in a large pan until crisp. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add 6 cups coarsely chopped red cabbage and 1 sliced onion to the pan. Continue cooking on medium high heat with stirring for 10 minutes until wilted. Stir in 2 cored and sliced medium apples and continue cooking for another few minutes, then add ¾ cups dry red wine, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. ground cloves and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, remove cover and cook with stirring until most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in pancetta and serve warm. The dish can be reheated after storing in the refrigerator overnight. Instead of pancetta, crumbled crisped bacon is equally tasty.

            As in the days of pre-history, we continue to celebrate the darkest time of the year with seasonal decorations, color at our tables and lights to gather us for our winter celebrations.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

SIMPLE PLEAURES

Simple Pleasures

            The Shaker exhibit at the Farnsworth museum in Rockland is stunning in its ability to demonstrate the beauty of even simple functional things. Starting with the variety of hanging chairs in the entrance hall to the lines of a pitchfork and the incredibly long deacon’s bench in front of the village mural, we have to admit that the pared down substance of each item emphasizes it’s natural and perfect form.

            In contrast, our modern lifestyle of speed and variety lead to expectations of the new and complex in everyday life, including food. Restaurants and chefs compete to devise new flavors for each meal and some modern recipes have come to resemble a magician’s shopping list of spices and ingredients. Blame it on the wide availability of ingredients without seasonal or local limitations. In fact, many a time I catch myself surveying my spice shelf for a possible new twist that could be added to an old recipe to make it different or more interesting.

            However in the process we are in danger of forgetting that natural food cooked simply has it’s own delicious flavor, which is distinctive without being excessively overwhelmed by glazes, spice rubs, marinades and a variety of condiments. Just as a freshly baked loaf of good bread is mouthwatering even without butter.  So, before I am sorely tempted to play kitchen magician for the holidays, it might be time to contemplate a simple dinner that requires a minimum of  ingredients for each dish and for that there is nothing better at this time of the year than roast chicken, new potatoes, buttered roasted beets and pan sautèed apples.

                                    Oven roasted chicken

             Rinse and pat dry a 4 lb. chicken, which has come to room temperature. Rub coarse salt in the breast and main cavities. Place a sliced onion and some celery tops in the main cavity and tie the legs together with twine. Set on a rack in a roasting pan, Baste with some fresh lemon juice and set in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, basting a few times in the last half hour with additional lemon juice and the pan drippings. The chicken is done when the leg joint moves easily.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes after you remove it from the oven before carving. Alternatively, you can roast the bird at 450 degrees for 50 minutes, but then rub initially with oil and baste more often in the last ½ hour of roasting.

            Excellent gravy can be made with 2 Tblsp. flour stirred in the pan drippings to make a roux and slow addition of hot water or broth to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and 2 Tblsp. lemon  juice.

                                    Roast buttered beets

            Before the chicken goes in the oven, trim and scrub 4-5 medium beets, wrap in aluminum foil and place on bottom rack in the oven while preheating for the chicken. Bake for 70 min. at 350 degrees or 40 min. at 450 degrees. Remove from oven, unwrap and carefully peel the beets. Slice the beets, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with 1-2 Tblsp. melted butter.

                                    Parslied new potatoes

            Scrub 1-2 lb new potatoes, cut larger ones in half and cover in a pot with cold water plus 1tsp. salt. Bring to boil and continue to cook for 10 min or so, until pierced easily with a fork. Drain and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

                                    Pan sautèed apples

            Core and slice 4-5 tart eating apples and sauté in 2 Tblsp. melted butter, sprinkle with 2 Tblsp. lemon juice, some cinnamon and 2 Tblsp. brown sugar. Serve with a scoop of ice cream if desired.

            The simple pleasures of fresh and delicious flavors should not be underestimated, nor should we underestimate the fact that all of these dishes are simple and not very time consuming. The added benefit is that this leaves leftover roast chicken, which can in turn be dressed up slightly for another meal.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

ORANGE IS FOR OCTOBER

Orange is for October

            Orange is not a restful color, maybe that is why mother nature uses it as a final splash of color in October before the dreary days of winter hibernation. The color is brilliant on sunny days, but even in the rain and wind of last week, glimpses of late fall leaves or clumps of chrysanthemums break through a gray day like a shaft of sunlight.

            And best of all, we have pumpkins in all shapes and sizes decorating outdoor markets and our own doorsteps. Not to mention the great pumpkin extravaganza that takes place each year in Damariscotta, where pumpkins acquire incredible shapes, are judged for their immense size and even assume the unlikely role as vehicles in boat races.

            With all this activity, we sometimes forget that pumpkin is also a vegetable and thus edible. Yes, the canned pumpkin on grocery shelves does remind us of recipes for pumpkin pie and bread.  However, fresh pumpkin should not be compared to the yellowish-grey puree from a can and has much improved flavor and texture.

 Besides, it is incredibly easy to bake, just cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, oil the cut side, place it face down on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for an hour. Scoop out the baked flesh from the rind and use in soups or purèe and use in pies, cakes and muffins.  The baked flesh can be frozen for future use later in winter.

Smaller sugar pumpkins are best for most uses because of their dense texture. But if you have carved a medium size pumpkin for Halloween the day before, you can easily cut it the day after and bake it for cooking purposes. The rinsed seeds will also be appreciated by blue jays, doves and other wildlife like chipmunks and squirrels in your yard.

                        Spiced pumpkin soup

Cook 2 medium chopped onions (or white and pale green part of 2 leeks) in 2 Tblsp, butter in a large pot on medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 Tblsp. chopped fresh ginger, 2 tsp. ground cumin, ¼ tsp. cardamom, 1 tsp. coriander, ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. salt and sauté for an additional minute.  Stir in 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 4 cups water, 1 chopped apple and 3 cups baked pumpkin broken up in pieces. Bring to boil and continue cooking on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Purèe in batches when slightly cooled.  Return to the pot, stir in 1 (14 oz) can of unsweetened coconut milk (not low fat), heat to boiling and serve in bowls topped with toasted coconut flakes.

There are also recipes that require fresh cubed pumpkin, in which case cut a small sugar pumpkin in half, seed it and cut the pumpkin in ½ to ¾ inch cubes before proceeding. One such recipe is for a gratin, which I have adapted from M. Spieler’s “Vegetarian Bistro”. This is truly a mouthwatering recipe.

                        Pumpkin, tomato and roast pepper gratin

In a large heavy pan sauté pumpkin cubes from 1 ½ lb pumpkin (peeled and seeded)  with thinly sliced white and pale parts of a leek in 1 Tblsp. butter and 1 Tblsp. olive oil for 15 minutes. Stir in ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper, 4 small diced tomatoes and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Stir in ½ cup white wine, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 2 Tblsp. tomato paste, ½ tsp. herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half and stir in ½ cup cream. Pour all in a buttered shallow baking dish. Mix together 2 Tblsp. bread crumbs with 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tblsp. minced parsley and 3 Tblsp. freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the pumpkin mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes and serve hot.

Finally, here is my mother’s pumpkin pickle recipe that makes for an interesting accompaniment to roast pork or lamb.

                                    Pickled pumpkin

Make brine by dissolving 1 cup sugar in 2 cups water and ½ cup white vinegar. Cut fresh pumpkin in small cubes, place in an enameled or stainless steel pot and cover with sufficient brine to be totally submerged. Make a small cheesecloth sack containing 2 thin slices lemon or orange zest, 5-6 cloves and ½ cinnamon stick. Heat pumpkin mixture on low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until pumpkin looks somewhat transparent, but does not fall apart. Remove cheesecloth bag with spices, pack pumpkin in clean jars, cover with brine and seal. Do not need further sterilization.

I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

OCTOBER aLREADY

October Already?

            Time is supposed to pass inexorably at a constant rate. Each day has 24 hours, each hour 60 minutes and each minute 60 seconds and so on to mili- micro- nano- and femto-seconds. Just remember how long each one of those was on the days when you wanted something wonderful to happen and had to wait for a time.

            October puts me into a most un-scientific mind regarding the passage of this past summer and arrival of autumn. Somewhere there must have occurred an anomaly in time acceleration these last few months, since June seems to have been here but yesterday.

            This must have happened to lots of other people, since summer visitors have suddenly become fall visitors and we find ourselves welcoming friends and family in a different season. The advantages of having colorful drives and walks to share at this time of the year unfortunately find us with many favorite restaurants closing for the season.  Which necessarily means just one thing: more entertaining and cooking at home.

            Our gardens and farmers markets are also winding down and the lighter fare we welcomed this summer seems just that –light. However, soups have the capacity to adapt to any season and even small handfuls of garden vegetables can provide a satisfying meal when combined in a minestrone or vegetable stew. Creamy textured soups provide an especially filling meal. This one uses last of the fall zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes in a delectable combination with just a hint of spice from chorizo without actual cream.

                                    Creamy zucchini, tomato and chorizo soup

            In a large pot sauté 1 medium chopped onion in 1 Tblsp. olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 sliced garlic cloves, 1 Tblsp. chopped fresh ginger and 3 cups sliced zucchini. Sautè for an additional few minutes, then stir in 32 oz. light chicken broth, 2 peeled sliced potatoes,  4 oz. tomato paste and a small pinch of red pepper flakes. Bring to boil and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Allow soup to cool and puree in batches in a blender with ¼ cup chopped fresh basil and few sprigs of flat leaved parsley. Correct seasonings with salt and pepper, stir in 1Tblsp. balsamic vinegar and small cubes of a piece of chorizo. Reheat and serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a sprig of parsley. If chorizo is too spicy for your taste, linguica will do equally well.

            One of the fall vegetables that makes a wonderful hearty salad is beets. They come as yellow, red or with circles of red stripes as in Chioga beets. They all are especially delicious when wrapped in foil and roasted in their skins before peeling. Roasting them at 400 degrees, for 45 to 60 minutes depending on size, keeps their intense flavor much better than boiling. The beets are also much easier to peel after roasting. Save any beet greens that come with the beets for additional texture and flavor for the salad.

                                    Roast beet salad with pancetta and feta

            Wash beets and greens thoroughly. Trim off the greens, discarding the stems and set aside. Wrap 4 to 5 medium beets tightly in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Unwrap and when cooled  peel and slice in wedges. While beets are baking prepare the vinaigrette: 2 Tblsp. cider vinegar, ½ tsp. chopped capers, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and 2 Tblsp. olive oil and 2 thinly sliced shallots. Toss the beets and the vinaigrette and ½ cup cubed or crumbled feta cheese. In a  pan fry  2 Tblsp chopped pancetta (or 2 slices bacon) until crisp and drain on paper towels. Wipe out the pan and sauté the beet greens cut in strips in 1Tblsp. olive oil with 1 chopped garlic clove until wilted. Stir in 2 Tblsp. water and continue cooking until all the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle lightly with salt, toss in the crisped pancetta (or bacon) and combine in a bowl with the roasted beet salad. The combination makes for a very satisfying and colorful dinner or luncheon salad.

            Pleasing and colorful plates on our table may not be able to compete with the crimson maples of autumn, but they still remind us of variety of joys of each season

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

NOT BREAD ALONE

Not Bread Alone.

            Stale bread does not last long in our house at this time of the year.  With summer just gone, the fall garden still produces many of our favorite vegetables.  But by now finding different ways to prepare them can be a challenge. Particularly so, if some of the tomatoes look less than perfect for a salad plate of tomatoes, mozzarella, olives and basil.

            Cooks around the Mediterranean years ago found thrifty ways not only to use most of the produce, but also day old bread, which before the advent of plastic wraps was both stale and partially dried out a day or so after baking. They combined juicy vegetables with the bread cubes, gave it all a splash of olive oil and vinegar, and ‘voilà’ – the panzanella or Tuscan bread salad was born. By now there are as many variations as there are cooks, but here is my version of it.

                                    Tuscan bread salad

            Crusty or country style bread works best for this purpose, but stale focaccia is also excellent. If bread seems too fresh, lightly toast it before cutting it in ½ - ¾ inch cubes. In a large bowl combine: 4 cups bread cubes, 2 large tomatoes cut in wedges, ½ cup chopped red onion, ¾ cup cubed Kirby or English cucumber (baby zucchini also works well here), ¼ cup loosely packed Italian parsley and basil each cut in thin strips. In a small jar combine: 2 Tblsp. olive oil, 2 Tblsp. white or white balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, ½ tsp. salt and couple of dashes of pepper. Cap the jar tightly and shake vigorously to blend and drizzle over the bread and vegetable mix. Toss well to blend and refrigerate for at least an hour, tossing several times to distribute the juices that will come from the vegetables. Serve cold or at room temperature and a few curls of parmesan cheese on top will make it even more elegant.

            This makes an excellent luncheon dish, but we had some for dinner with thin slices of  leftover cold steak with a horseradish, chive and sour cream sauce for the meat.

            Savory bread pudding or gratin is another excellent way to combine stale bread with vegetables for a different side dish for beef, chicken or pork. For this purpose small zucchini, mushrooms and even Japanese eggplants with their thin skins make a tasty combination.

                                    Savory vegetable and bread gratin

            Slice 2 Japanese eggplants and 1 baby zucchini, each about 5 inches long in ½ inch slices. Toss in a bowl with 1 Tblsp. olive oil and ½ tsp. salt. Spread on a rimmed cookie sheet and broil turning once to lightly brown both sides, which will remove some of the moisture. Butter an 9x6x2 inch baking dish and spread 2-3 cups stale or toasted 1 inch bread cubes evenly across the bottom. Chop coarsely 3 oz. fresh mushrooms and sauté in 2 Tblsp. butter with a thinly sliced onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Toss the eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms together and spread over the bread cubes. Cover with a layer of ¼ inch sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 tsp. thyme leaves and drizzle with 2 Tblsp. olive oil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, sprinkle with ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese browns. Serve warm as a side dish or main dish of a vegetarian meal.

            Instead of tomatoes, later in the season one can cover the vegetables with a cup of half-and-half blended with 2 eggs, ½ tsp. salt, pepper to taste and ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The many variations on both bread salads and savory gratins are all guaranteed to be delicious.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)