More for the Moment: Enter October

As frost comes closer and farms slowly transition to featuring mostly root veggies, here are a few transitional dishes for entering October. (Apologies for this post without pictures. I stuffed it with recipes instead.) How to make celeriac feel at home and how to get back to your roots will come soon.

English Chicken with Leeks and Apples (from Diana Henry)
serves 4

8 chicken thighs with skin and bone
salt and pepper to your taste
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb leeks
2 Granny Smith or honey crisp apples
1 tbsp flour
2 c cider
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
3/4 c heavy cream
1 tsp sugar

Season the chicken pieces and heat 2 tbsp butter in a large lidded sauté pan or wide casserole on med/low heat. Brown the chicken on both sides and then set the pieces aside while you cook the leeks. (Make sure not to burn the butter.)

Remove the tough outer leaves from the leeks. Trim the bases and cut off the tough, very dark leaves at the top. Wash the leeks really well, making sure that you get rid of any soil that is lodged in them. Cut into about 1" lengths. Add the leeks to the buttery pan and sauté without browning for about 10 minutes; they should soften but not become sloppy.

Meanwhile, peel one of the apples, halve and cut into wedges. Melt the remaining butter in a small frying pan and gently brown the wedges on each side. Leave until you need them.

Add the flour to the leeks and turn them over in the juices. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Take the pan off the heat and slowly add the cider, stirring all the time. Return to the heat, bring to the boil, then add the chicken, sprigs of thyme and the sauteed apple (don’t wash the apple pan).

Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer, put the lid on and leave to cook over a low heat for about 35 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through, with no trace of pink.

Lift the chicken pieces out of the casserole and simmer the cooking juices until reduced by about one-third. Add the cream, bring to the boil and cook for a couple of minutes.

Peel and cut the other apple into wedges and put in the frying pan in which you cooked the first apple. Sauté gently, adding the sugar to help the slices caramelize on the outside.

Cook until the apple slices are tender. Return the chicken to the sauce and heat gently. At the last minute, add the newly sautéed apples, sprinkle with the thyme leaves and serve.

Onion Puree
serves 4
1 1/2 lbs (2 very large) sweet onions
3/4 c water
1 tbsp canola or peanut oil
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp celery seed
3 tbsp fine cornmeal
2 tbsp heavy cream or low fat Greek yogurt

Peel the onions and slice very thin. Put them in a large stainless steel or enamel (not aluminum) saucepan with all the ingredients except cornmeal and heavy cream/yogurt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 35 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Sprinkle the cornmeal on top, then stir it in. Cook covered another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Run a whisk through to break up the onions a bit. Stir in the cream/yogurt and cook just until the dish is hot. Do not boil. Check for salt and pepper and adjust if necessary. Serve immediately. Possible garnishes to toss on top: chopped chives, chopped flat leaf parsley, chopped cilantro.  This is excellent with any roasted or grilled meat.

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches
from How to Fix a Leek....the book


5 med green tomatoes
1½ c matzo meal or fine breadcrumbs 
¼ c all purpose flour
4 oz fresh goat or ricotta cheese 
1/2 c cornmeal 
1 tbsp minced parsley with chives 
1 egg 
3 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled* 
½ c milk 
 Peanut or corn oil for frying 
*Vegetarians: use chopped olives

In a small shallow bowl whisk together flour and cornmeal. Whisk in egg, milk and salt to your taste. Slice tomatoes into 1/8” rounds, keeping them together. Take 2 abutting slices side by side and open them like a book. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, smear goat cheese on the inside of one all the way to the edges and top it with herbs and bacon. Cover with the other tomato slice, salt and press lightly. Dip in the cornmeal batter to coat and roll in the breadcrumbs.The two sides should stick together now.

    Fill a frying pan or skillet almost 1” deep with oil and heat it to sizzling (it will spit if you flick a drop of water on it). Fry the tomato sandwiches 2 minutes and turn over to fry another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm to serve. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve with salsa or chopped olive mix.

Green Tomato and Onion Curry

 serves 4 an exotic taste of India

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 heaped tsp small black mustard seeds

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds

4-5 curry leaves*

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic

1 lb green tomatoes firm and healthy looking

1 1/2  tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander

1-2 tsp red chili powder – more as you wish

Optional: 1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)

Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

*These are available in spice jars at Indian and Asian groceries and international themed supermarkets. They have no real substitute as they impart both a tangy citrus and slightly sweet anise like flavor. they are edible and do not have to be removed like bay leaves. Better yet they can be frozen for the long haul so it's not a waste to buy a jar. Here's a chance to go exotic on the cheap!

Slice the onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes into large chunks about 1 inch.  Smaller will turn them to mush.

Heat the oil in a wok or other pan used for stir fry. Nothing heavy.

When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves in quick succession.  To test the oil you can pop in a mustard seed. If it fizzles and pops then it’s ready.  Stir for a minute with a fork --not wooden spoon. Add the onions and stir fry a minute.

Add the tomatoes, then the rest of the spices. Stir until all the spices are well combined.

Keep tossing the onions and tomatoes with the fork for a few more minutes to cook the dry spices out and prevent sticking.  If it does stick add a little more oil or water.

Do not overcook.  You want the tomatoes to keep their shape.

Pour into a serving bowl, top with the chopped coriander and serve immediately.  This dish does not keep well. It is, as I said, just for the moment.

Sautéed greens with olives
Greens are in abundance now and as sunshine wanes, we need all their chlorophyll we can get because that seems to be a magic bullet cure-all.
serves 6

2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 cups mixed greens torn into pieces (about 3 bunches kale, chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, endive, romaine lettuce, arugula)
1/3 c pitted black olives, halved
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté stirring 2 minutes until it begins to brown. Add pepper flakes, stir and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens a handful at a time, each time seasoning what you've added with salt and pepper. Cook stirring until the greens are all wilted and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the olives and lemon juice and toss to blend. Shake in a few more red pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning and add a few more drops of lemon if you need to.  An excellent side dish for fish, roasted meat or chicken, or a vegetarian meal with corn pudding and panzanella salad. (see much earlier post)

Corn Cakes with Indian Spices and Yogurt
serves 4

3 ears of corn or 1¼ lb frozen kernels
¾ c chickpea flour or fine cornmeal
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
½ tsp ground cumin

pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp paprika

3 large eggs, separated
1/2 c milk
2 spring onions, chopped
½-1 red chili, finely chopped, according to taste
2 limes, zest and juice
1 big handful chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp olive oil
For the yogurt 
1/2 c Greek yogurt
1 tsp cumin or nigella seeds
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Heat the oven to 275º. Have a cookie sheet ready.
Hold the corn upright and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut the kernels into a large, wide bowl that catches all the flying ones. Sift the flour and baking powder into a smaller bowl, add the spices and make a well in the center. Put the egg yolks and half the milk in the well, beat the mixture until smooth, then slowly whisk in the rest of the milk. Fold in the corn, onions, chili, lime juice and zest, and cilantro leaves. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold them into the batter. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Heat a heavy-bottom frying pan on a medium high heat and once it’s hot, add a small knob of butter and a dribble of oil. Drop two heaped tablespoons of batter into the pan to form one cake and fry on medium heat for 3 minutes a side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a tray in the oven while you repeat with the rest of the batter.
Once all the corn cakes are in the oven staying warm, mix all the yogurt ingredients, then season with salt. Serve the fritters with the yogurt on the side or dribbled over the top garnished with chopped cilantro leaves.

Radishes with miso
(bet you never thought to cook radishes!)

serves 4 a Japanese touch to the table

2 tbsp unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature

2 tbsp red miso paste, at room temperature

3 bunches medium radishes with their tops

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Kosher salt

2 tbsp water

1/4 tsp rice vinegar

Place the butter and miso in a small bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until evenly combined; set aside.Cut the leafy tops from the radishes. Coarsely chop, wash, and dry the tops; set them aside.
Wash the radishes, trim the stem ends, and halve them (quarter them if they’re large) and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the radishes and arrange them cut-side down in a single layer. Season with salt and sear until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown and the radishes are crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the radish tops, 1 tablespoon of the water, and salt to taste. Cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until the tops are completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter-miso mixture and the remaining tablespoon of water and stir until the butter-miso mixture melts and coats the radishes and tops. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Chinese style mustard greens and mushrooms
a tribute to autumn mushrooms with the flavor of China

1/4 cup good quality olive oil
2 king oyster mushrooms or 6 oz white button mushrooms
6 med shiitake mushrooms
4 med shallots, quartered lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 star anise (whole)
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/2 c dry rice wine or dry white wine
1 bunch mustard greens, stems off (about 10 oz)
1 c mushroom broth
Salt and pepper to your taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add oyster or button mushrooms, shallots and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over med/high heat about 3 minutes until they just start to soften. Add the shiitakes, garlic, star anise and five-spice powder. Add the wine and simmer about 2 minutes until it has evaporated. Add the mushroom broth and bring the pot to a boil. Immediately lower heat to med/low and simmer until the liquid has started to reduce/disappear, about 10 minutes. Add the mustard greens and cook, stirring occasionally until they wilt and look tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the star anise. Season with salt and pepper and serve.