Katrina Gall is a Chef and Wine professional. A Toronto local, she is the founder of A Glass in Hand, a resource to help people understand and enjoy food and wine.
I’ve already seen some leaves falling off the trees. At first I became sad and anxious, but then I became slightly excited for what is to come…sweaters and fall food!
Squashes, apples and comfort food are some of my favourite things of fall. I get excited for the days when we can make apple crumbles and eat them outside with a cup of coffee and a blanket. Here are a couple recipes for quick dishes to make on the side of dinner or ones that could even be the main course for your meal.
This first recipe is a great way to use all of the produce currently in season. You can find most of these things at the farmers’ market or at grocery stores throughout the city. You can always roast vegetables and add them to a green salad to change the texture of the whole dish. Root vegetables are something that are always available, especially during the winter months, so they are pretty much my go to when picking veggies to roast. Sometimes I even like to make a whole salad of just roasted vegetables and serve it by itself.
I think a leafy salad is almost like a blank canvas to add whatever ingredients you want to make it different. Feel free to mix up the ingredients as the seasons change, adding and subtracting different fruits and vegetables as they become available.
LATE SUMMER SALAD
4 Carrots, peeled, cut into wedges and roasted
*I did mine for 20 minutes at 375F with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper
2 Peaches, peeled and cut into thin strips (julienne cut)
3 Radishes, washed and cut into thin strips (julienne cut)
1 head Radicchio, cut into wedges and roasted
*I did these for 10 minutes at 375F with oil, salt and pepper, just to get a bit of char on them
Lettuce greens, arugula, romaine lettuce
5 basil leaves, torn and tossed in at the last second
Dressing:
3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Jam (whatever kind you got, maybe strawberry or peach)
125ml Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
*You can add avocado, eggs, bacon bits or some nuts too, to add more protein to the salad
Roast carrots in the oven and allow them to fully cool down before mixing them into the salad
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and toss with salt and pepper
Add the dressing and serve
I love blended soups. You can use up so many items in your fridge when you are making it, even the ones that might be close to going bad. Vegetables might have to be cleaned a bit more and the brown bits might need to be cut off from the fruit, but it still can be used in a soup. Once all the ingredients are in the pot and blended up, no one will ever notice the flaws.
With that being said, here is an easy recipe for a blended squash soup. Try it on a rainy or sunny day with some fresh bread from the market and butter. It’s a classic and I know it’s probably played out, but who cares? It’s probably played out because it really does still taste great and becomes a staple in most kitchens through the colder months.
SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP
I Butternut squash, cubed
2 Pieces of old celery (I didn’t even bother cutting off the browning ends)
2 Piece carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
1 Onion, cut into medium dice
3 Apples, peeled and cut into large cubes
¼ cup White wine
5 litres Water
1 sprig dried rosemary
1 Bay leaf
2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
4 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Smoked paprika
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
In a large pot, add oil on medium heat
Add in celery, onion, carrots and brown well
Add squash, apple and garlic
Once the vegetables are brown, deglaze the pan with the wine
Add the water and bring to a boil
Add all herbs and paprika
Cook on low heat for about 45 minutes or until all the contents are soft
Using a hand blender, blend until fine and place back on the heat (this is the time when you can choose to cook it down more, depending on the consistency of the soup you would like)
*I reduced mine slightly because I thought it was too thinAdd yogurt, season and serve
Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and good olive oil
*if the soup needs a bit of sweetness you can always add a bit of maple syrup
