EASING INTO FALL COOKING

 

                                 Easing into fall cooking

 

          The rain finally arrived for our gardens, but weather turning cold is convincing enough to accept that fall has arrived and with-it need for more substantial and filling meals. Fresh fruit and produce still abounds in farm markets and stores, giving the cook many choices for the table. However, even if you like to cook, efficient planning is awarded by meals that can be reassembled with minor additions the following day.

          Meatballs is one of those dishes that can be served in a variety of different ways and can act as a pre-cooked part of a meal with minor additions. My freezer usually contains a bag of ground beef pre-cooked meatballs. Recently I found that ground-pork meatballs made in the oriental style have equal potential for variety with not only udon and soba noodles, but other pasta and rice.

                                       Pork and shitake meatballs

          Pour boiling water over 10 dried shitake mushrooms in a bowl making sure they stay submerged and soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove the shitake, discard the stems and chop the rest. Strain the liquid through a paper towel lined sieve and save.

          Sauté 1 chopped medium onion in a small pan with 2 garlic cloves for 3 minutes in 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil each, stir in 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger for another 3 minutes. Add 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar and the chopped mushrooms, and continue to cook stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Allow to cook slightly before adding 2/3 to the meat mixture.

          In a large bowl combine the meatball mix: 1 beaten egg, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. lemon pepper, ¼ cup mushroom liquid (save rest for sauce), ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, ¾ cups plan panko, 1lb. ground pork and 2/3 of the mushroom mixture. Mix thoroughly by hand and form in 24 balls by rolling in your hands. Spread out on a large sheet pan and bake in a 375-degree pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

          While the meatballs are baking, heat the remaining mushrooms blending in 1 tbsp. flour and the rest of the mushroom liquid plus water to make ½ cup liquid. Adjust seasoning and consistency of the sauce. Serve some of the meatballs for two on cooked udon noodles with the sauce and sprinkled with chopped peanuts. Freeze the rest for another meal.

          Although cabbage has been one of the pre-eminent fall and winter vegetables in northern climes forever, its strong taste and cooking odor has relegated it to the lower levels of vegetable darlings. Savoy and Napa cabbages are often overlooked as well although their flavor is mild with slightly softer texture and have the advantage of cooking quickly and pair well with pork dishes.

    

                                 Buttery Savoy cabbage with carraway

          Because Savoy cabbage grows with loose leaf structure you need to peel off the outer leaves and wash off any collected dirt. The stem and bottom tougher ribs need to be removed cutting in a triangle as well for cooking.

          Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a 2-3 qt. pot and stir in 6 cups coarsely chopped Savoy cabbage, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and 1 tsp. carraway seed. Cook, with stirring on high heat for 4-5 minutes, add a scant ½ cup water and 1 tblsp. lemon juice. Cover and cook on medium heat for 6-7 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. Serve warm and can be reheated.

          What do you do with a bag of blue plums that refuse to ripen after more than a week? You reward their recalcitrance and your own patience by making them in a Plum crumble.

                                                  Blue plum crumble 

          Remove pits from 12-13 blue plums and cut in four parts. Toss with 2 tbsp. lime juice and 1/3 cup sugar mixed 1 tbsp. corn starch and ½ tsp. cinnamon and spread out in a tart pan sprayed with baking spray. Prepare the crumble by mixing ¾ cups flour with ¾ cups rough oatmeal (not quick cooking), ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ tsp. salt. Cut in or mix with in with fingers 6 tbsp. cold butter and spread out over the plums. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm with satisfaction of having outwitted the plums by this delicious desert. 

(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…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)