Sweet Potato Turkey Hash

Why wait for turkey sandwiches when you can pull out those leftovers while you’re still in your pajamas. Cube a couple of sweet potatoes and simmer in a pot of salted water until tender then drain and set aside. Next, remove the turkey from the bone and either finely chop with a knife or cube then pulse in the food processor.

Sauté a chopped onion in a large pan with a couple of minced garlic cloves. Once the onion is translucent stir in the sweet potato and turkey, crank up the heat to medium high, and cook until the potatoes are brown and crispy. Season with salt, pepper, and some smoked paprika if you have it then serve with a couple of eggs on top…Thanksgiving leftovers have begun.

Hassleback Potato Gratin

This Thanksgiving in addition to my traditional mashed potatoes I’m going to serve these crispy creamy hasselbacks. You can never have too many potatoes, right? Or leftovers. Preheat your oven to 400 then combine in a large bowl a half a cup of grated Gruyere and a quarter cup of grated parmesan. Stir in two cups of heavy cream, three minced garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste.

Grease a large casserole dish with butter then peel eight or so potatoes and with a mandolin or a lot of patience slice to a thickness of 1/8th inch. With your hands toss the potatoes slices in the cheese mixture making sure to coat all the slices evenly. Still using your hands pick up the potatoes a stack at a time and arrange them vertically in rows or spiral them in from the outside of the dish to the center. It’s important that the potatoes are packed in tightly, even it means slicing, coating, and adding another potato.

Pour the excess cream mixture over the potatoes making sure not to go higher than halfway up the sides of the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake for another 45 minutes or until the top is brown and crispy. I was inspired to make these from a recipe I read in the New York Times, it serves six. Happy Thanksgiving!

Falafel

The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming…so thinking something on the lighter side before the heaviness begins. I’ve tried several dry falafel mixes but none compare to this simple combination of chickpeas, onions, and spices for a super satisfying bit of tasty Middle Eastern crispiness.

In a large bowl combine a can of drained chickpeas, a chopped onion, a quarter to half cup of chopped parsley, a quarter cup of flour, three chopped garlic cloves, and two teaspoons each of ground coriander and cumin. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste then pulse the mixture in a food processor until smooth but slightly chunky.

Cover the bottom of a large pan with vegetable oil and leave over medium heat. Form the mixture into patties and fry until golden crispy on each side, you may need to add more oil between batches. Drain on brown bags or paper towels and serve with tahini, pickles, tomatoes, and onion…pita optional.

Beef, Bean, and Cabbage Soup

No denying it now, soup season is here. Warm up your house and yourselves with this satisfyingly hearty beef soup…with plenty of leftovers for lunch. Sauté two chopped onions in a little bit of oil until they start to brown, then add three chopped carrots, two chopped celery stalks, and cook for another ten minutes.

Cut your stew beef into one inch chunks and stir into the pot along with four chopped garlic cloves and a large wedge of chopped cabbage. Add 12 cups of beef stock, preferably from concentrate, bring to a boil then cover and simmer for two hours or until the beef is tender. Now time for the drained cooked beans and the surprise ingredient, half a cup of ketchup. Bring back to a simmer and finish it off with salt and pepper to taste.

Roast Mushrooms

It’s hard not to notice the expanded mushroom selection at the market these days, most of which I’ve only ever seen before on my plate in New York’s Chinatown. As exotic as they may look they couldn’t be easier to prepare, and they make a tasty side dish or appetizer.

The Hen of the Woods, Bunashimeji, and Bunapi mushrooms are small delicate varieties that grow in a dense clump. After removing from the packaging gently break them apart with your hands, toss with a little bit of olive oil and kosher salt, and spread them in a single layer in a large roasting pan or baking sheet.

Put in a 400 degree oven for twenty minutes then stir in some chopped garlic and parsley and return to the oven for another ten minutes. At one of my favorite local restaurants they take it another step and drizzle some aioli over the top before serving, it’s not necessary but a little aioli never hurt anything.

Celery Root, Apple, Carrot, and Red Cabbage Salad

Here’s a satisfyingly crunchy salad that takes advantage of the Fall harvest with local celeriac, apples, carrots, and red cabbage. Use a mandoline slicer to julienne or thinly slice 2 apples with a knife and toss in a large bowl with a tablespoon of lemon. Do the same with the celeriac, carrots, and red cabbage then add to the apples.

For the dressing whisk together some oil, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of Dijon mustard then toss with the other ingredients until well coated, salt and pepper to taste. Toasted pumpkin seeds or raisins are also a tasty addition.

Garlic Lemon and Green Olive Chicken

Nothing brings people together like food, the dinner table is where stories are shared, memories are made, and comfort given. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving pizza, pasta, or filet mignon, it’s all about spending time at the table with the people who color your life. And no other food warms you inside and out like a big pot of chicken.

Salt and pepper eight chicken thighs, skin on, bone in, then brown in a large frying pan over high heat. For best results do it in two batches so you don’t crowd the pan then set aside. Turn the heat to medium and sauté a chopped head of fennel, two lemons cut into small pieces, a quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and a pint of flavorful green olives for approximately five minutes then set aside.

Next, brown 10 peeled garlic cloves for five minutes before adding two cups of chicken stock, simmer lightly until the garlic is soft enough to mash with a fork or potato masher. Layer the chicken and fennel mixture in a large soup pot, add the garlic stock and lightly simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and share the warmth.

Corn Fritters

This has been one of the sweetest corn seasons I can remember and after weeks of boiled, barbequed, roast, and raw variations these fritters were a great way to change things up. Cut the corn from two cobs and set aside, then in a food processor quickly pulse two beaten eggs, a quarter cup each of flour and grated manchego cheese, and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Add the corn, two chopped scallions and half a jalapeno before pulsing a few more times.

Ten minutes before serving heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add just enough oil to cover the bottom. Without crowding spoon the batter into the pan and cook until golden brown, about three to four minutes per side. Add more oil between batches if needed. Serve with your favorite green salsa or a dollop of sour cream with lime juice as an appetizer or side dish…or if you’re thinking brunch they’re also pretty amazing with an egg on top.

Caponata

The eggplants, tomatoes, and basil are still coming and caponata is one of the best ways to enjoy them. Cut a couple of medium eggplants into half inch cubes and sauté along with a chopped onion over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the eggplant is lightly browned. Add three to four cloves of chopped garlic and cook for another five minutes.

Next, stir in three large chopped tomatoes, a few tablespoons of capers, and a generous pour of red wine vinegar…fresh corn makes a nice addition as well. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for another fifteen minutes before adding some chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Green Beans with Anchovy Parmesan Dressing

This incredibly zesty dressing is perfect for green beans as well as lots of other vegetables. These measurements will yield about twice as much as you’ll need for one meal so you’ll have a chance to try it on something else this week.

Remove the ends of your beans and cut to the desired length before steaming or blanching for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately run them under some cold water until cool all the way through.

Drain and finely chop a full tin of anchovies, or a couple teaspoons of anchovy paste, then stir together with two tablespoons of Dijon mustard and a handful of chopped parsley. Whisk in a cup of extra virgin olive oil followed by a cup of freshly grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Toss with your green beans well before serving.

Penne with Swiss Chard Pancetta and Ricotta

Remove the leaves from the stems and coarsely chop a bunch of Swiss Chard, place in a shallow pot of simmering water for a couple of minutes and drain well. In a deep pan add a splash of olive oil and sauté a quarter pound of chopped pancetta or bacon until nearly crisp then set aside.

In the same pan sauté some minced garlic and shallot for a minute then stir in your cooked and drained penne along with a quarter cup of the reserved pasta water. Turn off the heat and toss evenly to coat along with a quarter cup of parmesan, a cup of ricotta, the drained chard, and salt and pepper to taste. Chili flakes are always a good option to spice things up.

Tomatillo Salsa

I had never made this spicy green salsa before but after my daughter showed me how easy it was I already can’t wait to make it again. If you don’t have a grill you could roast the tomatillos and garlic in the oven but it wouldn’t have the smoky charred flavor that made it so incredibly tasty…so grill if you can.

Husk a pound of tomatillos and grill until lightly charred along with a small peeled and halved onion, a jalapeno pepper, and two to three peeled garlic cloves. Let cool, remove the pepper stem and combine everything in a blender or food processor with a splash of olive oil, the juice from half a lime, a pinch of cumin, a small handful of cilantro, and salt to taste. You can make it smooth or chunky depending on how long you blend it, or add a half an avocado for an even creamier texture.