Autumn Salad with Grapes, Celery, Blue Cheese & Candied Pepitas

Several years ago while I was choosing a bag of grapes at my local grocery store, the produce manager saw me and directed my attention to his display of red Scarlatta grapes.  He told me they were just in—first of the new crop California grapes—and were especially good.  

I was surprised—I had always treated grapes as season-less.  Like broccoli, grapes of pretty good quality are almost always available.  But of course they do have a season.  I was aware that the harvest for wine grapes was in the fall (I was even working in Provence one year during the harvest!).   But as much as I think about seasonal eating, I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never really thought about table grapes being a fall item. 

The grapes I took home that day were—just as the produce manager had said—particularly good.  I still eat grapes year round (the miracle of shipping…), but ever since that moment in the produce aisle, I make note of when the California crop begins to hit the stores.  This is usually sometime in September.  (Sadly, they disappear in late December/early January.)  These grapes are always worth seeking out.

Unsurprisingly, grapes are good partners for other foods that share their season:  Figs…and nuts (most of which are harvested in the fall)...  Winter squashes…  Apples and pears...  Brussels sprouts, cabbage and chicories (endive, radicchio).  If you are in the habit of just purchasing grapes for snacking…or adding to your holiday fruit and cheese platters…you might consider branching out a bit by adding them to some of your fall salads.  

This year, right when the new crop first began to appear, I prepared a salad that featured grapes and some of these other autumn foods (celery, pepitas, spinach and radicchio) for one of my pop up dinners.

I loved the salad so much I have made it several times for myself since.  And I took it as my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year.  I will probably continue to make it throughout the cold months—even after the California crop has disappeared for the year.  If you are craving something fresh, crunchy, and juicy to counterbalance all the rich fare of the current season, this salad will be just the thing.  

Autumn Salad with Grapes, Celery, Blue Cheese & Candied Pepitas

2 oz. stemmed baby spinach
4 oz. trimmed Little Gem (see notes) lettuce, cut crosswise in 1-inch strips, or torn into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 oz. cored Radicchio, cut crosswise in 1/2-inch strips, or torn into bite-sized pieces
2/3 lb. red grapes, halved (about 2 cups)
4 oz. trimmed celery, sliced thinly (1/8-inch) on a slight diagonal (about 1 cup)
3 1/2 oz. Gorgonzola Piccante, Roquefort, or other crumbly, sharp blue
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. Cider-Honey Vinaigrette
1/3 c. Candied Pepitas

Place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add half to three quarters of the blue cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette and toss well.  Mound the salad on a large platter or on individual plates.  Crumble the remaining blue cheese over.  Drizzle with more vinaigrette, if you like.  Scatter the pepitas over all.

Makes 4 large salads or 6 to 8 side salads.

Note:  Little Gem lettuce is a cross between Romaine and Bibb.  It has more crunch than Bibb...and is more tender than Romaine.  If you are not able to find it, you may use Artisan Romaine Hearts, or plain Romaine hearts.

Cider-Honey Vinaigrette

1/4 c. (60 g.) apple cider vinegar
2 T. (42 g.) honey
1 T. (14 g.) Dijon mustard
5/8 t. kosher salt
5 T. olive oil
5 T. canola oil (or use olive oil) 

Place the first four ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Drizzle in the oils, whisking constantly to form an emulsion.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and more vinegar or oil as necessary.  The vinaigrette should be tangy and sweet.

Makes a generous cup.  This is more than you need for the salad, but the vinaigrette keeps well in a jar in the fridge and is wonderful on salads featuring autumn fruits and/or roasted winter squash.

Candied Pepitas

1 T. sugar
1/4 t. kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne (to taste)
2 t. unsalted butter
1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1 t. honey

Combine the sugar, salt and cayenne in a small ramekin and set aside.  Spray a plate or small sheet pan with pan spray (or brush lightly with oil).  Set aside.

In a small non-stick sauté pan set over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the pumpkin seeds and toss to coat.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the pepitas and toss to coat.  Continue to cook, stirring and tossing until the sugar has melted and the pumpkin seeds are popping a bit and are lightly colored.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Wait 30 seconds.  Drizzle in the honey and toss to coat.

Spread the candied pepitas out on the prepared plate/pan and let cool—stirring occasionally as they cool so that they will be separate rather than clumpy.  

Store the candied pepitas in an airtight container at room temperature.

Printable Version

Golden Beet & Pear Soup

Whenever someone hires me to prepare a meal, the first thing I do is ask them about their food preferences.  Of course I want to make sure that I know about allergies and food dislikes…but mostly I’m interested in finding out what they really love to eat…or what they are in the mood for right now—basically what will make the meal special for them.  Most of the time people request a certain protein for the entrée…or a seasonal ingredient that they would love to have somewhere in the menu.  Occasionally someone will request a particular classic dish.  But most of the time the requests are general in nature.  Whether general or specific, I use their preferences to design a few menus (that sound delicious to me) that they can then choose from.

Recently as I was getting ready to prepare a special lunch for two women who have been coming to my classes since the very first class I taught (almost 20 years ago!), I was surprised to get a very specific request in response to my query:  Golden Beet & Pear Soup.  I had never thought of making a golden beet soup (a great idea because you get the delicious beet flavor without the shocking color of a magenta soup)…much less combining it with pear.  But beet and pear are a classic salad combination…and I knew the flavors would work well together.  So I included a golden beet and pear soup in my proposal.  I was not surprised when they chose it for their first course.

Almost all of my puréed soups follow the same formula:  cook some aromatic vegetables (always some onion/leek/shallot…often garlic, carrot and/or celery…occasionally fennel or peppers) in a fat of some kind (butter, olive oil…sometimes bacon fat) in order to infuse the fat with the flavor of these vegetables.  This step gives depth and roundness of flavor to the finished soup.  (You should never skip it.)  You can add spices and herbs with the aromatic vegetables if you like.  Then, add the main vegetable(s)—either in their raw form or already cooked (roasted, for example)—along with some stock or water.  All of this is then simmered together to soften the vegetables (if they were raw) and blend the flavors.  You can also add herbs and other flavors towards the end of cooking if you would like their flavor to be more prominent (rather than the background flavor of those added at the beginning).  Finally, purée and pass the soup through a sieve (to give the most velvety texture) and finish with cream if you like. That’s all there is to it.

Most of the time the main vegetable will provide all the thickening that you need for a puréed soup (they don’t need to be super thick).  Although occasionally you will find recipes that incorporate potato with the main vegetable since the potato will add thickness and body.  Frequently I will add a little rice to cook with the vegetables.  This provides a small amount of starch for thickening, but mostly I like it because it seems to help emulsify the liquids and solids together (adding to that aforementioned velvety texture).

Because I thought the beet and pear would make a subtle soup, I was careful not to get carried away with my additions.  I didn’t add any carrot or celery, which could easily have overwhelmed.  To the onion-shallot-garlic base, I added a little coriander (to accentuate the sweetness of the beets and pear) and thyme (which I love with pear and apples in savory preparations).  I also added some ginger, which I thought would light up both main flavors (it did!).  I could have added it at the beginning with the aromatic vegetables, but in this case I felt this would soften the flavor too much.  Instead I opted to add it towards the end.

It is always a good idea to finish a puréed soup with a nice garnish of some kind.  This will provide complimentary flavor…or a great textural contrast.  It also adds to the beauty of the final dish.  Something as simple as a drizzle of olive oil…or lightly frothed cream…or crème fraiche…and a sprinkling of herbs (maybe parsley or chives) is sufficient.  But all kinds of things are possible:  seasoned oils, bits of cheese, seeds, nuts, a complimentary or contrasting vegetable purée, pesto, croutons or garlic/cheese toasts.

For this soup I added a drizzle of olive oil and some crumbled blue cheese and minced toasted walnuts—which complimented both the beets and the pears…as well as each other.  It seemed like an obvious finish to me.

I was astonished by this soup.  It is subtle…and suave…tasting of beets, with a fragrant, slightly sweet finish from the pear.  A truly special and elegant soup.  I wouldn't have thought of if it hadn't been suggested to me.  It will now have a permanent place in my repertoire.  I hope that you will give it a try.  I know that I will remember my friends…and their special lunch…every time I make it.

Golden Beet & Pear Soup

1 1/2 T. olive oil
1 large onion (about 1/2 lb.), thinly sliced
1 shallot (1 oz.), thinly sliced
1 fat clove of garlic, sliced
1/2 t. coriander seed
1/2 T. picked thyme
1 T. unsalted butter
1 lb. gold beets, peeled, halved if small, quartered if large, and sliced a scant 1/4-inch thick
1/2 T. Arborio rice
1 large firm, but ripe, pear (about 1/2 lb.)
3 c. Chicken stock, plus more as needed for consistency
1 T. minced fresh ginger (or more to taste)
1/4 c. heavy cream
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, if needed
Salt & Pepper
Garnish of your choice:  drizzle of olive oil, spoonful of crème fraiche, crumbled blue cheese (something like a Danish Blue or an aged Gorgonzola), minced toasted walnuts, etc.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, shallot, garlic, coriander and thyme, along with a generous pinch of salt.  Cover and gently sweat until the onions are soft—about 15 minutes.  Add the butter and melt.  Add the beets and cook for 5 to 10 minutes—until they are beginning to soften.  Add the rice and cook another 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the pear and cook for a minute or two.  Add the stock and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook until the beets are beginning to be tender—about 40 minutes, add the ginger and continue to cook until the beets are tender—about 20 minutes more. (It will seem like the beets are taking forever to cook.  But don’t worry…at right about the one hour mark the will go from being a bit crisp to tender.)  Purée the soup and pass through a fine meshed strainer.

Return the soup to the pot and add the cream.  Add water or more stock if the soup is too thick for your liking.  Heat through.  Remove from the heat.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt & pepper.  If the soup tastes flat or out of balance, add a small squeeze of lemon. The effect of the lemon should be to make the sweet flavors in the soup pop.  You won’t need much…maybe a teaspoon.  If you add too much, the soup will become tangy (which is not the goal).  You may also add more freshly grated ginger if you like—but be careful, the flavors of the soup are subtle and too much ginger will overwhelm the beet and pear.  Serve with a spoonful of crème fraiche, or a drizzle of olive oil, blue cheese crumbles and minced toasted walnuts.

Makes 5 cups or four servings (recipe is easily multiplied for more)

Printable Version

Winter Salad of Mâche, Belgian Endive, Apple, Walnuts & Roquefort

At the first farmers’ market of the new year, one of the growers brought mâche…a beautiful and delicious lettuce that has at times and by some been considered a weed (because of its tendency to spring up in the fields where corn and other cereal crops are grown).  As with most things food, the French know better and have been eating it for a long time.  Patricia Wells tells us in her book At Home in Provence that it was shepherds who first brought it to the table—having observed their flocks nibbling on a patch with gusto and having decided to give it a try.   Two of the other names for mâche reveal these interesting bits of lore:  corn salad and lamb’s lettuce.  By whatever name you know it, if you have tasted it, you probably think it is delicious—slightly nutty, with a soft, buttery texture. 

 As I think about it, I am surprised this is the first time I have noticed it at the farmers’ market—I assume anything that could be construed as a weed would not be too difficult to grow.  It is of course possible that I have just missed it.  Mâche is a cold/cool weather crop and this is the first year that I have regularly patronized a winter market. 

When I saw it, even though I didn’t really know what I was going to do with it, I grabbed a box.   I love mâche…and this was a pristinely lovely example of it.  It is true that I occasionally see a box of Organic Girl mâche at the grocery store.  But it is not regularly available.  And while it is generally a good product, as with most things, it can’t really compare to what a local grower can provide.  Whereas the mass produced stuff can be flimsy and succumb to decay fairly rapidly, the rosettes I purchased had a substance and life that kept them in fine condition for more than a week (stored air-tight, with a barely damp paper towel)…  Plenty of time to decide how I was going to best enjoy it.

In the end it was a salad in Patricia Wells' aforementioned book that provided my inspiration.  I was thinking about the mâche…and what I was going to make with it…one evening while I was shopping.  In my mind’s eye I saw a picture from her book.  It included mâche rosettes, along with the classic trio of Belgian endive, walnuts, and Roquefort.  I had everything but the cheese, so I grabbed a wedge.

When I finally made my salad, I decided it needed a bit of apple, so I diced up a Pink Lady and added it along with everything else.  Pink Ladies are my favorite snacking apple…and thus something I always have on hand…but Honeycrisps would be equally good.   The crisp, juicy, sweet-tart apple was the perfect touch.  Patricia Wells uses a cream based dressing for her salad, but I chose to use a tangy mustard vinaigrette that I already had on hand (you may have it too, if you have made the other apple and endive salad I posted a month ago…).

If you have never tasted mâche, I hope you will seek it out.  If you are unable to find it, I think this salad would be delicious with arugula instead.  Many people suggest substituting watercress for mâche.  But I think the nutty character of arugula is more in keeping with the flavor profile of mâche.  Watercress can be quite peppery—and I don’t find mâche to be peppery at all (slightly bitter, perhaps…but not peppery).   That said…watercress would probably be delicious in this salad…different…but delicious.  To be honest though, I hope you won’t have to find a substitute.  I hope that a grower at your market has some exceptionally beautiful mâche…so that you will have the chance to experience this delightful little green at its best.

Salad of Mâche, Belgian Endive, Apple, Walnuts & Roquefort

For the vinaigrette:
2 T. Champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, peeled and finely minced (1 1/2 to 2 T.)
1/4 t. salt, or to taste
1 t. Dijon mustard
6 T. extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

3 1/2 to 4 oz. mâche rosettes, washed and spun dry

1 large (7 to 8 oz.) apple—choose something juicy, crisp and sweet-tart (like a Pink Lady or Honey Crisp)

2 heads Belgian Endive (about 8 oz.)

1 c. (4 oz.) walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely broken

4 oz. Roquefort

Make the vinaigrette:  Place the vinegar in a small bowl with the shallots and salt.  Set aside for five minutes or so to let the shallots soften a bit. Add the mustard and whisk until smooth. While whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a thin stream to form a slightly thickened, emulsified dressing.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt.  Set aside. (You will have more vinaigrette than you need for this salad--but it keeps well and it is a nice all purpose vinaigrette.)

From top and moving clockwise:  an intact rosette....
a rosette flipped over to show the root/core....bits of the trimmed
root/core....trimmed leaves

To make the salad, trim the root ends of the mâche rosettes.  It is ok to leave the rosettes intact, as long as there is no root attached.  You may also trim them in such a way that the leaves are all separate.  I like to trim it so that the larger leaves are separate and a few small rosettes remain. 

Wash the apple. Halve lengthwise and remove the core.  Cut each half into a neat quarter inch dice. 

Remove any bruised outer leaves of the endive and discard.  Halve the endive and remove the cores (by cutting a "v" shape around the core on each half with the tip of a paring knife).  Place each half face down on a cutting board and slice 1/4-inch thick on a short diagonal. 

Place the mâche, apples, endive and walnuts in a large bowl.   Crumble in the Roquefort.  Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and season well with salt and pepper.  Carefully toss so that all of the ingredients are thoroughly coated with the vinaigrette.  Add more vinaigrette as needed.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  If the salad seems well-seasoned and well-dressed, but still tastes a bit flat, give it a squeeze of lemon and toss again.  Mound the salad on a platter or divide among individual salad plates.  Serves 4 to 6.

Note:  The mâche and walnuts may be prepared ahead.  The apples and endive must be cut right before serving as they will both oxidize after being cut.  

Printable Recipe

Kale Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, Currants & Sunflower Seeds

I made a trip to the farmers' market last Saturday morning.  During the summer months, this is a weekly occurrence, worthy of a mention along the lines of "I got out of bed this morning."  During the winter though, this has not been the case.  Up until this year it wasn't possible for me to go—there was no market to go to.  But this winter, the market I started going to early last summer (The Brookside Farmers' Market) started hosting a bi-monthly, indoor, winter market.  I went to the first one...and I loved it. I had every intention of faithfully going for the duration of the winter.  But since it wasn't part of my routine...  it just didn't happen.  I have no excuse.

But this past Saturday, I returned.  And I was so glad I did.  I came home with leeks, beautiful little sweet potatoes, broccoli greens (a new one for me), and Tuscan kale.  I used the sweet potatoes first...they were perfect for roasting (their size and shape made beautiful little medallions).  I am using the leeks today—in a simple potato leek soup (perfect for our late winter snow day).   The broccoli greens ended up in a garlicky braise with a handful of chickpeas.  Since I was unfamiliar with this green, I had asked the grower about it (always a good idea).  He told me they were most similar to Collard greens...although the tiny leaves were tender enough to throw in a salad.  My bag of greens was a mix of large and small, so a simple braise seemed like the thing to do (again...it's always a good idea to at least use a process that is familiar to you if the ingredient is not).  I thought they were delicious...and very nice served over a mound of bulgur and topped with a fried egg.

I decided to use the kale raw, in a salad.   This is unusual for me.  I know that kale salad is beyond hipster at this point...almost to the point of being passé (so I am definitely late to the party).  It just so happens that I really like cooked kale.  I have of course eaten...and made...kale salad.  It's just not the first thing that leaps to mind when I have kale on hand.  But when I got this kale home and looked at it, I knew it really belonged in a salad.  It was just so tender and beautiful. 

I don't know why, but I started thinking recently about a salad that I used to make for myself in college.  I think it's fair to say that it's no secret that I spent the early years of my life actively avoiding vegetables.  By the time I got to college I must have been aware that there was benefit in vegetables...and salad...so I occasionally made myself a salad at the salad bar.  Although, I managed to avoid all the raw vegetables that were on offer:  my salad of choice was a small amount of lettuce (probably ice berg...it's really hard to say...this was long before the day of the now ubiquitous "mixed baby lettuces"), creamy blue cheese dressing, salty roasted sunflower seeds and dark raisins.  Even back then, this salad hit all my favored flavor and textural buttons: salty...sweet...crunchy...chewy...creamy...  with the nice pungency of blue cheese thrown in for accent.  The lettuce was just the delivery system.

I'm not sure why I never recreated this salad before now, but it occurred to me as I thought about kale salad that kale would be an admirable green with which to make it.  The substance and texture of kale are sufficient to stand up to the actual physical weight of the seeds, raisins and heavy dressing.  Moreover, I thought the mineral-y tasting—slightly pungent...slightly bitter—raw kale would be enhanced by these salty, sweet and pungent additions.  And it was.

In the unlikely event that you are new to kale salad, one of the great things about it is that it can be dressed ahead.  In fact, it really should be dressed at least an hour or so before you plan on eating it.  If you dress it and eat it right away, it is just way too chewy.  Eating it becomes a lot of work...and as you chew you really do have the feeling that you are eating it "because it's good for you".  I admit that I have very little patience for that kind of eating.  Food should be enjoyable and delicious!  Dressing the kale ahead will make it so that it is as enjoyable to eat as it is delicious.  Frankly, kale is substantial enough that you can dress the salad a day ahead and it will be even softer....but still not soggy.  Depending on your textural preferences, you might even like it better on the second day.

If you have a winter market in your area, I encourage you to make a point to give it a visit.  Doing so will give you a sense of what grows...and even thrives...in your area during the inhospitable months of winter.  It's also a great opportunity to support the people who work so hard to bring you beautiful local produce during the spring, summer and fall.  And in the winter, you will probably get to sample some of the things they make with what they grow...baked goods, jams (I picked up some local apple butter last week), pickles/fermented foods, etc....in addition to all the squash and root vegetables that have been kept in appropriate winter storage.

And if there is not a winter market in your area, you should definitely make a trip to the store to pick up some Tuscan kale (and any of the other ingredients that you might need) so you can make this salad.  You might even be able to get someone who doesn't like vegetables to give it a try.

Kale Salad with Roquefort, Sunflower Seeds & Currants

When I was in college, I made this salad with dark raisins.  In its reincarnated form with kale, I make it with currants—which seem a bit more refined—instead.  But if you have raisins on hand, you can obviously use them. 

1 large bunch Tuscan Kale, stems stripped and leaves cut cross-wise into scant 1/2-inch wide ribbons (you should have about 5 oz of trimmed kale)

Salt & freshly ground pepper

1/3 c. toasted and salted sunflower seeds

1/3 c. dried currants

2 T. finely minced shallot, rinsed thoroughly in cold water and pressed dry between paper towels 1/3 to 1/2 c. creamy Roquefort dressing (see below)

Roquefort crumbles for garnish

Wash the kale in several changes of water and spin dry.  If time, chill briefly (this will help it to crisp up and dry a bit more.)

At least an hour before you plan to serve the salad, place the kale in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and scatter a quarter cup each of the sunflower seeds and currants over the kale along with the shallot.  

Drizzle a third cup of the dressing over the contents of the bowl, and using your hands, toss the salad, massaging the leaves a bit as you do to make sure they are well coated with the dressing.  Add more dressing if you like.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Cover with plastic and chill for at least an hour. 

To serve, re-toss, adding more dressing if necessary.  Mound the salad on individual plates or in a serving bowl and top with a scattering of the remaining sunflower seeds and currants.  Garnish with Roquefort crumbles and serve.  Serves 4 to 5.

Creamy Roquefort Dressing:

You can of course use a purchased blue cheese dressing for this salad...but I really don't recommend it.  Homemade blue cheese dressing is simple to make and oh so delicious—particularly if you make it with a good Roquefort cheese.

1 T. red wine vinegar

a small clove of garlic (just a small amount), smashed to a purée with a pinch of salt

1/4 c. mayonnaise (60 g.)

1/4 c. sour cream (60 g.)

1 oz. Roquefort

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Place the red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in the garlic. Whisk in the mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth.  Add the cheese, placing it at the side of the bowl, and begin to mash it with the back of a spoon or a fork, gradually incorporating the mayonnaise-sour cream mixture into it.  Continue to mix until the dressing is homogenous. Your goal is to incorporate the blue cheese in such a way that the dressing is smooth and creamy.  If you make a larger batch, you could do this more efficiently in the food processor, but this small batch wouldn't work very well in a large food processor. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Makes a generous 2/3 cup dressing.

Note:  This is the identical to a recipe I posted a few years ago except that it has more vinegar.  I found that my normal blue cheese dressing wasn't quite sharp enough for the kale.

Printable Version

Suzanne Goin's Roasted Pear Salad with Endive, Hazelnuts & St. Agur

Last spring I started a new series of classes called "Inspired Cooking by the Book."  The idea for this series came about because a small portion of my rather large cookbook collection is made up of books that are organized by the seasons.  Since I truly do cook seasonally, this particular portion of my collection is a constant source of inspiration in my kitchen.  I thought it would be fun to share recipes sourced from these books in a series of (at least) four classes.  The third class in the series (Autumn) is this week and will feature—among other things—the yellow split pea soup I posted at the end of September as well as a fantastic salad of pears with endive, arugula, hazelnuts and blue cheese...which I'm sharing today.

Both the soup and the salad are unusual in that I have not changed the recipes in any marked way from the originals.  I don't very often leave recipes unchanged, and it is testimony to how much I love these books—and respect the authors—that I don't need or want to alter some of the recipes.  It is true that an equal balance of the recipes in these classes bear only a passing resemblance to the "inspiring" recipe...but that is more a reflection of my preference or mood—and the fact that often a recipe is nothing more than a single point of inspiration—than the quality of the original.

The pear salad is from Suzanne Goin's first book Sunday Suppers at Lucques.  I turn to this cookbook all the time.  I particularly love Goin's salads...  Generally layered affairs of big pieces of cooked and/or raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, cheeses, dried fruits and interesting greens...they are exactly what I want in a salad:  a knife and fork worthy platter of interesting flavors and contrasting tastes and textures. 

Of particular note in the pear salad is the St. Agur cheese.  From the Auvergne of France, it is a double cream cow's milk blue that is firm, yet decadently creamy and spreadable...some say buttery.  It is tangy and salty...but mildly so.  It provides wonderful compliment and contrast for the soft, sweet pears, the crunchy and rich hazelnuts, and the crisp and slightly bitter endive.  If you can find it, you should try it.  If not, Goin recommends a Gorgonzola Dolce or a creamy sheep's milk cheese of some kind instead.

Now would be a great time to try this salad:  Pear season is in full swing.  But pears are available and delicious for most of the fall and winter months, so if this salad seems like too much work (sautéing the pears might seem like a bit of a project if you don't have a very large sauté pan) for an everyday dinner, it would also make an impressive salad course for a holiday dinner party.   

Roasted Pear Salad with Endive, Hazelnuts and St. Agur

3/4 c. hazelnuts

3/4 c. olive oil, plus more for the toasted hazelnuts and sautéing the pears

1 T. finely diced shallot

2 1/2 T. sherry vinegar

2 T. rice vinegar

5 Bartlett pears (2 to 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into eighths

2 to 4 T. butter

2 t. fresh thyme leaves

6 heads Belgian endive, core removed and leaves separated (if you can find red endive, use 3 red and 3 white)

1 ounce stemmed arugula, rinsed and dried

2 T. thinly sliced shallots, rinsed and dried

4 to 5 oz. St. Agur, or other favorite blue, cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350° oven until the skins begin to split and the nuts (as visible beneath the skin) are golden and fragrant—10 to 15 minutes.  Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and set aside for a few minutes.  Rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins.  If the skinned nuts aren't as well toasted as you would like, briefly return them to the oven.  Toss the warm, hazelnuts with a drizzle (1 t.) of olive oil and a pinch of salt.   When cool, chop coarsely and set aside.

Place the vinegars, diced shallots and 3/4 t. kosher salt in a tall narrow container (that will accommodate an immersion blender) and set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan (see note) over high heat add enough olive oil to lightly coat the surface and add as many pears as will fit in a snug single layer cut side down.  Add some butter to the pan—enough so that the pears look moist and sizzle nicely in the browning butter—along with some of the thyme and a good pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook till nicely caramelized on the first side—4 to 6 minutes.  Carefully turn the pears over and caramelize the second cut surface—another 3 or 4 minutes.  Regulate the heat as necessary to keep the pears from burning.
  

They should be nicely caramelized and tender, but not mushy, when they are finished.  Transfer the pears to a platter, wipe out the pan and repeat in as many batches as necessary with the remaining pears, oil, butter and thyme.  When ready to serve the salad, place all the pears in the pan and heat briefly in the oven or gently on the stove top.  (Alternatively, serve the pears at room temperature.)

When the pears are finished cooking, prepare the vinaigrette.  Add 6 of the cooked pear wedges to the container with the vinegar and shallots and purée using and immersion blender (see note).  With the blender running, add 3/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and the balance with vinegar.

To serve: Place the endive, arugula and shallots in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle in enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens.  Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the warm pears.

Arrange half of the salad on individual plates or a large platter.  Nestle half of the pears in the greens.  Depending on the texture of the cheese, use a cheese pull to make long ribbons, or a knife to cut small slender slabs.  Arrange half of the cheese in and among the greens and pears.  Scatter half of the hazelnuts over all.  Repeat the layering with all of the ingredients and serve.  Pass extra dressing on the side.  Serves 6

Note:

• The original recipe called for cooking the pears simultaneously in 2 large sauté pans. This is impractical for most home cooks. I have given directions for working in batches. Use your largest sauté pan and add only as many pears as can be accommodated in a snug single layer. To sauté five pears you will need about 2 T. of oil, 2 t. of thyme and 2 to 4 T. of butter in total. Divide these items in equal increments to match the number of batches of pears (so, if you only need to make two batches of pears you will use about 1 T. of oil, 1 t. of thyme and 1 to 2 T. of butter per batch). 
• If you don't have an immersion blender, place the shallots in a bowl with the vinegars and salt. Smash the cooked pears to a chunky purée with the side of a chef's knife or in a mortar and pestle. Whisk the oil into the vinegars in a thin stream. Fold in the pear purée. 
• If you like, replace 1/4 c. of the olive oil with hazelnut oil. 

(Recipe adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques—Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table, Suzanne Goin)

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A Salad of Beets, Pears, Nuts & Cheese...with Bacon & Arugula

I had not planned on posting this salad this week...or ever, actually.  After all, salads with beets and goat cheese...or pears and blue cheese...are ubiquitous.  But as is almost always the case when a recipe persists in popularity over the long haul, there is usually a reason:  the original was—and still can be—truly delicious.   Preparing such a recipe—one that stands up to the original—is always about choosing the best ingredients...and of course, combining them with care.

I was reminded of this as I prepared a salad of roasted beets, pears, cheese, nuts and bacon—a combination of these two aforementioned salads—over the weekend for some dinner clients.  The beets were sweet...the pears were perfectly ripe and juicy....and both were set off to perfection by the spicy-sweet pecans, crispy bacon and pungent blue cheese.  It looked so good to me that I prepared it for dinner at my house the next night.  I didn't happen to have any blue cheese on hand...but I did have some nice goat cheese, which made a more than adequate stand in. 

This particular salad is from Frank Stitt's Southern Table, and his fondness for the ingredients of his native south is on full display.  Where some add olives for a salty counterpoint to the sweetness of the beets, he adds bacon...which also happens to go beautifully with the pears (and blue cheese).  And in lieu of the more commonly chosen walnuts, he uses pecans...all dressed up with sugar and spice.  I find his variations to be inspired.  And judging from my clients' enthusiastic enjoyment, so did they.  I think you will too.  Right now...while beets and pears are in season...is the perfect time to give it a try. 

Autumn Salad of Roasted Beets, Pears,

Blue Cheese & Pecans

1 lb. Beets (trimmed weight), scrubbed & stemmed

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

6 oz. bacon, cut into 1-inch squares

2 large Bartlett pears or 3 small Seckel pears,

6 handfuls of arugula (about 4 to 6 oz.)

Sherry Vinaigrette (see below)

3/4 c. Toasted pecans or Spiced Pecans

4 to 6 oz. Fourme d'Ambert, Roquefort, Gorgonzola or Stilton...crumbled, cubed or sliced; Or, you may use crumbled goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Place the beets in a roasting pan and add 1/4-inch of water.  Cover the pan with foil and roast the beets until they are tender all the way through—about an hour, depending on the size and age of the beets.  When the beets are cool enough to handle (although they should still be a bit warm), trim the roots and stems off and gently rub the skins off using a paper towel.  Cut the beets into thin wedges—or halve them and slice them cross-wise—and toss in balsamic vinegar to taste.  Season with salt & pepper and set aside. (The beets can be made ahead.  Chill until ready to serve.)

Render the bacon until crisp...set aside.

When ready to serve the salad, quarter and core the pears.  Cut each quarter into thin wedges (about the same thickness as the beet wedges) and toss with a small amount of the vinaigrette.

In a similar manner, dress the beets with a small amount of the vinaigrette.

Place the arugula in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat.  Toss well.  Arrange half to two-thirds of the beets, pears, bacon, pecans and cheese on the plates.  Divide the arugula among the plates.  Arrange the remaining beets, pears, bacon, pecans and cheese attractively over the greens (some on top and some nestled in among the lettuces).  Serves 6.

Sherry Vinaigrette:

2 T. Sherry vinegar

1 small shallot, finely diced

Salt & Pepper

6 T. olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and shallot.  Season to taste with salt & pepper and set aside for a few moments to allow the shallot to soften.  Gradually whisk in the oil, adding it in a thin stream.  Taste and correct the seasoning and the vinegar balance.

(Recipe adapted from Frank Stitt's Southern Table)

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Feasting at the Table of a Friend…plus Bonnie’s Recipe for Eggs Baked on a bed of Greens

Last week I had the pleasure of spending a few days away with a group of very dear friends.  I wrote of another week with this same group a few years ago, spent at a house on Lake Michigan.  This time we were at Bonnie’s home in Minnesota. Up until the very end, I didn’t think we were actually going to be able to get away to do it.  Life is so busy.  Coordinating the schedules of four sandwich-generation women seemed an almost impossible task.  When three of us finally climbed into the packed car and made it to the interstate headed north, I think we were all a bit stunned that it was really happening.

As always, we had a wonderful time together.  What I will remember most from this trip is the hours spent lingering at Bonnie’s inviting table….and around her kitchen island....sipping coffee (freshly roasted in Bonnie’s garage, of course!), nibbling on the remains of delicious meals (or the bits and pieces of meals in progress), sharing and talking on and on about the happenings in our lives, big and small.  What a privilege to get to take a break from the busyness and just be…  together. 

Since all four of us work—or have worked—as professional cooks, much of our time together is always spent talking about, preparing and eating(!) delicious food.  It is so much fun to see and taste some of the things each of us have been learning about food since we were all together last.  I learned a new technique for cooking baby potatoes (material for a short, future post) and got to have an impromptu “hand pie” lesson as Bonnie took a minute to nail down the final quantities for a recipe she is teaching in an upcoming class.  

For my part, during the past few months I have been intermittently experimenting with a new technique for fresh pasta, and having the opportunity to make pasta with my friends…sharing the things I’ve learned....was a treat. 

One of the things Bonnie made for us was a delicious breakfast she has gotten into the habit of making for herself…eggs baked on a bed of wilted greens.  She served it with toast, her homemade granola, some yogurt, and fresh berries.  It was loaded with flavor and very satisfying.  

I liked it so much, that when I got home I prepared it for a light dinner…with some roasted potatoes on the side.  I had it for lunch a few days later (with toast).  

When I shared a picture of this beautiful dish (Bonnie’s version) on my personal Facebook page, a friend requested the recipe, so I am including it in today’s post.

This easy little dish is amenable to all kinds of variations.  Instead of grape tomatoes, you could add a handful of sautéed mushrooms…or some diced roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes…anything you like in partnership with greens and eggs.  (Just make sure your addition is something that will cook through in a minute or two or that has already been cooked and only needs a brief reheat.)  I can see many a Sunday night meal coming from this simple and delicious idea.

I should tell you that we didn’t spend all of our time sitting and eating.  We also walked the trails into town…   to get wine…and bread….  and taste olive oil.  And we visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (revisiting paintings we remembered from previous visits…and making friends with ones we hadn’t noticed before).  Of course after an afternoon on our feet we had to stop at a coffee shop on the way home for some sustenance.

For the most part our meals were not grand affairs….a quick roast chicken with salad and potatoes….breakfasts of scones or toast, yogurt, fruit and granola…and on our final night, a simple spread of bread and fruit and cheese and wine (after overindulging a bit on the pastries at the aforementioned coffee shop….).  But whether simple or involved, I will cherish the memory of these meals for months to come.  It is not often that any of us have the time for such an extended feast.  But I like to believe that with a little bit of effort we can have small moments like this every day, in our own homes, sitting at our own tables…as long as we make the time—however brief—to pause and connect with those we love.  Because it doesn’t matter if the food is a multi-course extravaganza or a humble dish of eggs and toast, it is the company around the table that makes the feast. 

 Bonnie’s Eggs Baked on a Bed of Greens

Olive oil or 2 strips of bacon, cut in thin strips cross-wise

1 or 2 shallots, peeled and sliced

5 oz. baby spinach (see note)

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved

2 to 6 eggs (room temperature—see note)

Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Minced parsley…or other soft herb (chives, dill, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  

Warm the olive oil over moderate heat.  Or, wilt the bacon and cook until crisp.  Lift the bacon out of the pan and pour off all but a tablespoon or so of the fat.  Add the shallots to the pan and sweat until softened and sizzling in the fat.  Begin to add the greens to the pan, a handful at a time, waiting to add each handful until the previous one just begins to collapse.  When the greens are mostly collapsed (they shouldn’t be completely wilted), push them to the side and add the tomatoes to the pan.  

Cook briefly—covering the pan if necessary—until the tomatoes are just warmed through and have a bit of give when you press them with your finger…they shouldn’t be collapsing or disintegrating.  Season well with salt & pepper, add the bacon back to the pan (reserving some for garnish, if you like), and toss (or fold) to distribute the tomatoes among the greens.

At this point you may proceed in a couple of ways: 

For a dish that is more about the eggs than the greens and is intended to serve as the protein for a breakfast or brunch for 3 to 4 people, simply make 4 to 6 depressions in the mixture of greens and tomatoes and carefully crack an egg into each depression.  Cover the pan and transfer to the oven.

For a light lunch or dinner for two, when you begin to wilt the greens place two buttered/oiled individual casseroles in the oven to warm through.  When the greens are ready, divide them between the two casseroles, making one or two depressions for the eggs as you do.  Carefully crack the eggs into the depressions, cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.

After 7 minutes, uncover the eggs.  The whites should be mostly set and the yolk still liquid, covered by a thin film of cooked white (because of the nice steamy environment created by the covered pan).  At this point, you should remove the pan from the oven whenever the yolks are cooked to your liking…anywhere from another minute or two to seven minutes.  Season the eggs with salt and pepper and scatter with cheese if you like…or the reserved bacon…and some fresh herbs.   Serve immediately (placing the large pan directly on the table and the individual casseroles on heatproof plates) with some nice, crusty toast.  Serves 2 to 4.

Notes:

·         Any young green that is tender when just wilted will work in this recipe—baby spinach, young chard, arugula (Organic Girl’s Super Greens is a good choice)

·         If your eggs are refrigerator cold, submerge them (in the shell) in a bowl of hot tap water for five minutes or so, to warm them up.

·         You could use both the bacon and blue cheese if you like, but I like this dish with one or the other.  

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