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)