Recipes
What follows are just a few of the recipes I've written over the years, either for places where I worked cooking, or for publication.
Spicy New Year's Squash
I came up with this recipe for a Rosh Hoshanna menu. Warm, spicy flavors make for flavorful start to the New Year and it's appropriate for dairy or meat meals. Baking the squash at a high temperature caramelizes the honey and the squash’s natural sugars.
- 2 medium butternut squashes, peeled and cut into 1” dice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tbsp mint, cut into thin threads (The best way to achieve this is to stack several leaves on top of one another and then roll them into a cigar. Now, slice across the cigar into thin threads.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a small sauce pan, mix the honey, vinegar and spices together, and then whisk in the olive oil so that it emulsifies. Bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat, allowing to cool until the mixture is comfortable to the touch.
In a large mixing bowl, pour the liquid over the cubed squash, and then add salt and pepper to taste, tossing the squash cubes until they’re thoroughly coated with the liquid.
Spread on a baking sheet large enough to accommodate the squash in a single layer (or use two sheets if necessary) and then bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned at the edges.
When the squash is just tender, sprinkle the almonds and mint over the vegetable and toss until all the ingredients are well distributed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
In a small sauce pan, mix the honey, vinegar and spices together, and then whisk in the olive oil so that it emulsifies. Bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat, allowing to cool until the mixture is comfortable to the touch.
In a large mixing bowl, pour the liquid over the cubed squash, and then add salt and pepper to taste, tossing the squash cubes until they’re thoroughly coated with the liquid.
Spread on a baking sheet large enough to accommodate the squash in a single layer (or use two sheets if necessary) and then bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned at the edges.
When the squash is just tender, sprinkle the almonds and mint over the vegetable and toss until all the ingredients are well distributed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tangy Glazed Beets
Admittedly, the term "glazed beets" might bring up images of those horrendous color photographs that used to appear in cookbooks back in the 1950s and 60s, don't be put off. If you like beets, particularly the milder gold variety, this is a great recipe (That said, it would work just as nicely with red and chiogga beets). Cooking the beets in citrus juice and then reducing the juice into a sweet, tangy sauce rich with butter is just about one of the nicest things you can do to a beet.
Admittedly, this is a very rough recipe, only because I've never bothered to measure it out. It always works and - despite the peeling and slicing of the beets - it's very simple. You could always squeeze your own citrus juices, as well, and it does taste better but I won't hold you to it. Don't, however, leave out the grapefruit juice. I don't like grapefruit juice by itself, but here it adds a depth to the citrus sauce that pretty much makes the dish. If the juice reduces too quickly before the beets are tender, just add water or a little more juice.
Admittedly, this is a very rough recipe, only because I've never bothered to measure it out. It always works and - despite the peeling and slicing of the beets - it's very simple. You could always squeeze your own citrus juices, as well, and it does taste better but I won't hold you to it. Don't, however, leave out the grapefruit juice. I don't like grapefruit juice by itself, but here it adds a depth to the citrus sauce that pretty much makes the dish. If the juice reduces too quickly before the beets are tender, just add water or a little more juice.
- Gold beets, 3 or 4 medium sized, peeled and then sliced or diced so that all the pieces are the same size.
- Orange juice
- Grapefruit juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper
Place the prepared beets in a stainless steel pot or a high edged steel pan. Avoid aluminum or iron as the acids in the juice will react with the metal.
Pour equal amounts of grapefruit and orange juice into the pan until the beets are covered by about an inch.
Over medium high heat, bring the citrus juice to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Check the beets from time to time and when they're just about as tender as you want them, turn the heat up again, bringing the juice back to a boil. When the juice is reduced to an almost syrupy state, add about 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring it into the sauce.
Salt and pepper to taste, and then give the beets another good stir so that they're well covered in sauce.
Dough
Follow the directions of your pasta machine to prepare the ravioli or, if you’re doing it by hand,
divide the rested dough into four to six equal, manageable portions. Keep the portions you are not working with covered under plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
Use all-purpose flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin. This prevents the dough from sticking, but uses a light touch, as too much flour can make the dough tough. Take one portion of dough and use your hands to press it into a rough, flat rectangle. This gives you a better starting shape for rolling.
Place your rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll away from your body with firm, even pressure. Then, bring the rolling pin back to the center and roll toward your body.
After each pass with the rolling pin, lift the dough and rotate it 90 degrees. This helps create an even thickness and prevents the dough from sticking to the surface.
Continue rolling and stretching until the dough is about 1/16 of an inch thick. When it is thin enough for ravioli, you should be able to see the color of your hand through the sheet.
Once you’ve rolled out the dough, let the thin pasta sheets rest for about 15–20 minutes on a floured surface. This allows them to firm up slightly before you add the filling.
Filling
To fill the ravioli, place evenly-spaced mounds of filling onto one sheet of dough, leaving enough space around each mound for sealing.
Brush a little water or egg wash onto the dough around each mound. Place the second sheet of pasta over the first and gently press down around each mound of filling, pushing out any trapped air bubbles.Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut individual ravioli squares. You can then use a fork to crimp the edges, ensuring a tight, secure seal.
Sauce
Rough-chop the half-cup of walnuts you’ve set aside into small pieces, but large enough to add texture to the sauce.
In a food processor, add the one cup of toasted walnuts and the sauteed vegetables and then with the machine on pulse, drizzle the oil and vegetable stock until you have a smooth sauce. Add lemon juice to taste. Fold in the hand-chopped walnuts you set aside and spoon over the ravioli and serve.
Pour equal amounts of grapefruit and orange juice into the pan until the beets are covered by about an inch.
Over medium high heat, bring the citrus juice to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Check the beets from time to time and when they're just about as tender as you want them, turn the heat up again, bringing the juice back to a boil. When the juice is reduced to an almost syrupy state, add about 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring it into the sauce.
Salt and pepper to taste, and then give the beets another good stir so that they're well covered in sauce.
Ravioli with walnut sauce
Asked by the editors of Food Safety News to come up with a vegetarian Thanksgiving menu, I took inspiration from the Italian-American tradition of serving ravioli at Thanksgiving. These ravioli are vegan unless you add grated parmesan.Dough
- 2 cups white all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Follow the directions of your pasta machine to prepare the ravioli or, if you’re doing it by hand,
divide the rested dough into four to six equal, manageable portions. Keep the portions you are not working with covered under plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
Use all-purpose flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin. This prevents the dough from sticking, but uses a light touch, as too much flour can make the dough tough. Take one portion of dough and use your hands to press it into a rough, flat rectangle. This gives you a better starting shape for rolling.
Place your rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll away from your body with firm, even pressure. Then, bring the rolling pin back to the center and roll toward your body.
After each pass with the rolling pin, lift the dough and rotate it 90 degrees. This helps create an even thickness and prevents the dough from sticking to the surface.
Continue rolling and stretching until the dough is about 1/16 of an inch thick. When it is thin enough for ravioli, you should be able to see the color of your hand through the sheet.
Once you’ve rolled out the dough, let the thin pasta sheets rest for about 15–20 minutes on a floured surface. This allows them to firm up slightly before you add the filling.
Filling
- 1 cup baked sweet potato
- 1 cup baked butternut squash
- Zest of half an orange1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Grated nutmeg to taste
- Cayenne, 1/16 to ⅛ tsp (You’re really only adding enough cayenne to boost the other flavors in the filling, not for heat)
- Salt and pepper to taste
To fill the ravioli, place evenly-spaced mounds of filling onto one sheet of dough, leaving enough space around each mound for sealing.
Brush a little water or egg wash onto the dough around each mound. Place the second sheet of pasta over the first and gently press down around each mound of filling, pushing out any trapped air bubbles.Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut individual ravioli squares. You can then use a fork to crimp the edges, ensuring a tight, secure seal.
Sauce
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, plus another 1/2 cup or so to set aside
- 1 cup good olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- Juice of half a lemon
- 6 leaves of sage, julienned
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Rough-chop the half-cup of walnuts you’ve set aside into small pieces, but large enough to add texture to the sauce.
In a food processor, add the one cup of toasted walnuts and the sauteed vegetables and then with the machine on pulse, drizzle the oil and vegetable stock until you have a smooth sauce. Add lemon juice to taste. Fold in the hand-chopped walnuts you set aside and spoon over the ravioli and serve.
Delicata Stuffed with Mushrooms and Cranberries
This is a great recipe for stuffed delicata squash, the beautiful, cream-colored gourd with dark green stripes and rich, gold flesh. It tastes similar to sweet potatoes and is, occasionally, called sweet potato squash as a result. The filling, made from mushrooms, dried cranberries, and whole wheat breadcrumbs, and seasoned with sage, is sweet and earthy tasting. This would be a nice side or even a main dish for a holiday meal.When I first devised this recipe for a deli where I was head cook, I used acorn squash but the acorn's size didn't work well with our take-out packaging. Delicata fits the bill nicely. Regarded as an heirloom variety (a term I hate, but I won't go into that now) Delicata first became popular after it appeared in New York City in 1894, introduced by Peter Henderson & Co., an immensely popular seed company at the time which no longer exists but whose promotional posters and catalogues are still sought by collectors. Popular the next 30 years or so, delicata fell out of favor but began to reappear in the early 2000s. Delicata has a thin skin which is edible. If you can't find delicata, acorn and sugar loaf squashes would work nicely, as well.
- 3 to 4 Delicata squashes, large, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1 lb mushrooms (cremini or button), stemmed and chopped
- 3/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp sage, finely chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 cups breadcrumbs, whole wheat
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- I stick butter
- Salt and pepper
Placing them cut side down, bake squash for about 30 minutes or until flesh is just tender (the flesh should give just a little when you press the skin gently). When finished baking, turn halved squashes right side up, and season with salt and pepper.
While the squashes are baking, soak dried cranberries in hot water, allowing to soak for at least 15 minutes.
In a large sauté pan, melt half of the butter over medium heat and sauté mushrooms, onions, and sage until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender. Add breadcrumbs and stir until crumbs are lightly browned. Mix in cranberries with soaking liquid, and almonds (Add a little more liquid if the bread crumb mixture seems too dry). Season with salt and pepper.
Mound stuffing into squash halves, dot with remaining butter and broil until crisp on top, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
