WELCOME TO FALL

 

Welcome to Fall

           We welcome fall on the autumn equinox on September 22^nd as the day when the sun rises exactly ‘due east’ and sets directly ‘due west’. The more poetic version as sung by Frank Sinatra reminds us: “But the days grow short when you reach September”.   Interestingly, this song originally by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson premiered on Broadway 12 years before it became famous in the movie “September Song”.

          Trivia facts aside, the kitchen takes on a different flavor and fragrance at this time of the year as we savor more substantial fare to accompany chilly evenings and the occasional rainy day. Fortunately, the abundance of fall vegetables make this easy and roasting them adds a more earthy flavor to each dish.

                                              Roast vegetable ratatouille

          Grilling or roasting the vegetables deepens the flavor of this dish as well as removes a significant amount of liquid.

          Preheat the oven to broil and spray a large, rimmed cookie sheet with nonstick baking spray. In batches, spread in a single layer without touching the following cut up vegetables: 3 medium Japanese eggplants and one medium zucchini sliced in ½ inch slices, 1 medium onion cut in 6 wedges, 2 seeded frying peppers cut in half.  Spray all lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Broil until browned, turning once, cool slightly and cut vegetables in large bite size pieces.

          Heat 1 tblsp. olive oil in a deep pan and sauté 2 chopped garlic cloves for 1 minute, stir in 3 large cut up tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add: ½ cup white wine, ½ cup chicken broth, 2 tblsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. turmeric, ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional). Cover tightly and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Uncover, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and if still too juicy, cook uncovered for additional 10-15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature as aside to roasted or grilled meats. Or it makes a delightful lunch in a shallow bowl topped with a fried egg.

          Weekday or even weekend stir fries quickly perk up any menu, especially with some unusual and flavorful combinations. The following recipes are for 2 persons and can be easily scaled up to four by just doubling the ingredients.

                                              Beef and kimchi stir fry

          Prepare before starting to heat a wok or large pan: ½ lb. sirloin sliced in ¼ inch strips, ½ onion thinly sliced, ½ carrot halved lengthwise and each half cut in thin slices or sticks.

Heat 2 tblsp. peanut oil in pan and stir fry the meat 2-3 minutes until seared, remove from pan and set aside. To the same pan add 1 tsp. sesame oil, the sliced onion, carrot and 1 chopped garlic clove. Sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in 1 tblsp. soy sauce, ½ cup beef broth, ½ cup kimchi, ½ cup canned mushroom pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the beef and 2 sliced scallions. Heat and serve over rice.

                                      Rice noodles with ginger-pork and Bok choi

          Pour very hot water over 1/3 of a box of very thin rice noodles, let stand for 3 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

          Rinse ½ bunch of Bok choi and separately coarsely chop the white stems and the leaves.  Slice 2 scallions separating the white and green parts. For the sauce mix: 2 tblsp. Korean barbeque sauce, 1 tblsp. soy sauce, ¼ tsp. Sambal hot sauce (optional) 1 tblsp. Hoisin sauce, 1 tblsp. wine vinegar and ¼ water.

           Heat 1 tblsp. peanut oil in a flat bottom wok or pan to very hot and add the white part of Bok choi stirring for 1 minute, add greens and cook for 1 minute and set all aside. In the same pan brown ½ lb. ground pork until no longer pink, add white part of sliced scallions,1 chopped garlic clove, and 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in sauce mix, ½ cup chicken broth, heat through and then stir in 1 tblsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tblsp. water. Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens, then stir in Bok Choi. To serve, divide noodles in 2 shallow bowls, spoon in meat and Bok choi and sprinkle with scallion greens.

          Bon Appetit!

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine 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)