Dishes Perfect for Fall

When Fall comes around, all the root type veggies are in full display. Sometimes, during Autumn, I begin to crave things that I did not have interest in, during the spring or summer. I am great with wanting beets at any time of year, but things like turnips or rutabaga? Not so much. 

Mashed Potatoes & Parsnips

Mashed Potatoes & Parsnips

Potatoes are always in evidence, but they are root vegetables, along with things such as parsnips. These two things are like a match made in heaven, and I make my mashed potatoes with up to half parsnips. Delish! I cook the vegetables (about 4 medium potatoes and one or two large parsnips) covered in water with about a tablespoon of Kosher salt. Then, with slotted spoon strain out the cooked potatoes and parsnips into a ricer, set over a bowl with 2 to 4 ounces of some kind of cheese (whether cream cheese, Boursin, Cheddar or other melting cheese) and some minced scallions and/or chives. The potatoes are riced straight atop the cheese mixture (which softens the cheese nicely for blending) and stirred in. I use some of the cooking water left in the pot to thin the potatoes to my taste.

Leeks are another great vegetable. I love leeks, but use them seldom. Yet there are just some recipes that taste great with leeks. Such as Potato Leek Soup.

Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup

Makes about six (1-cup) servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks
2 - 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
a few grinds of white pepper
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut in ½-inch dice
2 cups water
1½ cups milk, half & half or cream
 
Cut off the lightest part of the leeks, discarding the dark green tops. Cut off root ends and discard, and then slice down the center length of each leek. Hold the layers together with pone hand and fan the leek under running water to rinse out any mud or grit. Slice the leeks across the grain into about ½-inch slices. 

 Heat butter in a medium saucepan until melted and immediately add in the leeks. Cook them over medium to medium-high heat, stirring often, until they are relatively soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and toss to combine. Strip off the leaves of a few thyme sprigs and chop finely. Add to the pot and stir. Add in the salt, pepper, potatoes, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. 

 Remove the bay leaf and pour the soup into a blender and process until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add in the milk (or half & half or cream, as desired) and heat before serving.

 NOTES: Stock may be used instead of water in the soup, although the salt will need to be adjusted. To make a pretty presentation, blend together 2 tablespoons of olive oil with another 2 - 3 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves. Pass the oil through a very fine mesh sieve. Using a teaspoon, drizzle about ½ teaspoon of the oil in a circular pattern over the top.

VEGAN OPTIONAL: If a nut or seed milk substitution is made for the milk and a vegan butter substitute or oil for the butter, this recipe is easily made vegan.

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Every year, come Fall, I make a soup with a slew of root veggies, plus their greens. This has been a staple for a lot of years now, and uses carrots, parsnips, rutabaga and beets, though any other root vegetable will also be great in this soup as well. The best thing is the use of beet greens and either turnip greens, mustard greens or whichever greens are your preference. The use of red beets will color all the vegetables. If you want a cleaner look for the vegetables, consider using Chioggia beets or golden beets.

Root Vegetable & Greens Soup

Root Vegetable & Greens Soup

Makes about 10 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 3 carrots. scrubbed, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 - 3 parsnips, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 rutabaga, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 - 3 medium beets, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice
8 cups water
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
a few grinds of the pepper mill
6 - 8 cups beet greens, coarse-chopped in about 1-inch pieces
4 - 6 cups other greens, coarse chopped in about 1-inch pieces
 
Heat a large soup pot and add in the olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until they are lightly golden. Add in the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add in all the diced vegetables and the water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add in the greens and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are tender. 

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Sweet potatoes are available any time of year, but come Fall, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, they start to take a more center stage. I must confess: I rarely use mustard greens. They just aren't all that appetizing, to me, on their own in a dish, but with this particular combination, they are stellar. I feel positively virtuous when eating this side dish, and it could as easily be used as a main course for those who eschew meat.

Coconut Sweet Potatoes with Mustard Greens

Serves 6

2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 medium onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced

Coconut Sweet Potatoes with Mustard Greens

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 can coconut milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen)
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 cassia cinnamon stick, broken in half
3 cups sweet potato, peeled, in ½-inch cubes
4 - 5 cups mustard greens (about ¾ pound)
1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and mustard seeds and saute for another 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, coriander, cinnamon stick and sweet potato. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until sweet potato begins to soften.

While sweet potato is cooking, wash the mustard greens and strip leaves off the stems. Discard the stems. Chop greens into bite-sized pieces. Stir in the mustard greens with the maple syrup and simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. The greens should be tender and the sweet potato soft. Adjust salt level; remove cinnamon stick. Just before serving, squeeze in some lime juice, or serve with a lime wedge.

NOTES: If sweet potato is not your favorite, other vegetables may be added or substituted, such as broccoli or cauliflower. Collard greens or spinach could be substituted for the mustard greens, though collards may take longer to cook properly.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.