Roasted Pumpkin, Apple and Fennel Pollen Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

For the raviolis:
1 pie pumpkinsRavioli (about 2 cups pureed, cooked pumpkin)
2 apples
1 shallots
2 cloves garlic
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
¼ cup maple syrup
1 heaping tsp fresh grated ginger
½ tsp fennel pollen
½ tsp salt
¼ white pepper
1 package wonton wrappers
 
For the sauce
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
2 tbs butter

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Poke a few small holes in the pumpkin.  Place the pumpkin, shallots, garlic, and apples onto a roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast until soft.  The pumpkin will take about an hour.  The remaining ingredients about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Place the roasted pumpkin, apple, shallots, and garlic into a blender and blend until smooth.  In a mixing bowl, add the puree along with the ginger, fennel pollen, salt, maple syrup and white pepper.  Fold in the ricotta and parmesan cheese.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Place two wonton wrappers onto a plate.  Moisten the inside of the wrapper with water.  Add a heaping tsp of the filling to one wrapper and then place the second on top.  press firmly together to seal. Repeat. Place filled ravioli onto the baking tray and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sautee pan until it begins to brown.  do not burn!!!  add the sage and stir until the sage is aromatic. turn off the heat. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes until the ravioli floats to the surface.  Place the ravioli into the sage brown butter sauce and toss to coat.

enjoy!

recipe notes: For more information please watch the video "Reaping Fall's Bounties" and "Fun with Fennel Pollen"

Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce

pasta with wild mushroom sauce1 lb ground beef
2 medium Vandalia (or other sweet onion), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup dried mushrooms, broken into small pieces
2 large cans (28 oz) whole peeled plum tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

1 lb spaghetti or linguini

Heat a Dutch over or a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef and stir regularly until the beef loses its raw appearance.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook for about 12 minutes, until the onion is translucent and tastes sweet.  Add the salt and pepper.  Carefully add the wine to the pot and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot.  Cook for about 4 more minutes so that the wine begins to reduce.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, mushrooms, and bay leaves.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to maintain a consistant, gentle simmer.  Cook the sauce for 1 hour until it is thick and flavorful.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add plenty of kosher salt and the pasta.  Cook until the pasta is al dente.  Toss the pasta in the sauce and sprinkle with plenty of freshly grated parmesan and the basil.

Recipe notes:  I used a mixture of crimini and porcini mushrooms, but really any combination will do.  You could also use fresh mushrooms, although I would still add the dried mushrooms to give the sauce a depth of flavor.  If you use fresh mushrooms, chop the mushrooms and add the mushrooms after you cook the onion and the garlic.  The mushrooms will release a lot of water, so make sure the onions and the garlic are cooked before you add the fresh mushrooms.  You can also make this sauce ahead of time and then reheat it when you are ready to eat.  If you have leftovers, it freezes beautifully.

My Grandmother's Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup always makes me feel better!1 Whole Chicken, cut up
2 Lbs Flanken style beef short ribs
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cup parsnips (about 5), peeled and sliced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 Tbs kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 cup dried lima beans
sachet filled with 1 Tbs Fresh dill, 1 Tbs fresh parsley, 1 tsp fresh sage, 1 tsp fresh thyme, 5 peppercorns, 5 whole cloves, 1 bay leaf)

Put all of the ingredients into a large Dutch oven.  Add just enough water to cover the chicken by 1/2 inch.  Bring to a simmer uncovered.  Skim the foam off the top of the soup.   Continue to simmer covered for about 1 1/2 hours until the lima beans are tender.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.  Remove the satchel of herbs.  Serve with egg noodles and enjoy!

Recipe Notes: It's important not to add too much water.  This soup is even better the next day.  Refrigerate Soup--the fat will float to the top and solidify.  Once this happens, you can skim it off the top of the soup.  For more information see, "A Perfect Day For Chicken Soup."

Buffalo Chili

1 Lb Ground BuffaloBuffalo Chili with Maple Cornbread
3 small or 2 medium onions
2 red peppers
4 cloves garlic
1 large (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find it.  Muir Glen makes them)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 bottle beer (I recommend a good dark beer)
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups dried beans soaked over night (I use a combination of heirloom kidney, eye of the goat, and "Christmas" lima beans)
1 Tbs (or to taste) chipoltle chili pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs tomato paste

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the buffalo meat, and cook for about five minutes.  Add garlic, onions, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.  Add cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pepper, and tomato paste.  cook for about a minute until you can smell the spices and the tomato paste turns brown.  Add the beer and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf.  bring to a steady simmer.  Cover, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer.  Cook for an hour.  Remove lid and allow the chili to reduce.  Cook for another hour until the beans are tender.  Serve with cheddar cheese and maple cornbread.

Recipe Notes: You can beef or turkey if you don't want to use buffalo.  If you are a vegetarian, eliminate the meat and use a soy substitute.  Make sure you use chipoltle chili powder--it adds an amazing smoky flavor to the dish.  The chili freezes beautifully.  I prefer dried beans, but you can of course use canned beans (I would use 2 26 oz cans).  Just make sure you rinse the canned beans before adding them to the chili.  For more information see, "Celebrating The Last Day of Summer."

Mushroom and Lamb Moussaka

Lamb and Mushroom Moussaka6 small or 3 medium eggplants
1 Lb ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Lb mushrooms chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 26 oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 Tbs Butter
4 Tbs Flour
2 Cups milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Slice the Eggplant into 1/4 inch slices.  Place the eggplant in a colander and season each layer of slices generously with salt.  Place the colander in a sink and allow the eggplant to drain for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the salt off of the eggplant and blot dry. Brush 2-3 baking trays with olive oil.  Place the eggplant onto baking trays and place into the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip the slices, and then bake for an additional ten minutes.  Remove from oven and reserve.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the lamb and cook until the lamb begins to release its juices.  Add garlic and onion, and cook for about five minutes until the onions begin to get translucent.  Add the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes.  Add the cinnamon, cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and nutmeg and cook for about 30 seconds until you can smell the spices.  Pour the wine into the pan and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.  Bring to a simmer, but do not let the sauce boil (you may need to reduce the heat).  Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, until the sauce is thick and flavorful.  Remove the bay leaf.  Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place a layer of eggplant into a casserole dish, followed by all of the lamb and mushroom sauce, followed by the rest of the eggplant.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and stir constantly until the butter/flour mixture changes color and turns the shade of caramel.  Slowly add the milk and whisk until smooth.  Cook until the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise.  stir in the nutmeg (if desired) and parmesan cheese.  Pour Bechemel sauce over the eggplant.

Place the Moussaka in the hot oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the bechemel sauce begins to turn brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Notes: Salted the eggplant is supposed to remove some of the bitterness.  I don't know if this is true; maybe I will experiment next time and skip this step.  Make sure you thoroughly rinse the eggplant.  I forgot to once and the resulting dish was way too salty.  I don't peel the eggplant--the skin has lots of nutrients and tastes delicious. I use a mixture of mushrooms from the farm market, but the sauce is so flavorful on its own that regular white mushrooms or crimini mushrooms will work fine.  The Moussaka freezes beautifully and can be reheated in the oven or the microwave.  For more thoughts on moussaka, see the blog post "Luck."

Vegetarian Option: Omit the lamb and use two pounds instead of one pound of mushrooms.  Add 2 Tbs of Olive Oil to the Dutch Oven before you add the garlic and onions.