Acorn Squash Stuffed with Seitan Chorizo and Quinoa

Not everyone eats turkey (or meat) for Thanksgiving.  So here's an answer to the yearly challenge of serving a vegetarian Thanksgiving.  Something rich and hearty, deserving of a main course.  Something calling up fall colors and the season's harvest.  Something festive.
1 acorn squash, quartered and seeded
1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup red quinoa
1/4 cup short grain brown rice
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

8 oz. chorizo seitan

1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp sliced almonds

Heat oven to 375F. Place squash in an oiled 9-13-inch casserole and drizzle the maple syrup over the squash quarters. Roast for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the rice and quinoa in a small pot with a bit of canola oil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the water and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook about 15-20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.

While the grains cook, sauté the carrot, celery, leek and raisins in a bit of olive oil, in a large skillet. 

Once softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

In a separate skillet, sauté the seitan (broken up) in a bit of olive oil. Add the grains and veggies and mix well.

Remove the squash from the oven and top with the grain mixture.

Return to the oven and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the squash is fully cooked through.

Serves 4.

Cauliflower Gratin

A classic gratin of cauliflower that shouts Thanksgiving or any gathering that screams comfort food!

1 head cauliflower, trimmed into bite-szed pieces
1/2 cup good, read mayonnaise
1/3 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
palmful fresh lemon balm, minced
6-8 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400F. Place cauliflower into a casserole and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave 4 minutes.

Drain well.

Mix together the mayonnaise, Cheddar, herbs, garlic and coriander in a big bowl. Add the cauliflower and stir to mix well.

Tip back into oiled casserole dish and sprinkle on the Parmesan and panko crumbs.

Bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven to broil and brown up a bit before serving.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Cook's Note:  I used an orange cauliflower here, but you could use whatever to find - even broccoli work work well with this preparation.

Apple Cole Slaw

Cabbage is such a great fall veggie and sweetening it up with apple is a great way to elevate it to a fresh Thanksgiving salad side dish status.
3 cups purple cabbage, minced
2 stalks celery or broccoli trimmed and finely chopped
1/4 cup purple onion, finely diced
1 apple, cored, peeled, and finely diced
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow pepper, finely diced

Dressing:
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup good real mayonaise

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Tip in the apple and veggies and toss together well. Allow to marinate at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Makes about 6 cups of cole slaw.

Tilapia Ricotta Strata

You could use any fish you like for this seafood lasagna dish - augmenting with shrimp or scallops would take this to yet another level.  This dish feels light in that no Bechamel white sauce is used - just chicken broth and the juices from the fish give plenty of liquid to cook the no-boil lasagna sheets.  But don't worry, there is plenty of creaminess from the ricotta and mozzarella - use the best you can.  Fresh mozzarella would be fantastic, I am sure.
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz package baby spinach

4 small tilapia fillets
5 no-boil lasagna sheets

24 oz ricotta
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, grated, divided in half
1 tsp herbes de Provence or Italian herbs

1/2 cup chicken broth
Dash red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 400F. Sauté the garlic in a bit of olive oil in a large skillet. After 2-3 minutes, add the spinach and cook down to wilt and remove most all of the water, about 5-8 minutes.

Stir together the ricotta, half the mozzarella and the herbs in a mixing bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly oil an 8x10-inch baking casserole.

The objective is to layer the ingredients at a steep angle, like shingles on a rooftop. Start on the right side, working left, by laying down a fifth of the ricotta on the right quarter of the dish. Lay one of the pasta sheets so it slopes from the top right to the bottom left. Scatter a quarter of the spinach on the pasta followed by one of the tilapia fillets. Repeat by layering another fifth of the ricotta on the tilapia, followed by a pasta sheet, spinach and another tilapia fillet.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same fashion. Finish with a fifth pasta sheet, covering with remaining ricotta and spinach. All five angled layers should finally fill the length of the casserole.

Top the strata with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Pour the chicken broth evenly over the casserole and top with some crushed red pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F and remove foil. Continue baking for another 15 minutes, until the top of the casserole has browned up nicely.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 5 minutes. Cut into serving portions and serve.

Serves 4.

Tamari Salmon Rice Bowl

A subtle serving of rice and fish, accompanied by steamed and pickled veggies, warmed in a pool of hot, flavored broth.  Great as the weather turns colder.  Warm up!
4 servings salmon fillet, about 1 lb
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
1 quart chicken broth
1 Tbsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce

2 cups broccoli flowerettes
1 cup pickled vegetables
1 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
2 green onions, minced

4 cups cooked rice, about 1-1/2 cups raw

Heat a bit of canola oil in a large, high-sided pan. Sauté the ginger, garlic and jalapeño for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the broth, fish sauce and tamari and bring to a boil.  Place the salmon into the broth, cover, and cook about 3 minutes.

Scatter the broccoli into the broth around the fish and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the fish and broccoli from the broth onto a plate. Gently skin the fish.

Assemble the rice bowl by placing about a cup of rice on one half of the bowl. Lade on one cup of broth into the bowl, including some of the garlic, ginger and pepper. Bisect the rice with a salmon fillet and place broccoli on one side and pickled veggies on the other. Scatter with sesame seeds and green onion, and serve.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  I love to eat rice bowls for breakfast when traveling in Asia.  Most hotels have the fixings, and the Japanese always have such great pickled vegetables!  I used my own pickled veggies and used about 1/2 cup per serving - more than just a condiment.  Pickled veggies give such a great tangy contrast to the subtle flavors of the rice bowl.  You could use many a pickled veggie from a jar - check the Italian section of your grocer. Melissa Clark - I agree with you that pickles add a zing to a rice bowl!

Pickled Veggies

These veggies are awesome - very slightly pickled and with just a tip of red pepper heat.  I learned this technique from a Chinese cooking teacher years ago and it is my go-to recipe for tangy condiments to tang-up so many a subtle savory dish, such as a rice bowl.  I top my salads with them, or eat them as is, as a slaw.  And raw veggies - so good for you.
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 cups cold water

2 cups chopped red cabbage
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, coarsely diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water in a large bowl. Add the vinegar and cold water. Immerse the veggies into the brine.

Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Drain when ready to use.

Makes 6 cups of veggies.

Cook's Note:  You could use any king of veggies you like to eat raw, such as cauliflower, fennel, or broccoli.  The red cabbage gives it a fun color (no food coloring, here), but you could use green cabbage as well.

Lamb Kofta

Quick to the table with aromatic meatballs flavored with an Indian masala spice mixture and sweetened with dried currants.  A very different take on the humble meatball.
1 lb ground lamb
2 Tbsp purple onion, finely minced
palmful cilantro leaves, minced
1 can petit-diced tomatoes, strained

2 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp small Zante currants, soaked in warm water 15 minutes

Grind the spice seeds in a coffee grinder until coarsely chopped. Drain the currents. Mix the lamb with the onion, cilantro, spices and currents.

Mix well and form into about 16 meat balls.

Heat a bit of canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Brown the meatballs, turning them to brown all sides. Remove meatballs to a bowl. Heat the pan to high with another bit of canola oil. Toss in the diced tomato.

Allow the tomatoes to cook at a strong sizzle, until well caramelized, and dried up a bit, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve 3-4 meatballs per person, atop some Basmati rice. Scatter caramelized tomato about meatballs.

Serves 4.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Face it.  Thanksgiving is coming.  And what's Thanksgiving without pie?  Get ready and start practicing with this one - my favorite pie.
Pie Crust:
3 cups white flour
1 stick butter, cubed and chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp chilled ice water

1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, whisked together
1 Tbsp coarse sugar

Filling:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch

2 Tbsp butter, diced

Chill the butter in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Set out a bowl of water with ice cubes - this keeps the dough nicely chilled so it will be flakey.  Dust a clean counter with flour.

Pulse the flour, butter, sugar and salt together in a food processor until you get a coarse meal.

Slowly add the water, one tablespoon at a time and pulse to incorporate. Only add as much water to just form a dough that pulls together, sometimes only five tablespoons. Carefully remove dough from processor to the well-floured counter and consolidate into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Preheat oven to 400F. Meanwhile, toss filling together in a large bowl and allow to macerate while crust refrigerates. Stir every once in a while.

Remove dough disks to a well-floured counter and roll the first disk to a diameter big enough to over the base of a well-buttered 10-inch pie plate. Lay dough carefully on pie plate, overlapping the edges a bit. Tip the strawberry-rhubarb mixture into the pie plate and even out.

Dot with the 2 tablespoons butter. Roll the second crust out and lay over the pie. Use your fingers to crimp the two crusts together. Cut a few decorative vent holes in the top of the crust, and pain the crust well with the egg wash (but don’t allow egg pools to form).

Sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for about 45 minutes, checking and turning pie halfway through. Crust should be well browned and filling should be bubbling up through vent holes.

Makes one 10-inch pie.

Thai Chick Pea Red Curry

Next time you're thinking of Thai takeout, think about pulling together this quick dish.  You'll eat sooner, fresher, cheaper and probably better. And you'll be more prouder.
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 can coconut milk
2 Tbsp red curry paste
1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

2 cups chopped broccoli flowerets
Palmful mint, chopped

Palmful cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into eights

Toss the onions and peppers into a 4-quart pot with a dash of canola oil, and stir fry with the sugar and salt for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for about another 5 minutes.

The onions should soften and the veggies should all begin to caramelize. Stir often. Remove the veggies to a bowl and swipe down the pot with a rubber spatula.

Add another good swig of canola oil to the pot over medium heat, and add the cumin and fennel seeds. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the pot.

Stir and cook for about 10 minutes, to stew down the tomatoes as they sizzle and bubble.

Add the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and chick peas. Bring to a boil, stir and reduce to a simmer.

Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and mint, and cook another 5 minutes.

Serve over rice, sprinkling with cilantro, and with a wedge or two of lime on the side.

Serves 4.