During this Autumn time of year, it seems the roasted turkey and steaming pumpkin pies are the stars of the show (or at least the Fall table) while the abundance of fresh vegetables available at the farmer’s market and the grocer’s bins get overlooked. There are some delicious, glamorous ways to prepare in-season, local vegetables to compliment just about any Autumn menu.
Citrus-drenched Beets, serves 6
What you’ll need for this recipe:
8-10 medium beets, scrubbed, peeled and sliced
2-3 oranges (squeeze fresh juice to make 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon grated fresh orange peel
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground or fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup water
Place sliced beets in a saucepan with 1-1 ½ inches of water and steam with lid on until tender. Drain, reserve about ½ cup of the beet liquid. Place the beet liquid back in the saucepan (keep beets warm in a covered dish) and add remaining ingredients except cornstarch and water. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir cornstarch and water together and whisk into boiling saucepan mixture. Cook until sauce is thick, smooth and clear. Pour sauce over cooked beets and garnish with slices of orange or curled orange peel.
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts, serves 6
This is a very simple dish and a dramatic way to serve Brussels sprouts…
1-1 ½ pound fresh Brussels sprouts
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried Rosemary or 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Rosemary
Salt
Olive Oil
Butter, if desired
Soak Brussels sprouts in lightly salted cool water for about 10 minutes or so and then rinse. Pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out Brussels sprouts and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, garlic and Rosemary. Roast vegetables in oven about 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from oven and taste to see if they need additional salt, drizzle with butter if you’d like or a little more fresh olive oil.
New-fangled Candied Sweet Potatoes, serves 6
No gooey marshmallows on this dish, a more grown-up version…
6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, if desired and cut into slices
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup honey
Salt
1 lemon
1 ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ground)
¼ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg (or ground)
Butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange sliced sweet potatoes in a shallow baking dish that has been lightly buttered. Sprinkle season with salt. Over the top of potatoes, scatter brown sugar, drizzle honey and sprinkle seasonings and lemon rind over. Squeeze the juice from one lemon over entire dish. Dot with butter, to taste. Bake this uncovered in the oven for 20-25 minutes until fork-tender and glazed. This smells and tastes wonderful!
