Just because the farmers’ markets are closed for winter doesn’t mean you have to do without fresh veggies at the dinner table. Unfortunately, in the winter months, we often retreat from fresh produce, thinking it’s not as available or as tasty. From hearty root vegetables to bright, sweet citrus, winter produce delivers a surprising range of flavorful fruits and vegetables for you to cook. You may be surprised by how many locally grown root vegetables and cabbages are available from cold storage and how many greens are coming out of local cold frames and greenhouses at this time of year. Here are some recipes from appetizers through dessert that use winter fruits and vegetables.
Winter Vegetable Soup
8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 10 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, leeks and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the barley. Add the vegetable broth, water, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Add the celery root and parsnips and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over moderately low heat until the barley and root vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve in deep bowls.
Seafood with Grapefruit-Onion Salad
8 First Course Servings
Ingredients
- 4 small ruby red grapefruits (about 2 pounds total)
- 3 tablespoons pickled cocktail onions
- 2 tablespoons packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- Freshly ground pepper
- 24 sea scallops or medium shrimp (about 2 pounds) or a combination of both
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Directions
Using a very sharp paring knife to peel the grapefruits, carefully removing all of the bitter white pith. Over a mixing bowl, carefully cut in between the membranes of the grapefruit sections and let them drop into the bowl. Stir in the pickled cocktail onions and parsley leaves and season with pepper.
Pat the sea scallops or shrimp dry and season them all over with salt. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil until it is shimmering. Cook the scallops over moderately high heat, turning once, until they are browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Spoon the pickled onion and grapefruit salad onto small serving plates and arrange the scallops around the salad. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve at once.
Stuffed and Baked Acorn Squash
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 acorn squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery
- 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
- 10 ounces day-old rustic bread—crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 6 cups)
- 7 ounces vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup vegetable stock or chicken broth
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on two baking sheets covered with parchment paper and roast for about 25 minutes, until just tender.
In a large skillet, melt the butter in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the celery, leeks and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the apples and thyme and cook over moderately high heat until the apples just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Add the bread, chestnuts, parsley, cream and stock and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn the squash cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.
Braised Beef over Butternut Squash Polenta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck shoulder pot roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 medium parsnips (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons browning and seasoning sauce, such as Kitchen Bouquet
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup cold water
- 3/4 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
- 2/3 cup butternut squash, fresh cooked or frozen and thawed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Trim fat from beef. Cut meat into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
In an ovenproof 4-quart Dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook meat, half at a time, until browned, stirring frequently. Remove meat from the Dutch oven.
In the same Dutch oven cook celery, carrots, parsnips and onion in the remaining oil for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown. Stir in wine and rosemary.
Add the 1 1/2 cups water, beef broth and Kitchen Bouquet; cook and stir over medium heat until boiling, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Place pan, covered, in the oven and bake about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
For the polenta:
In a medium saucepan combine milk and 1/4 cup water; bring to boiling. In a medium bowl stir together the 1 cup cold water and polenta or cornmeal. Slowly add the polenta mixture to the boiling milk mixture. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in squash, salt and pepper.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring frequently, and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a slow boil.
To finish the stew:
Stir together the 1/4 cup cold water and flour. Add to the meat mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 minute more.
Spoon soft polenta into shallow serving bowls. Top with braised meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley leaves.
Upside-Down Cranberry-Ginger Cake
Ingredients
Topping:
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
For the topping:
Heat a 9-inch round cake pan over medium heat and coat the pan with cooking spray. Add brown sugar and the 2 tablespoons butter to pan, stirring until melted. Stir in ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; arrange cranberries on top of the brown sugar mixture.
For the cake:
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Combine 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar in an electric mixer bowl; beat at high speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; mix well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form in another bowl. Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter over cranberries in the prepared cake pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 15 minutes; run a knife around outside edge. Place a plate upside down on top of the cake pan; invert cake onto plate.
