Favorite Fall Dish - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by butzy 

Pea soup, dutch style: a thick thick hearty soup with lots of celery in it, leek, bacon and sausage

And stamppot. No idea if there is an english word for it, but it is basically potatoes coarsely mashed together with either sauerkraut or with kale or raw endive, with lots of gravy

I've never thought of peas as being an autumn food, are peas springing up in your parts of the world?

nope, the soup is made from split peas, somtimes mixed with dried whole green peas.

It's just quite a filling soup so we normally eat it when it is cold like late autumn or winter.

Actually, compared to where I live now it is always cold in Holland!

I'll be using those chicken backs I stashed in the freezer all summer along with garbanzo beans, onions, potatoes and chorizo sausage to make a delicious soup. Garlic, paprika, and saffron are the main seasonings.

Anything in the crock pot. like   Roast, potatoes, carrots. Yum!  

Another is chili served with beer bread or corn bread.  

Lasagna.  

Tonight is homemade chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes.  Delicious! 

KyHeirloomer, I love French Onion Soup, but it has to be done well.  Most of the time what I get is some insipid crap with not much flavor beyond the storebought beef base.  It seems very few places take the time to properly caramelize the onions properly, a task, IMHO, that should take a good 45 minutes or so to develop the flavor.  While I love French Onion Soup the other reason I like to make it is a derivative soup I make from it.  I take the leftovers, from the night before, thicken the soup with a roux and finish it with a good blue cheese.  Turns it into a whole new soup.

But back to the original topic; I love this time of year because that means root vegetables and slow cooked braises.  I'm not a huge soup fan but I love stews of all kinds and chili is a must have all fall and winter long!

Different tastes for different buds, Pete. Even when I've made it myself I didn't care for it.

The secret of any onion soup, though, is proper carmalization of the onions---a task, as you point out, that few are willing to take on.

In my adapted Hannah Glasse's recipe, although I provide a range, 45 minutes is more likely than 30 for the proper color and depth of flavor.

I find it interesting that you love stews and aren't big on soups. To my mind, the only difference between them is the thickness. Add liquid to any stew and voila!---you've turned it into soup.

Don't most cookbooks and menues list chili as a soup? That's my impression, anyway.

KYHeirloomer, I couldn't agree more on "different tastes."  It would be a boring world if we all liked the same thing!!!

Yes, I know it is kind of strange where I draw the line between soups and stews. And I agree that really the difference between each is merely the thickness.  I don't dislike "soups" but even then I prefer creamy or thicker soups rather than thinner soups.  Again, just personal preference.  I won't turn down soup if offered, but it isn't often the first thing that comes to my mind, and if I had a choice I would definitely choose stew over soup.

Chili is one of those dishes that really stradles the line between soup and stew.  I've had plenty of thinner chilis (I grew up with a Dad that always made a more soup like chili and still love his) and liked them a lot, although my preference is for a thicker, heartier chili

I enjoy soups of various sorts.  Just did a pot of my shrimp and sausage soup the other day [ http://wasatchfoodies.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=38 ]  Added some canned crab to it and did some prosciutto and asiago cheese grilled sandwiches.  Yum!

As for onion soups I make one I call sweet onion soup.  I should put the recipe on wasatchfoodies.com - yep, any day now.  Basically I poach the onions in butter for an hour or so, no browning. They get soft and creamy, all the sulfur is driven off so they end up nice and sweet.  Some chicken broth, a few seasonings and yum!

mjb.

Plain chicken broth with galushka or pastina

gnocchi di zucca (i often make them with a galushka seive thingy, it's quicker and easier, or i drop them with a spoon into the ater - then butter and parmigiano.

Polenta with butter and cheese

Then only stew i really like, carbonnade

zuppa di scarola with rice

roasts (i do them all year, but in the summer the oven can make the house even more unbearable than it already is

chicken pot pie with biscuit crust (celery, carrot, onion, mushrooms, peas and corn inside it, with a veloute sauce)

fish pie

squash or pumpkin in many ways - roasted, in gnocchi, in a sort of pie (with sauteed onions and pine nuts and an olive oil crust), soup

I also love that, here, at least, there is a much wider variety of vegetables available:

broccoletti

bieta

spinach

artichokes

really good eggplants

This compensates the lack of good fruit (italian apples are not worth eating, except that there is nothing else, and the oranges are still sour as lemons) - the only thing is the tiny pears

This time of year I like to slow cook beer and cider brisket on the grill all day while making a batch of beer. I like bacon wrapped bison meatloaf with blackstrap molasses sauce. I like sweet potato rolls, pumpkin custard, apple pie with boiled cider, shoo-fly pie, molasses bread, date cake, and eggnog ice cream. It's time for Greek-style manicotti, seafood lasagna, and calzones. I'll add smoked turkey, dried cranberries and crunchy fresh apples to my salads. I'll make baked potato soup, chicken tortilla soup, split pea soup, and chowders. I can't choose just one favorite, I love cooking this time of year.

I love stews and simple soups in autumn. But in general, any dish that will spread a fantastic smell in the house.

Latkes! 

Grated latkes!  Ground latkes! 

Latkes cooked in oil, in chicken fat, in lard (not exactly Kosher, but works for me).

Latkes with sour cream and salmon caviar.

Latkes with sour cream.

Latkes with apple sauce.

Latkes with apple sauce and sour cream. 

In fall, an old man's fancy turns to thoughts of latkes and brisket, or sauer braten, or sausages, or ribs, or... and red cabbage on the side.  We go into pre-Hanukkah practice drills tonight with "spring mix" salad dressed with homemade Green Goddess, heaps of (grated) latkes with all the garnishes, and that's it.  First latkes of the season, wouldn't want to hyper-extend anything.

BDL

pumpkin ravioli, or beef paupiettes

sweet potatoes in any form(except the marshmallow topping)..., just can't seem to get enough of them lately....think i've had sweet potatoes 5 times this week alone! simple roasted whole chicken with tons of garlic cloves and either wine or vermouth or marsala...roasted cornish hens...just love the whole idea of getting you very own little hen.......acorn squash,roasted or stuffed with wild rice and dried fruits.....figs, figs, and more figs... beets...actually all and any root vegetable.....pumpkin and/or butternut squash risotto, spiced pumpkin bread, pumpkin butter, apple butter...geez, the list just goes on and on.....

joey

bdl....you gave me a chuckle with your 'pre hanukkah practice drill'....as in latkes drill practice? that's funny... practice makes perfect!!! any other garnishes, traditional or not, or is it 'skies the limit' ?

Alright already, BDL, now give us your recipe for Latkes!

BDL, you say the words green goddess more often than anyone I know lol.

I'm pretty sure my latke recipe is already posted on CT, but just in case, it's on CFG. 

Green Goddess dressing is a very, very good thing.  It fell out of favor for no good reason, and is long due back.  As a dressing for a salad to accompany or precede latkes, it's (a) not too oily, and (b) prevents the sour cream which graces the pancakes from being too much of a shock to the system.

BDL

oh god, sorry, but how could i forget about poached pears with warm pear brandy and a swizzle of dark chocolate....i don't think i can pick a favorite...i truly like them all!

bdl,

i hope you're not offended by my post giggle....my visual was that of a conveyor belt full of latkes...a take on the 'i love lucy' scene with the chocolate.....

joey

Venison chilli or a good sausage and chicken gumbo goes down good this time of year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 

I'm pretty sure my latke recipe is already posted on CT, but just in case, it's on CFG. 

 

Green Goddess dressing is a very, very good thing.  It fell out of favor for no good reason, and is long due back.  As a dressing for a salad to accompany or precede latkes, it's (a) not too oily, and (b) prevents the sour cream which graces the pancakes from being too much of a shock to the system.

 

BDL

bdl, 

a few months back i made a green goddess dressing used as a vegetable dip for a party and i added watercress...i call it extra green goddess dressing..just thought it might be a nice twist for your latkes...i agree that it is a great classic and we all need to help bring it back into 'favor'.

joey

More Green Goddess...

My GG is mayo, sour cream, crushed anchovies, scallion tops, garlic chives, lemon juice, rice vinegar, parsley and tarragon.  A little bit more this and that than the SF original.  Not a clone, but true to the inspiration.  Garlic chives, which are very easy to get here in the Asian and some other ethnic markets, are a nice twist.  If you want the dressing recipe presented as a regular written recipe with quantities and whatnot, you have but to murmur.  

The usual salad greens are "spring mix," straight rocket, or straight Bibb.  I garnish with tomato, raw, sliced, button mushrooms, sliced red onion (soaked in ice water for a few minutes before going in the salad), and fresh croutons fried in olive oil; but can use it for anything.  Very late forties/early fifties; the old fashioned garnish is inspired by a West L.A. restaurant called Billingsley's, but they use iceberg. 

Iceberg is sadly overused by people who don't get it, and sadly underused by people who do.  Why? 

Left to its own devices my cooking seems to have developed a predilection for postwar Americana and "Continental."  Don't know why all the retro, but am happy with it.    

I went to Tropicana, my local Lebanese/Armenian/etc., not quite market and tried to buy some of their fresh salmon caviar (good but not great quality) which was on sale (great price!).  I only wanted a quarter pound, but they gave me three quarters pound instead because they love me (or so they claim).  Can't let it go bad, so I'm eating caviar on everything.  Caviar on sourdough toast with avocado, caviar with lox, cream cheese, and bagel, caviar in baked potatoes, caviar on latkes, caviar, caviar, icre.  Caviar on latkes, not GG. 

GG on the salad served before. 

GG would be great for potato/zucchini pancakes, though.  You're an inspiration, no question about it.  The trick to zucchini is the same as for potatoes -- getting the water out.  People don't serve zucchini pancakes often enough.

BDL

well bdl, instead of eating all that caviar yourself and risking a tummy ache, i suppose you could have a party...i'll bring the vodka!  plus it's more fun to share...petals and indy and anyone else who would like to come can bring the tunes, and we can all dance around and drink vodka and eat cavair and laugh til we're spinning......

joey

Quote:

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 

 

Iceberg is sadly overused by people who don't get it, and sadly underused by people who do.  Why?

 

 

I know exactly what you mean... but what do you mean exactly?

I saved the green goddess dressing recipe to try making it soon.  No oil?

KKV,

There's enough oil in the mayo, you don't need more.

BDL

murmur

Of course, anything pumpkin. I made pumpkin gingerbread whoopie pies rolled in chopped pecans this week.  They were a hit.  Looking to make pumpkin butter, also.  Nothing makes the house smell more like fall than a pot of chai tea on the stove.  But I really can't wait to try the recipe featured in this month's Bon Appetit.  It's a proscuitto wrapped pork loin that has been stuffed with ground pork, kale, porcini, and dried apples and then roasted with fresh apples.  Sounds yummy.

Per Pohaku's murmur, here's the formalized recipe for Green Goddess dressing.  I posted it to the Recipe section, because... well...

BDL

I found this same recipe in my local paper for the whoopie pies.  The amount of spice for me is just right, especially with both the ground and candied ginger.  I do recommend that you increase the amount of flour to 3 cups, though.  I had to make the recipe twice because the first batch was so soft and cake-like that they were impossible to fill without falling apart.  Adding the extra flour in the second batch did the trick.  I have been using canned pumpkin for baking because I have a tendency to run short on time.  I would love to do things more from scratch, like starting with a whole, fresh pumpkin, but sometimes the only way I manage to get things done in the kitchen is with the help of a few shortcuts.  

 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2016531985_web19whoopies.html

No need to apologize, gentilechoc.

First off, everybody uses shortcuts now and again. But, more to the point, this is one case where there is virtually no difference between fresh and canned. I grow a lot of pumpkins, and mostly use my own fresh or home-canned because it makes more sense for me. But I've used commercial canned pumpkin in the past, and it works exactly the same way.

One thing to keep in mind is that, horticulturally speaking, there is no such thing as a pumpkin. Which means you can put any winter squash in a can and call it pumpkin. Any flavor differences between fresh and canned, or between one brand and another, stem from differences in squash varieties, not from the quality of the product.

Most commercial canned pumpkin, btw, is either Hubbard or Cushaw squash. If you do get around to using a fresh pumpkin you do not want to use a jack-o-lantern type. They tend to be stringy. If you can't find a culinary pumpkin (usually sold as "pie" pumpkins), use butternut squash instead.

There is one possible difference between fresh and canned. If you bake the squash instead of steaming it there will be a textural difference between your piuree and the commercial stuff. If you steam it, yours and their's will be the same.