In the last few weeks you may have picked up on my love of Autumn cooking, and my not-so-subtle adoration of pumpkin. But the truth is that the Autumn has so many wonderful vegetables (and fruit) to relish throughout the season, aside from my beloved pumpkin.
To me there is almost nothing as perfect as easy and delicious roasted cauliflower or brussel sprouts: I chop them up, drizzle a few Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and toss with whole garlic cloves. Roast at 400 degrees for one hour, or until caramelized.
Cauliflower is also a fantastic ingredient to include in soups to thicken it, or even, just as a standalone like this perfectly simple Cauliflower Soup from Food52. It’s even pareve, so its ideal for a meat Shabbat meal this time of year.
If you are looking for a simple recipe with a subtle twist, I stumbled upon this recipe for Chipotle-Roasted Baby Carrots. I also like roasting carrots with olive oil, salt, pepper and a 1 tsp dried ginger.
While I was pregnant last Autumn, I devoured bag upon bag of kale, turning it into crunchy, salty kale chips. I rinsed the kale, removed the middle rib, and spread out the leaves on a baking sheet. I drizzled with a few Tbsp of olive oil and sea salt, and roasted at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes. These healthful chips are completely addictive so watch out!
But kale also makes a glorious base for a salad – like this Kale, Pear and Cranberry Salad from The Shiksa.
Last but not least – check out Yotam Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean take on butternut squash – this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion with Tahini and Za’atar makes my mouth water just thinking about the silky squash paired with rich tahini and spicy za’atar. Yum!
Happy Autumn cooking!
Shabbat
Pronounced: shuh-BAHT or shah-BAHT, Origin: Hebrew, the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.