Explore Recipes that Glory in Fall’s Bounty from Top Local Chefs
Late summer is the time for eggplant, tomatoes, floury potatoes, all the beets, various kales, peppers and the hard squash family. Hardy herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage sweeten the air. Some vegetables are actually better in the fall—after the frost root vegetables get sweeter.
Caponata
This quintessential Sicilian dish is found throughout the island. Like so many other recipes in Italy there are countless versions and variations which vary from town to town and family to family. Eggplants were introduced to the island of Sicily by the Arabs in the middle ages along with pine nuts and raisins and since then, these ingredients have become a fixture in the island’s cookery. Although each region in Italy has their own cuisine, I find that Sicily has a unique path of flavours carved out by centuries of invasions and influences. The Arabs dominated Sicily from 827-1091 which left the strongest influence on the cuisine and the flavours of this caponata showcase that.
The balance of agrodolce flavours and so many unctuous textures makes this one of my favourite ways to start an autumn meal. Enjoy caponata as an antipasto along with cured meats and cheeses or as a side with roasted meats and fish. I like to eat caponata on its own with a piece of crusty bread and a glass of Nerello Mascalese. –Daniel Costa, Corso 32
Tomato Sauce
| 4 c | fresh ripe juicy tomatoes (ideally Roma or cocktail tomatoes), roughly chopped or coarsely blitzed in a food processor or 1 796 ml can of San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed by hand |
| 2 cloves | garlic, peeled and left whole |
| ¼ c | extra virgin olive oil (preferably Sicilian) |
| ¼ c | dried currants |
| 1 t | salt |
Heat the olive oil and whole cloves of garlic in a large pot or wide frying pan over medium high heat. Once the garlic is lightly golden add the tomatoes and salt. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stir occasionally until the consistency is thick and concentrated but not a paste. Add the currants and allow to cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Vegetables
| 2 med | eggplant, I prefer Graffiti Eggplant (easily found at the farmers markets), peeled and cut into large dice; toss with 1 tablespoon of salt until ready for use |
| 3 | red bell peppers, cut into large dice |
| 1 | red onion, cut into large dice |
| 2 sticks | celery, cut into large dice |
| ¾ c | pitted Nocellara olives, halved |
| ¼ c | capers, rinsed in cold water (if using salt packed capers soak for 3 hours and change the water every hour) |
| 1/3 c | pine nuts |
| olive oil for frying | |
| 1 c | white sugar |
| 2 t | red wine vinegar |
Heat 1.5-2 inches of olive oil in a wide pot to 350ºF. Ensure there is at least 4 inches remaining to the top your pot to avoid boiling over. In order: fry the peppers, then celery, then eggplant, then onion. Fry each separately until lightly golden. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Add the fried vegetables, pine nuts, olives, capers, sugar and red wine vinegar to the tomato sauce. Return the pot to high heat, cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Allow the caponata to cool to room temperature before serving.
Serves 4-6.
Alberta Minestrone
Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad
| 2 c | white beans, soaked overnight |
| 4 L | chicken stock or water |
| ¼ c | canola oil |
| ¼ c | bacon, diced |
| 1 c | onion, diced |
| 1 c | carrots, diced |
| 1 c | celery, diced |
| 1 c | cabbage, shredded |
| 1 c | potatoes diced or quartered |
| 28 oz can | tomatoes, rough chopped, or use fresh |
| 1 c | chopped zucchini |
| 1 T | dried oregano |
| 1 t | red chilies flakes |
| 2 c | spinach, chopped kale or any type of green |
| 1 c | Parmesan cheese |
| salt and pepper | |
| (Optional vegetables such as pearl onions, mushrooms) |
Soak the beans, overnight, drain and add to the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until beans are soft, 1½ hours. (If you do not soak the beans overnight, you will have to cook the beans longer in the chicken stock). Once the beans are cooked, drain and purée half of the beans, then mix the whole beans and pureed beans together. Set aside.
While the beans are simmering, heat the oil and cook the bacon until it starts to render the fat. Add the onions and carrots, celery, cabbage, potatoes, stirring to make sure the vegetables are well coated with some of the fat. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, oregano, chiles and the beans. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring frequently. After 1 hour and all of the vegetables are cooked, remove from heat and stir in the spinach and the cheese. Season, cover with a lid and let the soup steep for 10 minutes, stir then serve. If the soup is too thick, you may want to add a little chicken stock or water.
Serves 4-6.
Potato, Sausage and Kale Soup
This recipe works best with really good sausage and bacon so grab some good stuff from Meuwly’s or your local butcher! –Ryan Hotchkiss, Bündok
| 4 slices | bacon, cut into lardons |
| 1 lb | sausage, something with some spice such as chorizo, taken out of the casing if fresh or roughly chopped if cured |
| 2 T | olive oil plus more for serving |
| 1 | onion, medium diced |
| 2 lbs | Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled |
| 3 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 2 L | chicken or vegetable stock |
| 1 bunch | green or purple kale, cut or torn into 1×1-inch pieces, thoroughly washed |
| salt and pepper to taste |
Place bacon, sausage and oil in a large pot on medium heat. Cook until the fat is rendered out and the meats are cooked. Remove some fat if there is an excess; should be just enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Throw in onion, garlic and potatoes and cook until just tender.
Add stock and cook until potatoes are cooked. Add kale and cook until kale is done. Add the sausage and bacon back in and season to taste.
Serves 4-6.
Local Potato with Roasted Garlic Verde Dressing
Andrew Fung, XIX Nineteen
Pre-heat oven to 375ºF.
| 3 lb | local farmer potato |
| ¼ c | extra virgin olive oil or canola oil |
| 1½ t | kosher salt |
| 1 t | black pepper |
Cut the potato in half or quarters. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper. Roast for 25 to 40 minutes.
Roasted Garlic Verde Dressing
| 250 ml | oven-dried kale |
| 750 ml | canola oil |
| 75 ml | grainy Dijon mustard |
| 75 ml | Dijon mustard |
| 150 ml | lemon juice |
| 125 ml | chopped parsley |
| 4 cloves | roasted garlic, chopped |
| 2 t | salt |
| 1 t | pepper |
Blend all the ingredients well with a hand blender. When potatoes are cooked, drizzle kale dressing on top before serving.
Serves 4-6 with leftover dressing.
Sahnenkartoffel (Sour Creamed Potatoes)
My favourite comfort food recipe for freshly dug potatoes. –Harold Wollin, Blue Chair Café
| 3 lb | potatoes, preferably all small ones. Or, cut large potatoes into bite size pieces. |
| ¼ c | bacon, cut into small pieces |
| 1 T | butter |
| 1 c | sour cream |
| 2 T | fresh dill, chopped |
Cover the potatoes with water, and boil with ½ teaspoon salt until tender. Strain and hold ready. Render the bacon in a large frying pan (large enough to a hold the potatoes) adding the butter to prevent burning. Retain all the fat. Add the sour cream and dill. Stir gently to heat the cream, then add the cooked potatoes and fold gently to coat. Serve hot.
Serves 4-6.
Fall Wheat Berry Salad with Sesame Dressing
Kaelin Whittaker, The Ruby Apron
| 150 g | wheat berries |
| 1 lg | zucchini, cut into thick rounds |
| 1 head | broccoli, broken into small florets |
| 1 sm | squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes |
| a good handful of kale, removed from the stalk and roughly torn | |
| 2-4 T | olive oil |
| salt and pepper |
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with a generous pinch of salt, add the wheat berries, bring back up to the boil, turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook the wheat berries for 1 hour until they are tender but still have a bit of bite. Drain and place on a baking tray to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF, prepare the zucchini and broccoli and squash. Place in a large bowl, toss with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on to a large baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. To prepare the kale, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan, add the kale, season with salt and pepper and sauté until wilted.
Sesame Dressing
| 2 T | white sesame seeds |
| 1 clove | garlic, crushed |
| 1 | red chile, seeds removed and finely chopped |
| 3 cm piece | fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped |
| 100 ml | olive oil |
| 1 T | grainy mustard |
| 1 t | honey |
| ½ t | salt |
| juice of ½ lemon |
Put the sesame seeds, crushed garlic, chopped chile and ginger into a small frying pan, gently heat for 2-3 minutes, add the olive oil and heat for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the honey, salt and lemon juice and set aside.
To serve: mix the prepared vegetables with the cooled wheat berries, toss with ¾ of the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, depending on how much dressing has absorbed into the wheat berries, you may want to dress with a bit extra.
Serves 4-6.
Kale and Toasted Pumpkin Seed Salad
Chef Shane Chartrand’s salad combines both fried and blanched kale with an irresistible taste of fall, fresh pumpkin seeds. From his new cook book Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine, available in October.
| 1 lb | baby kale leaves, divided |
| 20 | Brussels sprout leaves (about 2 Brussels sprouts) |
| 6 | green onions, green parts only, cut into 2-inch lengths |
| canola oil | |
| ½ t | fleur de sel plus extra for seasoning |
| 2 T | unsalted raw pumpkin seeds |
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Prepare an ice water bath (a large bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes). Submerge about one-quarter of the kale leaves and all the sprout leaves and green onions in the boiling water. Cook for about 30 seconds (you want the leaves to be tender but still resilient). Using a wire-mesh scoop or slotted spoon, transfer the blanched greens to the prepared ice water bath and submerge for about 30 seconds. Scoop out the cooled greens, shake off any excess liquid and pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Set aside.
Preheat a deep-fryer to 350°F or pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep pot. (If you have a splatter screen for the top of the pot, it will soon come in handy.) Line a baking sheet with paper towel. Immerse the remaining kale leaves in the hot oil (make sure the leaves are very dry so the oil won’t splatter too much). At first it will bubble vigorously, but as the moisture cooks out, there will be less activity. Fry until the leaves turn medium brown around the edges, about 20 seconds (the leaves should be crunchy but still flexible). Using a wire mesh scoop or slotted spoon, scoop out the leaves and give them a gentle shake over the deep-fryer. Turn the leaves out onto the prepared baking sheet. Season. Set aside.
In a dry cast iron or heavy sauté pan over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds until they are a light golden colour. Reserve.
To serve, combine the deep-fried kale and the blanched greens in a bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat all of the greens. Turn on to a nice platter and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Finish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel.
Serves 2.
Dressing
| 2 T | cold-pressed canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 T | finely grated lemon zest |
| juice of ½ lemon | |
| ¼ t | salt |
Whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl.
Roasted Fall Vegetables
The trick to nicely roasted fall vegetables is to cut them all the same size. In the fall I prefer to leave the skins on my acorn squash, carrots and parsnips, I enjoy the contrast once they’ve been roasted off. –Spencer Thompson, The Marc
| 1 | parsnip, chopped |
| 1 | carrot, chopped |
| 4 | shallot, peeled and halved |
| 8 | Brussels sprouts, halved |
| 1 | acorn squash, seeded and chopped |
| 4 T | olive oil |
| 3 T | honey |
| 1 T | apple cider vinegar |
| salt and pepper to taste | |
| paprika or pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika) optional |
Pre heat the oven to 375ºF.
Arrange the vegetables on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Don’t overcrowd—use two pans if necessary. Drizzle the vegetables with the oil, honey, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. The sprouts, parsnips, carrots will cook within roughly 25 minutes, the shallots and squash will require about 45 minutes. Carefully turn the vegetables over halfway through and remove them from the tray as they are cooked, allowing them to cool off.
Serves 4-6.
Squash with Feta and Kale Pesto
Kaelin Whitaker, The Ruby Apron
| 1 med | squash |
| 4 T | olive oil |
| freshly-ground pepper | |
| 200 g | kale |
| 70 g | Parmesan cheese |
| 60 g | your favourite nut |
| juice of 1 lemon | |
| olive oil, about 150 ml | |
| 150 g | goat feta (I love the feta from Rock Ridge Dairy) |
| 1 | chile, seeds removed, roughly chopped |
| salt and freshly-ground pepper |
Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and slice into 1-inch thick moons (do not remove the skin). In a large bowl, toss the squash with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven (400ºF) for 30-45 minutes until the squash is tender and the edges are just beginning to colour. (The time may vary depending on the variety of squash you are using.) Meanwhile, place the kale, cheese and the nuts into a food processor and blitz, adding the olive oil slowly, until you have a thick pesto. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding salt if needed and the lemon juice.
Place the roasted squash pieces on a large serving platter, crumble over the feta and dot with the pesto and chilies.
Serves 4-6.
Spinach Potato Pie
Serve this at your next brunch or as part of Thanksgiving celebrations. –Larry Steward, Hardware Grill
| 2½ lb | peeled and hand-grated baked potato |
| 2½ lb | spinach, chiffonade and lightly wilted (make sure it’s not wet) |
| ½ lb | cheese mix (cheddar, jack, parmesan- your favourite mix) |
| 6 | eggs |
| 2 t | salt |
| 1 T | lemon juice |
Mix all ingredients very well by hand. Place into a sprayed 12” x 16” cake or loaf pan. Bake at 350ºF for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. (Can be baked in sprayed 3” custard cups; bake for 1 hour.) Cool overnight, cut in 16 with a serrated knife. Serve with romesco sauce and caponata.
Makes 16 pieces.
Romesco Sauce
| 3 oz | roasted red peppers |
| ¾ t | finely minced garlic |
| ¼ c | sliced almonds, toasted |
| 1 T | tomato paste |
| 1 T | chopped flat leaf parsley |
| 2 T | Sherry vinegar |
| ½ t | smoked paprika |
| ½ t | cayenne pepper |
| ½ t | sea salt |
| ¼ t | ground black pepper |
| ¼ c | extra virgin olive oil |
Blend all ingredients in a food processor to smooth. Slowly add oil while the processor is running until emulsified.
Makes about 1 cup.
Broiled Salmon with Squash Miso Purée and Browned Butter
Levi Biddlecomb, Why Not Café
| 4 pieces | wild salmon (about 5 oz each) |
| 4 t | sugar |
| 2 t | salt |
| ½ | squash, (butternut or acorn) peeled, seeded and roughly chopped |
| 2 c | butter, divided, 1 cup diced and very cold |
| 3 T | miso paste |
| zest of 1 lemon | |
| 2 sprigs | thyme, leaves finely chopped |
| juice of 1 lemon | |
| 1/3 c | crushed toasted cashews (optional) |
| 4 | green onions thinly sliced on the bias (optional)) |
| 16 | halved cherry tomatoes |
Boil the squash in salted water until very tender. Strain and add to a blender with the miso paste and lemon zest. Add the cold butter, 1 cube at a time through the top of the blender. Puree until smooth. Check for seasoning and reserve.
Turn your broiler on and place the rack as close as possible to the element. Mix the salt and sugar together, then coat each piece of salmon. Place the salmon on foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the sugar caramelizes, it will be dark, but not burned. Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn, the fish will be medium rare. Meanwhile, make the brown butter: Add 1 c butter to a saucepan and simmer on medium heat until the milk solids start to turn a medium brown and the butter starts to smell nutty. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and thyme, stir thoroughly. Reserve.
To serve: Ladle the squash purée onton a warmed platter. Place the fish on top, then garnish with the cherry tomatoes and nuts. Drizzle browned butter over. Garnish with the green onion and cashews if using.
Serves 4.
Lamb Shank Kaldereta
Kaldereta is a tomato-based stew usually made with beef (baka) or goat (kambing). Our version is a take on Kalderetang Kambing using lamb shanks. Kaldereta is directly influenced by the 300 years of Spanish occupation in the Philippines—the name of the dish is derived from the Spanish word caldera meaning cauldron. Though this dish contains a ton of umami, it is the addition of the liver paste or liver spread that gives it that richness which is characteristic of this stew. –Ariel del Rosario, Filistix
| 2-3 lbs | lamb shanks (approximately 4 pcs) |
| 2 T | canola oil |
| 4-5 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 2 med | onions, chopped |
| ¼ c | soy sauce |
| 1 t | fish sauce |
| 2 T | tomato paste |
| 2 med | tomatoes, chopped |
| 1 t | whole black peppercorns |
| 1-2 | bay leaves |
| 1 T | brown sugar or palm sugar |
| ¼ c | chicken liver spread (optional) |
| 2 c | chicken stock |
| 1 med | carrot, ½ inch dice |
| 1 | sweet potato, ½ inch dice |
| 1 | red pepper, thinly sliced |
| 1 | green pepper, thinly sliced |
| 1-2 | Thai chile, chopped |
| 1 c | green olives |
| salt and pepper to taste |
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stock pot on medium high, heat the oil and brown the lamb shanks on all sides, approximately 5-6 minutes. Remove the shanks and set aside. Turn down the heat to medium and add the garlic and onions and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, tomato paste, tomatoes, peppercorns, bay leaf, sugar and chicken liver paste. Sauté for another minute, then add the chicken stock.
Reintroduce the shanks and residual liquid into the pot and turn the heat to medium high until the liquid just begins to boil. Then turn down to medium low and simmer with lid on for minimum 2 hours, or until meat is falling off the bone tender.
After 1 hour has elapsed, add the carrot, sweet potato, red and green peppers and chilies.
Once the desired tenderness has been achieved, add the green olives and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Place shanks into a large serving bowl and spoon sauce over and around the shanks. Serve hot with plenty of steamed rice. Serves 4-6.
Zucchini Lasagna
Veggie-packed and gluten-free. It uses up the zucchini that might be a bit long in the tooth, takes advantage of spinach’s second coming and is nice and cheesy to boot. Adapted from a recipe by Donna Hay.
| 8 med | zucchini (yellow or green) sliced into 1/16-inch ribbons |
| extra virgin olive oil, for brushing, plus 2 tablespoons extra | |
| sea salt and cracked black pepper | |
| 1 sm | onion, chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic, crushed |
| 2 T | chopped oregano |
| 1 bunch | Swiss chard, washed, trimmed and blanched |
| 1 bunch | spinach, washed, trimmed and blanched |
| 2¼ c | fresh ricotta |
| 1 T | finely grated lemon rind |
| 1 c | flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped |
| ¾ c | grated mozzarella |
| ¾ c | finely-grated Parmesan |
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place the zucchini in a single layer on a baking pan lined with parchment. Brush both sides of the ribbons with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Heat the extra oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and oregano and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Allow to cool slightly. Place the greens in in a clean tea towel and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Roughly chop, add to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
Place the ricotta, lemon rind, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Reserve.
Line the base of a lightly greased 9×9-inch baking dish with one-third of the roasted zucchini. Top with half the ricotta mixture and half the greens mixture. Sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Top with half the remaining zucchini, and the remaining ricotta and greens mixtures and half the remaining cheeses. For the last layer, top with the remaining zucchini and the rest of the cheeses. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Serve with a fresh tomato salsa.
Serve 4-6.
Grilled Cabbage Caesar Salad
There is beautiful Savoy cabbage at the farmers markets now. This salad takes the savoury anchovy, garlic and cheese flavours of a classic Caesar salad and runs with it. Grill your cabbage on the barbecue or in a skillet. Adapted from a recipe by chef Andrew Carmellini.
| 2 sm | heads Savoy cabbage (2 lb.) |
| 1 T | kosher salt |
| freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 c | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 10 lrg | garlic cloves, finely minced (about a ¼c), divided |
| 1 T | finely grated orange zest |
| ½ c | fresh orange juice |
| 1 T | finely grated lemon zest |
| ⅓ c | fresh lemon juice |
| 6 | oil-cured anchovy fillets, finely minced (1 T) |
| 1 T | capers, finely minced |
| 1 T | golden raisins, finely minced |
| ½ c + 2 T | extra-virgin olive oil, divided |
| kosher salt | |
| freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 c | panko bread crumbs |
| 1 c | finely-grated aged pecorino cheese, plus more for topping |
| 3 | boquerones (marinated white anchovies), optional |
Prepare the cabbage: Split each head of cabbage lengthwise into quarters, leaving the core in place in order to hold the leaves together during cooking. Place the quarters on a large rimmed baking sheet, cut-side up. Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with oil; rub all over the cabbage, focusing on the cut sides so that the seasoned oil seep in between the leaves. Let marinate, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the citrus zest and juices, anchovies, capers and raisins. Stir to combine. Slowly whisk in a ½ cup of oil; season to taste. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Make the panko: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 3 tablespoons garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic just begins to turn golden, 1-1½ minutes. Add the panko and gently stir to combine.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring until the panko is evenly toasted and crispy, 5-7 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the panko to a large baking sheet and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat a cast-iron grill pan or skillet over very high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the cabbage, cut-side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until the cabbage is charred all over, 10-12 minutes. Or, follow the same procedure on your barbecue grill. Using tongs, transfer cabbage to a large heatproof bowl and cover tightly. Set the cabbage aside to steam until the centers are tender when poked with a knife, 15-20 minutes.
Once the cabbage is tender and cool enough to handle, cut the quarters crosswise into large chunks, about 2-inches wide. Return to the bowl and add the cheese, vinaigrette, and half of the panko. Toss well to coat, then transfer the salad to a wide, shallow bowl. Top with the remaining panko, more pepper and pecorino and the white anchovies (if using). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 4-6.
Thai-ish Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Not quite ready to move on from the light and fresh tastes of summer? This Thai-influenced tomato and cucumber salad does the trick. Adapted from a recipe by chef Alexa Weibel.
| 3 sm | fresh cucumbers |
| kosher salt | |
| 3 t | granulated sugar |
| 1½ t | fresh lime zest |
| 3 T | lime juice (from 2 limes) |
| 4 t | fish sauce |
| 1 T | canola oil |
| 1 T | very thinly sliced green serrano chile (about ½ large chile) |
| 1 clove | garlic, finely grated |
| 1 c | cherry tomatoes and small tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size |
| ½ c | torn fresh basil |
| ½ c | small sprigs cilantro |
| ¼ sm | red onion, very thinly sliced |
| 1 | (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks |
| ¼ c | roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional) |
Create stripes on the exterior of the cucumbers by running the tines of a fork along the length of the skin. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, (seed if necessary) then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt and half the sugar. Reserve.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice, fish sauce, oil, chile, garlic and the remaining sugar.
Just before serving, add the tomatoes, basil, cilantro, red onion, ginger, cucumbers and half the nuts to the dressing; toss to coat. Transfer to a bowl or platter, top with remaining nuts and serve immediately.
Serves 4-6.
Burnt Beet Root Carpaccio
This is best made with summer beets, when they are still quite small and soft. The charring takes away moisture and brings out that sweet minerality that beets possess in spades. If you are lucky enough to have an outdoor pizza oven roast the beets in there; otherwise, a very hot oven will do. Adapted from a recipe by Israeli chef Eyal Shani, Gourmet Traveler.
| 8-10 sm | beetroot |
| grated horseradish, to serve | |
| 2 t | extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed canola oil |
| 30 gm | finely grated fresh horseradish mixed with 100 gm crème fraiche (or prepared horseradish if the other isn’t available) |
| salt to taste |
Preheat a wood-fired oven to high, or your home oven to 500ºF. Scrub the beets under cold running water. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment and roast until charred and they have lost about half their weight, about 1-1¼ hours). Remove and set aside to cool (1½-2 hours, depending on size). Thinly slice the beets with a sharp knife and spread over a plate, with the discs slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with salt to taste and grated horseradish, drizzle with olive oil and serve with a spoonful of horseradish crème fraîche. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6-8.