Merry Eating for Midwinter

Nobody has to feel bad that summer and all those glorious, colorful vegetables are gone. Berries too. We have so many other veggies come at us right now at winter markets. There's much to be grateful for, plenty to cook. You don't need to buy what's imported from South America.  And since this is the season of merry and bright, we can even make seemingly ordinary winter bounty quite snazzy. There's glamour in carrots, pears, leeks and dried fruits. See here...

Kashmiri Dried Fruit Compote
This recipe is in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, but it's worth repeating because it's surprisingly pretty and tasty. And a healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth right now.  Serves 6

2 tbsp ghee or butter
¼ cup whole almonds
¼ cup cashews, lightly toasted
½ cup raisins
1/3 cup coconut, chopped or shredded
8 dried dates, pitted
10 dried small apricots
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
½ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated or turbinado sugar
½ tsp ground cardamom or 6 crushed pods
½ tsp saffron threads
1 tsp fresh orange peel, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
optional garnishes: candied ginger, fresh mint leaves, fried cheese.

In a medium saucepan, heat ghee over medium flame. Add almonds, cashews, raisins, coconut, dates, apricots and peppercorns. Lightly sauté one minute. Add water, sugars, orange peel, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir until the water boils. Lower heat and cook for five minutes. Soak the saffron in 2 tsp of hot water, crush it and pour into the fruits. Stir in lemon juice and continue cooking another 5 minutes, until the juice has become syrupy. Remove from heat. Fish out the cinnamon stick. Serve warm plain or garnished. (Suggestion: serve over cornmeal pound cake, oatmeal or pancakes.)

Carrot Bread
This loaf, thick and rich with cream cheese, is great for breakfast and can even be used for a sandwich.
 Makes 1 lg 9x5" loaf or one medium 7 1/2x3 3/4" plus 1 mini 5 3/4x3 1/4" loaf.

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz cream cheese
1 c turbinado sugar or 1/2 c light brown and 1/2 c white sugar
3 extra large eggs
5 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c all purpose unbleached flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c seedless dark raisins
1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease of butter your loaf pan(s).
In the bowl of a mixer or food processor, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar(s).
One by one add the eggs, beating after each to make a smooth puree.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
Blend this quickly into the wet batter. Be careful you do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the buttered pans and shake to distribute it evenly. Level the top too.
Bake at 350º 40-60 minutes, depending on loaf size, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Orzo, Fennel and Clementine Salad
 

Serves 4-6 depending on how much you like it.

2 fennel bulbs, cleaned and chopped, greens too

1 2/3 cups orzo (about ½ lb)

3 seedless mandarins, or clementines, peeled and pulled apart

1 lemon

½ lime

16-20 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

salt to your taste

Put a few of the fennel fronts aside to chop for garnish. 

Cook the orzo according to package instructions, until just al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet and sauté the chopped fennel 4-5 minutes. Midway, add the garlic and blend. Pour the contents of the skillet into a salad bowl. Add the mandarins and prunes and blend. Remove the zest from half the lemon and dice it. Add to the salad. Juice the lemon and lime, mix and add to the salad. Drain the orzo. Salt them to your taste. Add to the salad Stir to blend everything. Chop the reserved fennel fronds and top the salad. Refrigerate an hour before serving.

 Winter Clafouti
This Provencal pudding/cake famously is made in summer with cherries. I make it with blackberries.
But you can actually use a lot of different fruits, especially pitted prunes, aka dried plums, marinated in brandy or orange flower water. Serves 6.

2 c pitted prunes (dried plums)
3/4 c brandy or orange flower water
1 tsp butter to grease the baking pan
1 tbsp vanilla
1 1/4 c milk
3 extra lg eggs
1/8 tsp salt
scant 2/3 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or nutmeg (depending on your favorite flavor)

              

In a medium bowl combine the prunes and brandy or orange flower water and macerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 7-8 cup pie plate or baking dish. Put all ingredients except prunes in a blender or food processor and make into batter. Drain prunes and spread them around the buttered baking dish. Pour the batter evenly over them. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the clafouti is puffy and brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. Eat the leftovers for breakfast.

Persian Braised Leeks

Serves 4-6
8 leeks, about 1" in diameter
1/4 c olive oil
1 med onion
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 2/3 c boxed/canned diced tomatoes
1 c chicken or vegetable broth
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Cut off leek root ends and greens 2" above the white stem. Slit the stems 2/3 lengthwise but not all the way through to sever. Rinse the leeks to thoroughly clean. There will be dirt coming out of that slit. Half the onion and slice it thinly. Heat olive oil in a large skillet with a cover. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add leeks and turn them to coat in the oil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until leeks are tender. Arrange on a serving dish, pour the cooking liquid over, and serve. Can also be served at room temperature. Lovely with a pork roast, lamb, turkey or wild rice and dhal.

Super easy Pear Sour Cream Pie

 Preheat the oven to 350º.
To make the crust, you mush the following into a dough and press it  into a  9" pie dish:
1 2/3 c graham cracker OR vanilla OR shortbread cookie crumbs
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp white sugar
1/3 c softened unsalted butter

For the filling you mix together in a large bowl:
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 c turbinado sugar or 1/4 c light brown and 1/4 c white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

In a separate bowl combine:
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 c sour cream

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and blend until smooth.

4 lg barlett pears, peeled, seeded and sliced lengthwise
Squirt the pears with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with a pinch of ground ginger.
Add the pears to the pie filling.
Pour the filling into the crust and bake at 350º for 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.