Crispy Squash Pancakes

Peel and seed a small butternut squash then grate into a bowl using the big holes of a box grater. Next, stir in a few chopped scallions, a quarter cup of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, a lightly beaten egg, and salt and pepper to taste. When you’re ready heat some vegetable oil in a nonstick pan and using the palm of your hand flatten a scoop of the squash mixture into a large spoon then slide the formed mound into the hot oil, repeat until the pan is full but not overcrowded.

Cook until the bottoms are golden then flip and flatten as best you can with a spatula. Continue cooking for another few minutes until equally golden and crispy on both sides then drain on brown paper bags or paper towels and serve with lemon, sour cream, or yogurt. These also work well if you wanted to prepare beforehand and reheat in the oven. And as always, they’ll taste better if you use a locally grown squash.

Bloody Brain

Bloody Brain….well not exactly, but this oven roasted cauliflower will turn some heads with Halloween just around the corner. Preheat your oven to 450 while you trim the core and any leaves from the bottom of a whole head of cauliflower. Over medium heat add a heavy pour of olive oil to a deep ovenproof pot (with lid) followed by a chopped onion, a can of whole anchovies, and three chopped garlic cloves.

Sauté for five minutes or so then add a small can of crushed tomatoes, a quarter cup of chicken stock, and chili flakes and salt to taste. Place the cauliflower in the pot core side down then simmer uncovered for another five minutes while occasionally basting the cauliflower with the tomato sauce. Finally, cover the pot and place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Serve on a platter with plenty of the tomato chunks over the top. Have fun!

Wheat Berry Edamame Corn and Feta Saute

If wheat berries aren’t already in your regular rotation they will be after you give them a try in this simple sauté, they’re one of the best chews out there…and you know what they say about whole grains.

Bring some salted water to a boil, add your wheat berries then simmer for 50 minutes and drain. You only need a half cup for this dish but you might as well throw in a whole cup as they’re great in soups and salads and last for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Sauté some shallot and garlic along with a box each of frozen corn and edamame. Once your veggies are cooked through add the wheat berries, chopped mint, crumbled feta, and salt and pepper to taste, then sauté another five minutes and serve.

Caramelized Dates

Need an after school snack, a last minute hors d'oeurve, or just looking to jazz up a salad or a bowl of ice cream? Then you need to try these dates, they’re incredible…and so simple too. Until I made these I couldn’t imagine eating a date in anything but trail mix or a bad fruit cake, but a container of pitted dates is now a staple in our pantry.

Halve dates length wise while you heat a little bit of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat with an optional pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Add the dates to the hot oil making sure not to overcrowd, you want each date to have contact with the bottom of the pan. And don’t look away for too long as they do burn easily, but they won’t take more than a few minutes. Stir occasionally to caramelize both sides then serve warm with flakey or coarse salt.

Mashed Potatoes and Celery Root

If you like the flavor of celery you have to give this mashed potato and celery root combo a try, it’s a quick and easy side dish that can accompany just about anything you’re cooking. The celery root is often sold under the name celeriac.

Wash, peel, and cube twice as much potato than celery root before boiling both in a pot of salted water, the celeriac will need a ten minute head start. When they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork drain thoroughly and return the vegetables to the pot over low heat. Add butter and or olive oil as well a bit of chopped parsley then mash, salt and pepper to taste.

Kale Fennel and Honey Crisp Salad

It’s apple season and that means Honey Crisps, but they’re only around for a few short weeks so don’t wait to make this salad. In a mason jar combine a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, the juice from half an orange, orange zest, a tablespoon of maple syrup, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of minced shallots, a splash of white wine vinegar, and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Shake vigorously.

For the salad toss some chopped kale with a thinly sliced Honey Crisp and half a large fennel bulb...toasted pumpkin seeds or cashew pieces are nice for crunch if you happen to have them. Then simply toss with crumbled feta and the dressing before serving. Happy Fall!

Roast Lamb with Yogurt Sauce

The key to this roast is to thoroughly smear your boneless leg of lamb with a garlic salt paste a day ahead of time. Prepare the paste by putting a whole head of peeled garlic and two tablespoons of kosher salt in the food processor or mince the garlic by hand then combine with the salt. After rubbing it into the lamb wrap tightly with saran and refrigerate overnight.

The yogurt sauce is also best made ahead of time by stirring together a cup of plain yogurt, two tablespoons of tahini, the juice from half a lemon and salt and pepper to taste. The following day simply roast the lamb for about an hour at 350 for an internal temperature of 120 and serve with the yogurt sauce.

This is a great dish for football Sunday as you can do most of the work on Saturday. Are you ready for some football…

Smashed Cucumbers

The cucumbers just keep coming…and I don’t mind a bit. Try them with a bit of spice in this recipe I adapted from Superiority Burger in NYC, and the smashing technique lends itself to lots of other dishes as well. Slice an English, Persian or small pickling cucumber in half the long way then cut into four inch lengths. Place a segment seed side down on your cutting board, cover with the side of a large knife, and using your other hand gently smash so the skin splits and the seeds separate. Repeat on the remaining segments then slice into bite size pieces removing as many of the seeds as possible.

For the dressing dissolve two teaspoons of sugar and one of salt in a couple of tablespoons of rice wine vinegar. Then stir in two teaspoons each of sesame oil and soy sauce, a tablespoon of oil, two minced garlic cloves, and red chili flakes to taste. Toss together with the cucumbers and garnish with cilantro and or sesame seeds.

Colatura di Alici

For all of you condiment junkies out there this Italian fish sauce is a must have, especially when combined with some local garlic. Colatura di Alici goes back to Roman times and is still made the same way in a small village on the Amalfi coast from anchovies and salt. It’s readily available online but for this recipe you can substitute a can of anchovies and a teaspoon of coarse salt.

On a washable cutting board mince together three large garlic cloves, a generous handful of parsley, a half teaspoon of chili flakes, and if you’re not using the sauce, the anchovies and salt . If you are using the sauce combine four tablespoons with eight of extra virgin olive oil then stir in the garlic mixture. This can be done several hours ahead of time.

When you’re ready to go cook and drain a pound of pasta, toss with the sauce, and top with some parmesan. And if you like it on pasta definitely try smearing it on a thick steak…incredible!

Spicy Corn Dip

The corn is as sweet as it's ever been this year and it couldn’t have been more perfect in this spicy corn dip, but I don’t think you can go wrong no matter how you prepare it. Eat it while you can!

Shuck four ears of corn and sauté for five minutes in olive oil or butter with a large shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic. Let it cool in the pan. Add the mixture to the food processor with salt, pepper, a half a cup of ricotta and a handful of spinach and puree until smooth.

To serve, scoop the mixture into a bowl and cover with a generous pouring of chili oil. Or, for a bit more depth saute a hot pepper along with the shallot and garlic. Toasted pita chips are the way to go for this one.

Seared Scallops with Potato Corn Hash

This hash epitomizes my belief that it’s all about great ingredients and keeping it simple, and we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by really great ingredients this time of year. While the grill is warming up cut a few medium potatoes into quarter inch slices, clean a couple of leeks, husk a couple ears of corn, then lightly coat all with olive oil and salt along with a few unpeeled garlic cloves.

Get the potatoes on the grill first followed by the corn, then leeks, and grill until they’re all fully cooked. Throw the garlic on for a few minutes at the end. Once cool enough to handle shuck the corn, dice the potato, chop the leeks, and peel and chop the garlic before combining them all together in a large bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the salted scallops in a very hot pan with oil for about a minute a side and serve immediately.

Clam Bacon Pizza

This is the perfect summer pizza, and one you don’t often see at your local pizzeria...unless you live in New Haven. So whether you’re making your own dough, using a store bought dough ball, or a ready made pizza crust try topping it with some chopped clams and bacon.

Fresh chopped clams are the only way to go for this one;  Drain a half a pint in a colander then sauté a quarter pound of chopped bacon, a diced onion, and a minced garlic clove. When you’re oven is hot top your pizza with the bacon onion mixture followed by the clams and bake until crispy. Salt and dried chili flakes to taste.