FALL PLEASURES

Fall Pleasures

            Our first rainy days in months have finally arrived after an incredibly colorful and sunny early fall. As the wind blows down the last of leaves on the garden that has been put to sleep, we rediscover the pleasures of time in the kitchen and reacquaint ourselves with old friends.

            The seasons come with their own tempo and flavors. Late fall seems to call for more substantial fare, with more complex flavors usually blended over time. Fortunately, while the total time required for these dishes may be a couple of hours, the hands on time is much shorter, since when everything is in the pot, it can happily simmer on it’s own. In addition, these dishes can be made ahead and even improve on standing, since that allows the rich flavors to blend. They can also be reheated and even frozen for future use.

            It is possible to simplify part of the cooking steps by making a large batch of the basic vegetable medley that serves as the flavoring agent of many cold weather meat dishes. This miracle flavor base is Italian Soffritto, though the French and the Spanish cooks have their own variations. Once prepared, it will keep in the refrigerator for several days and can be used not only for meat dishes, but works well blended in sauces for pasta, eggs and even fish. In addition to the basic vegetable ingredients my recipe also includes a small amount of liquid, allowing this thick mixture to be frozen in small batches and hence used for several months.

                                                Soffritto

            Dice 3 large onions, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks and 3 garlic cloves.  Sauté  the vegetables in ¼ cup olive oil with a small pinch of red pepper flakes and 1 tsp. salt on low heat until very soft for about 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding ½ cup white wine mixed with 1 Tblsp. tomato sauce and scraping up any vegetables stuck to the pan. Heat the mixture and cook on low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Use in preparing sauces in cooking or freeze in small batches for future use.

                                    Savory Beef with Fall Vegetables

            If this sounds like a combination of Boeuf Bourgoignon and Beef Stew, it is.

Cube 1 ½ lb. lean London broil in 1 inch cubes. In a heavy Dutch oven fry 2 slices bacon until crisp, remove and set aside. In the rendered fat brown the cut up meat in batches and set aside. Add 1 medium chopped onion to the pot and cook on medium heat until the onion is browned, stir in 2 chopped cloves of garlic and cook for additional 30 seconds. Add 1 ½ cups dry red wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned food from the bottom of the pan.  Return the browned meat to the pot, stir in 2 cups prepared soffritto, 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper  and 2 Tblsp, tomato paste. Turn down the heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour. In the meantime scrub 4-5 red potatoes and cut in bite size pieces. Clean 2 large parsnips and 3 medium carrots and cut in bite size pieces. Clean and slice 4 oz. button mushrooms.

            Add the prepared vegetables, except the mushrooms, to meat after the hour of cooking. The vegetables need to be covered with liquid, so adjust the volume with water. Continue to cook on low heat for an additional hour, adding the sliced mushrooms 10 minutes before the end. Adjust seasonings, serve hot with crusty bread and garnished with chopped parsley.

                                                Cabbage, Carrot and Radish Salad

            Hearty meat dishes go well with a fresh fall vegetable salad. In a large bowl toss together 2-3 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage, 1 shredded large carrot, 4-5 large shredded radishes or a 3 inch piece of  Daikon radish, and 2 Tblsp. grated onion. In a small bowl mix together 3-4 Tblsp. light sour cream, 1 ½ Tblsp. white vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. each dry mustard and celery seed. Add the dressing and mix thoroughly. Chill for at least 2 hours and mix again before serving.

            This is “slow food” at it’s best and served in the shortening days of autumn will bring comfort and love to those gathered around the table in a shared 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)