A new month as turned the corner and you will start to find less of the warm weather foods and more of the items that grow well in cooler weather at your market. The produce that seemed most abundant to me at the market this week were carrots, sweet potatoes, pears, leeks and broccoli. Here are a few ideas on how to serve them.
Sweet Potatoes
Purchase sweet potatoes that are a uniform in size so that they cook evenly.
Scrub them under water and dry them with a paper towel.
Spray or rub them with oil.
Use a metal fork to poke a few holes in each potato. (This keeps them from exploding when they cook. Don’t do this too far ahead of baking or the fork holes will oxidize and turn dark.)
Put them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 50-60 minutes, until soft.
Toppings:
Cheese: shredded cheddar/jack, crumbled feta, grated Parmesan, ricotta.
Fresh herbs and seasonings: chopped fresh basil, cilantro, oregano, chives or dill.
Meats: chili, taco meat, fajita chicken or beef, pulled pork, bacon, chopped ham, salami, mini meatballs.
Vegetables: chopped scallions or red onions; steamed broccoli, green beans, snow peas or asparagus; grilled corn; chili beans; chopped fresh tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes; sauteed spinach, mushrooms or onions; roasted red peppers; jalapenos; thawed frozen peas; chopped avocado or guacamole; coleslaw
Sauces & dressings: salsa; barbecue sauce; gravy; nacho sauce; ranch salad dressing; peanut sauce, marinara sauce; pesto.
Sweets: brown sugar, honey, maple syrup
Toasted Nuts: sunflower seeds, pepitas, pecans, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts.
Tuna, Pear and Gorgonzola Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
1 small head Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
3 pears – cored and diced
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
12 ounces tuna, packed in water, drained
½ cup peeled, grated carrots
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
For the dressing: blend the oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.
In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, tuna, carrots and onions. Pour dressing over the salad and toss, Sprinkle with pecans and serve the salad with a slice of the carrot bread (recipe below).
Creamy Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
I prefer to saute the vegetables separately, so that they do not overcook before adding them to the sauce.
3-4 servings
Ingredients
8 oz short pasta, like rotini or penne
12 large shrimp (16-21 size)
1 large leek, white and light green parts, sliced thin
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 garlic clove, minced
4 teaspoons butter, divided
1 cup cream
1 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of butter, add the leeks and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the leeks and garlic to a bowl and set aside.
Add another teaspoon of butter to the skillet, add the diced zucchini and cook until tender, about 3-4
minutes. Remove the zucchini from the skillet and add it to the bowl with the leeks.
Add another teaspoon of butter to the skillet, add the tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes from the skillet and add them to the bowl with the leeks and zucchini.
Add the remaining teaspoon of butter to the skillet, add the shrimp and saute them just until they turn pink, turning them over once, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and Italian seasoning.
Bring to a simmer. Add the cooked vegetables and heat gently.
When the water boils, cook the pasta al dente. Drain and add it to the skillet with the shrimp mixture.
Add the grated cheese and stir gently. Serve immediately
Carrot and Spice Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup butter softened to room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk or almond milk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 finely chopped walnuts
Directions
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar, beating well. Beat in the milk, egg, vanilla and orange extracts.
Stir in the carrots and walnuts.
Add the reserved dry ingredients. Mix well.
Spoon the batter into 2 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.