autumn

heartier, more comforting foods start to arrive and temperatures cool.

ApPLE
BLACKBERRY
CLEMENTINES
FIGS

Arugula
Beets
Cabbages
Eggplants

PEARS
PERSIMMONS
PLUMS
POMEGRANATES

Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Squash

Autumn Dishes from the Earth

Potato Bread

11 ounces mashed potatoes
4 1/2 - 5 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 table spoon salt
1 package 1/4 ounce) rapid rise or instance yeast
1 table spoon Greek yogurt
1 1/3 cups warm water, leftover from boiling potatoes is ideal
  • Add your mashed potatoes, 4 cups of your flour, salt and yeast to a large mixing bowl. Mix this together gently by hand or with the dough hook on your stand mixer on the stir setting. Add the yogurt and then slowly add the water with the mixer still running.
  • Once everything is combined, you can turn up the speed to medium on your stand mixer to begin kneading, or turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead by hand. Add more flour as you go along, up to an additional cup and a half if needed until the dough becomes smooth and stretchy. I knead it in the mixer for about five minutes and then work it for another five minutes or so by hand so I can feel when it's ready.
  • Once your dough is holding together, remember it will be a bit more damp than a typical bread dough, transfer it to an oiled bowl, turning it over once to coat the dough in oil. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and leave it to rise in a warm kitchen for about an hour until it's doubled in size.
  • When your dough is risen, turn it out onto a floured surface, punch it down, and give it a few kneads to bring it all back together. Transfer your dough to a loaf pan, cover it with your clean towel again, and leave it to rise again for about 30 minutes or until roughly doubled in size again.
  • While your dough is rising for a second time, preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C). Bake your bread at this temperature for about 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 F (190 F) and bake for another 10-15 minutes. If your bread looks sufficiently golden on top but doesn't give you that hollow sound when you tap the bottom, cover it loosely in foil and put it back in the oven for a few minutes. That being said, I don't mind this bread a touch under baked.
  • Remove your loaf from the baking pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Make sure to have at least one piece with salted butter while it's still warm.

Pumpkin butter dark chocolate stuffed French toast

• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices brioche bread
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin butter
• 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips, chunks or chopped chocolate
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Dash of vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon for sprinkling

1. Put your butter in a skillet over medium heat. You'll want to make sure your pan is well heated before you put the French toast in.
2. Lay out your two pieces of bread and spread a tablespoon of pumpkin butter on each one. Drop your chocolate bits onto one piece of bread, spreading it evenly. Close up your sandwich.
3. In a flat dish or plate, whisk together your egg, milk, and vanilla. Sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon into the egg mixture.
4. Dip your sandwich in the egg mixture. You only need a few seconds per side, especially if your bread is relatively fresh.
5. Place your French toast sandwich in the pan. While the first side is cooking, sprinkle the other side with a bit more ground cinnamon. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
6. Transfer your stuffed French toast to a plate, grab a fork, and dig in.

Weeknight Chicken Dumplings

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
  • 2 teaspoons lard, very cold
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, very cold
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium low heat, then add your onions, celery, carrots and garlic, and cook until tender for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock to your pot, clamp a lid on, crank up the heat it bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.
While your vegetables are simmering, mix up your dumpling dough. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, sage, and mustard powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk them gently to combine everything. Add the cold butter and lard, and use your fingers to mix this together until you have a coarse, shaggy mixture.
Stir your buttermilk into your dry ingredients quickly but gently so you don't overmix and have tough dumplings.
Use your cookie scoop or a soup spoon to scoop out your dumpling dough. You can form them into a ball first or add them straight off the scoop gently into your simmering soup pot. You'll have about 12 dumplings.
Put the lid back on the pot and let the dumplings cook for about 10 minutes over medium low heat.
Add your chicken to the pot, and stir it through gently to distribute the chicken, but try not to bust your tender dumplings. Let this all simmer together for about five minutes.
Check your seasonings, then serve piping hot to people you think are awesome.

Green Minestrone Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 leek, clean, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 zucchini, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and chopped
  • about 225 grams of white cabbage, shredded
  • 50-75 grams green beans, with the ends trimmed then chopped in half
  • 1 liter vegetable stock
  • 100 grams small shaped pasta
  • 1 tablespoon vermouth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan, to serve, optional
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm your oil, then add the leek and zucchini, give it an occasional stir. Let this cook for about 5 minutes to soften up a bit.
  2. Next add in the cabbage and green beans and cook for another five minutes. Your cabbage will shrink down to a manageable size. Don't worry.
  3. Add the stock to your pot and allow it to come to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer, put a lid on your pot, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Uncover the pot, nudge the heat up some so your soup comes back to a boil, then add the pasta and cook it for about 10 minutes.
  5. Once the pasta is cooked, add the vermouth. Turn your heat off, add salt and pepper to taste, and allow the soup to cool for about 10 minutes.
  6. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese or some parmesan crisps.
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