Suzanne Welander

Cauliflower Soup with Chive Oil and Rye Crostini

July 30, 2014

It’s going to turn cold soon – how about a cauliflower soup? (Don’t forget – the leaves from your broccoli and cauliflower are all friendly members of the cabbage family. Don’t discard them! They’re just begging to be eaten. )

Just last month Bon Appetit offered this recipe for cauliflower soup with rye crostini. I’ve been on a rye-bread-baking binge, so this one appeals to me a lot right now. And what an elegant start for Thanksgiving dinner it would be. Everything can be done ahead of time and then heated and assembled when ready to serve.

I checked online and Bon Appetit’s first mention of chive oil was in 1998. Still a delicious idea.

notes about rutabagas

July 30, 2014

Yay! Rutabagas! The first of the season for us and such nice sized ones. I’m so excited. I think they are my favorite fall vegetable. (Or is that sweet potatoes?) Last year Mary Leone poated this on Riverview’s Facebook page when rutabagas first appeared in our boxes. The websites she listed are a great resource…
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Gingered Cornmeal Shortbread

July 30, 2014

From “The Feast Nearby” by Robin Mather (Ten Speed Press).

Creamed Cauliflower and Leeks

July 30, 2014

This recipe is from Lisa Hanson of Cabbagetown Market. Easy, easy. Oh – I wanted to share this wonderful way to turn your head of cauliflower into florets. It came from King Arthur Flour. Cut the head in half, and then cut away the core like you would a cabbage. The florets, for the most part, just fall off! It was a tip they shared from one of their editors who spent years in restaurant kitchens. Love it!

If you don’t have leeks at home, you really could use any member of the onion family you prefer. I wouldn’t discard the leftover milk as Lisa suggests – it could be used to flavor mashed rutabagas or turnips or become the base for a potato soup.

Broccoli or Cauliflower “Risotto”

July 30, 2014

This recipe came from the chefs at JCT Kitchen and was a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. I made an easy knock-off one night – cooking a whole head of cauliflower until it broke down, then adding 4 cups of cooked brown rice (which I had languishing in the refrigerator), some wine, chicken stock and garlic, and then folding in Parmesan after everything was warmed up. Easy and delicious. Their version will take a little more time, but the risotto effect is worth the trouble. If you’re not familiar with Carolina gold rice, it’s grown in South Carolina and available at specialty markets. Arborio or other risotto rice will work fine.

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

July 30, 2014

Adapted from a recipe in “The Sweet Potato Lover’s Cookbook” by Lyniece North Talmadge.

Perfect with your leftover mashed sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving, or make it with sweet potatoes prepared especially for this dish. I’ve added rutabagas to the filling. Yum.

Endive Spears with Sweet Potato & Chives

July 30, 2014

Love this idea I adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking magazine. You may remember a decade or more of pre-dinner nibbles served in endive leaves . In many years worth of variations, I don’t ever remember seeing one with sweet potatoes – but what a great combination of creamy, sweet sweet potatoes with the slightly bitter endive leaves.

Peanut-Popcorn Balls

July 30, 2014

This weather makes me think of eating popcorn balls, something we made at home as kids. You could adapt this idea for any nut, but this reminds me a bit of Cracker Jacks.

Apple-Cranberry Turnovers

July 30, 2014

Leftover cranberry sauce or relish from Thanksgiving? Perfect here. Or use dried cranberries instead. These turnovers are buttery and flaky and go together in a flash. If you buy a box of phyllo especially for this recipe, wrap the remaining phyllo well and refrigerate it for up to a week, or return it to the freezer.

Potato and Rutabaga Gratin

July 30, 2014

Adapted from a recipe in the November 2011 issue of Saveur magazine. Potatoes and rutabagas are a great combination.

Author: Suzanne Welander