Seasonal vegetable recipes
by Mary Bailey
It’s the end of the tender beets, corn and rapini. Zucchinis threaten to become doorstops. We want to eat soup again. And everything is better with cheese. Here’s how to enjoy it all before the first heavy frost.
Corn and Arugula Salad with Roasted Pine Nuts and Parmigiano Vinaigrette
“This simple salad is perfect during BC and Alberta corn season. Make sure you grate the Parmigiano as fresh and fine as possible to ensure it emulsifies into your vinaigrette.”
– Daniel Costa, corso 32
| 2 c | corn, freshly shucked or frozen, thawed |
| 3 handful | arugula |
| ¾ c | Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly and finely grated |
| ¼ c | lemon juice |
| ½ c | extra virgin olive oil |
| ½ c | pine nuts |
| 1 t | kosher salt |
Preheat your oven to 375oF. Bake the pine nuts on a sheet pan until golden, about 8 minutes, moving the pine nuts every couple of minutes to avoid burning.
If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob. In a medium pot of boiling and salted water blanch the corn for 30 seconds or until just tender. Using a spider, pull the corn out of the water and place in an ice bath.
Place the lemon, olive oil, salt and grated cheese in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.
To serve: place the arugula, corn and pine nuts in a large bowl. Using your hands, gently toss the vinaigrette into the salad, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with a little more freshly grated Parmigiano and pine nuts on top.
Serves 4 as an appetizer.
Indian Summer Squash Soup
Indian spices go particularly well with squashes and pumpkin. This is an excellent way to use up yellow zucchini, crookneck or pattypans that have gotten too big.
| 3 T | butter |
| 1 t | cumin seeds |
| 1 t | coriander seeds |
| 1 t | yellow mustard seeds |
| ¼ t | cardamom seeds |
| 2 | star anise (or to taste) |
| 1 | 1-inch piece cinnamon stick or ½ t ground cinnamon |
| ¼ t | turmeric |
| ¼ t | cayenne pepper, or to taste |
| 1½ t | fresh ginger root, peeled and minced |
| 1 | large yellow onion, sliced |
| 4 c | chopped yellow summer squash |
| sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper | |
| 6c | water or vegetable stock |
| ½ c | cream or plain yogurt |
| 1 | tomato, chopped for garnish |
| parsley for garnish |
Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin, coriander, cardamom, yellow mustard seeds and the star anise to a fine powder. Add to the turmeric and cayenne. In the bottom of a stockpot or Dutch oven, heat butter and add the ground spices. Stir over medium heat until fragrant (about 3 minutes) then add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the squash and cook until limp, about ten minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon stick, seasoning and about ½ cup of stock. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and using an immersion blender whiz the soup making it as chunky or smooth as you like. Thin with more stock or water if necessary, check seasoning and stir in cream or yogurt.
Serve the soup garnished with the chopped tomato and parsley.
Serves 6-8.
Rose Murray’s Tarragon Buttered Beets
Adapted from Rose Murray’s A-Z Vegetable Book.
| 3 dozen | tiny beets (or equivalent large, chopped in quarters) |
| ⅓ c | butter |
| 1 t | finely chopped fresh tarragon |
| ½ t | salt |
| ¼ t | pepper |
| ½ t | finely grated lemon zests |
| 2 t | fresh lemon juice |
| 1 t | chopped fresh parsley |
Wash the beets and remove the tops except for 2 inches (5 cm) of the stems. Leave the roots on. Place the beets in a large saucepan and cover with boiling salted water. Cook, covered, until just tender when pierced with a fork (about 20 to 25 minutes for fresh young beets). Do not overcook. Drain and cool under running cold water. Rub off the skins and cut off tops and roots. (The beets can be prepared in advance to this point).
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add beets, tarragon, salt, pepper, lemon rind and lemon juice. Shake the pan well or stir gently and allow the beets to heat through, about 5 minutes. Serve on a heated platter with a dusting of parsley.
Serves 8.
Braised Rapini
“This is my all-time fave fall/winter veg. My nonna had this on the table pretty much with every meal.” – Rosario Caputo, Cibo Bistro
| 1 bunch | bunch rapini, chopped |
| ½ head | head roasted garlic |
| 1 T | extra virgin olive oil |
| 3 fillets | anchovy, finely chopped |
| 1 c | dry white wine |
| 1 pinch | chili |
| sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper |
On medium heat put oil, garlic, anchovy and chili in a medium-deep pan. Heat these ingredients for about 3 minutes so your flavours start to come together. Add rapini to pan and toss to cover with oil mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the white wine, season to taste and cover with a lid. Simmer about 15 to 20 minutes tossing every 5 minutes.
Serves 4-6.
Chard with Butter and Cheese (Coste al Burro con Parmigiano)
My neighbour had a ton of chard this year, some damaged by hail but still tasty. Adapted from Two Greedy Italians Eat Italy.
| 1 | large head of chard |
| 2 T | butter |
| spritz | lemon juice |
| ½ c | walnuts, chopped |
| ½ c | Parmigiano, grated |
| sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper |
Cut the tough ends from the chard, then wash well. Tear the leaves and chop the stems into bite-sized pieces.
Melt butter in a pan, add chard stems, season and cook with the lid on for about ten minutes, basting with water when necessary. Add leaves, spritz with lemon juice and cook for about another 5-10 minutes with the lid on.
Add the nuts and the cheese and cook without the lid until any excess moisture has dried up and the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately with more cheese if preferred.
Serve 4-6.
Cabbage and Bread Pudding
Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad
| 1 | loaf crusty bread, diced in approx ½ inch cubes (about 6 cups) |
| 5 | eggs, beaten |
| 1 c | 10 per cent cream |
| 1 c | chicken stock |
| 1 t | salt |
| ¼ t | pepper |
| 2 t | fresh thyme, rough chopped |
| 2 c | buttered cabbage (recipe follows) |
Pre-heat oven to 300°F.
Mix together the eggs, cream, stock, salt and pepper. Pour over the diced bread. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.
Add the cabbage to the bread mixture and mix until combined.
Place in well-greased muffin tins. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Let sit for 15 minutes and then serve. These may be made ahead and frozen until needed.
Place in hot oven for 15 minutes or until hot.
Buttered Cabbage
| 1 T | butter |
| ½ | medium onion, diced |
| 1 | med (about 2 lb) cabbage, sliced |
| 1 t | salt |
| 1 t | black pepper |
| ¼ c | chicken stock |
Heat butter, then add onions and cook till soft. Add the cabbage and toss well with onions and butter. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove lid, add the remaining ingredients and cook just until cabbage is bright green. Remove and chill.
To reheat, quickly heat in a pan with some stock and cold butter just until hot.
Serves 8.
Madison’s Grilled Corn Salsa
“My favourite accompaniment for beef, pork or fish.” – executive chef Jon Spanton, Madison’s Grill
| 4 | heads of corn, grilled until 50 per cent black |
| ½ | red onion, diced |
| ½ | red pepper, diced |
| 1 c | chicken stock |
| 1 | jalapeno |
| 1 | bunch cilantro |
| juice of 1 fresh lime | |
| ½ t | honey, or to taste |
| sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper |
Once corn has cooled slightly, cut off the cob and mix with diced vegetables. Toss with lime juice, honey and salt and pepper.
Pumpkin Crème Caramel
“The cabotia pumpkin is smaller and sweeter, perfect for dessert.” – Archiemedes Cailao, Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse
| 1½ c | sugar |
| 1 t | honey |
| ½ t | water |
| 1 can | condensed milk |
| 1 cab | evaporated milk |
| 6 | eggs |
| 1 c | pumpkin puree (recipe follows |
| sweetened coconut |
Preheat oven to 375°F. Have 6 ramekins ready.
Heat the sugar, honey and water on moderate-high heat in a frying pan. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, swirl the pan. Cook until the liquid sugar is dark amber in colour. Pour into the ramekins and swirl to coat sides evenly. Sprinkle some sweetened coconut into the hot caramel. Refrigerate.
Blend condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, pumpkin puree. Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the bain-marie (or a roasting pan half-filled with water) covered and sealed with aluminum foil. Make sure that each ramekin is well-sealed; no water vapour should get into the crème caramel. Bake for 32 minutes in 375°F oven.
Pumpkin Puree
| 1 | cabotia (kabocha) pumpkin |
| 1½ c | c sugar, divided |
| 1 T | cinnamon |
| 1 T | nutmeg |
Cut cabotia pumpkin into segments and remove seeds.
In a hotel pan or roaster, pour an inch or so of water, then lay a piece of foil on top. Place pumpkin on top of the foil and sprinkle with 1 cup of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover, seal with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining sugar on the pumpkin, cover and reseal with the same foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
When done baking, use a large spoon to take the flesh off the skin. It should have a soft texture. Discard the skin and puree the caramelized pumpkin flesh with a hand blender until smooth. Set aside and refrigerate.
Makes 6 pumpkin crème caramel.
Grilled Leeks in Vinaigrette
Gail Norton, From the Farm, The Alberta Farmers Market Association Cookbook
| 12 | young leeks |
| 2 T | Dijon mustard |
| 2 T | vegetable or chicken stock |
| 2 T | sherry wine vinegar |
| ⅓ c | good olive oil |
| sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper | |
| 2 | hard boiled eggs, chopped |
| garnish of chives |
Wash the leeks very well and trim the green leaves to about 1 inch from the white part of the leeks. Steam leeks until slightly cooked, then finish them on the grill until tender. Once they are cooled, slice them in half lengthwise and lay on a platter or on the individual plates. Whisk together the mustard, stock, vinegar, salt and pepper, then begin adding the olive oil until you have a thick emulsion. Taste and adjust with more vinegar or oil. Pour the vinaigrette over the leeks and garnish with the finely chopped egg and chives.
Serves 4.
Myhre Family Borshch
Chef Gail Hall, Brad Smoliak, and myself were judges for the borshch cook off at the Babas & Borshch festival in Andrew. The soups were amazing, each made with fresh garden vegetables and lots of love; it was extremely hard to pick three winners. New to me was the Doukhobor version of borsch, a cabbage and potato-heavy, pale gold version. Kim Myhre’s was particularly delicious, rich and savoury. Kim sent the recipe along with this note:
“My family gets together for Russian parties; my sister makes the borshch and I make Pudhea (another Russian dish we grew up on). We eat, share a few shots of vodka (I’m sure thatis another Russian tradition!) Below is my grandmother’s recipe for borscht—she didn’t have amounts but just the process—and my process has developed each time I make it.” —Kim Myhre
Fry onions, tomatoes, green pepper. Fill pot full of water. Add carrots and potatoes. Beet, quarter it and add it to the pot. Chop up cabbage.
Fry with butter – set to side. Take out potatoes once cooked. Add cream to cooled potatoes. Put fried cabbage into pot.
Add potatoes last. Watch beet. Bring soup back to boil.