In the Hands of a Chef (17 page)

T
he dominant flavors in this
dish come from the caramelization of the vegetables themselves, brought into sharp focus by a mixture of fresh herbs sprinkled on the dish
after
the roasting. Vegetables roasted with herbs take on the flavor; if the herbs—especially distinctive herbs like sage and rosemary—are added later, they stand apart, like little bright lights of flavor drawing attention to the main attraction. The pomegranate seeds in this dish contribute both tartness and visual appeal—my kids love them.

MAKES 4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS

1 medium red onion, skin on, cut lengthwise into quarters

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters

4 small Red Bliss potatoes, washed and cut in half

4 medium beets, trimmed of greens, scrubbed, and quartered

4 small white turnips, peeled and cut in half

1 small acorn or dumpling squash, halved, seeded, and cut into eighths

2 heads garlic, cut in half across the cloves

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme)

¼ cup pomegranate seeds

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Toss the onion, potatoes, beets, turnips, squash, and garlic with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a shallow baking pan and roast for 30 minutes. The vegetables will cook at slightly different rates—the squash and potatoes will cook the fastest; the beets will take longest. After 30 minutes, remove any vegetables that have become golden brown and tender. Keep them warm atop the stove as the remainder continues cooking. Check every 10 minutes after the first 30 minutes have elapsed. The total cooking time will be between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes.

3.
When all the vegetables are done, slip the skins off the beets (see page 103), if desired. Remove the skin from the onion. Arrange the vegetables on a warm platter and sprinkle with the fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

E
ven when not cooked to
death, boiled broccoli and cauliflower taste insipid to me. But roasting, ah, … roasting is another story. Roasted, these vegetables actually taste as if they’re meeting other ingredients halfway. I can’t stand boiled broccoli with cheese sauce, but roasted broccoli dusted with a little Parmigiano-Reggiano is a ticket to culinary heaven. A complex, nutlike flavor emerges in roasted cauliflower that is completely absent in the boiled vegetable. Roasting elevates cauliflower to a partner with curry, instead of simply a medium for a creamed curry sauce.

MAKES 4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS

1 pound broccoli

1 pound cauliflower

1 small red onion

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut the flowerets from the stems of the broccoli. Peel the stems and cut into 3-inch lengths. If the stems are more than an inch thick, split them lengthwise. Cut the cauliflower into small flowerets. Peel the onion and cut into Hi-inch-thick slices.

3.
Put the vegetables into a bowl and toss with the garlic, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Season with salt.

4.
Arrange the vegetables in a single layer in a roasting pan and place in the middle of the oven. After 20 minutes, toss the vegetables so they will cook evenly. Continue roasting until all the vegetables are tender and browned, about another 20 minutes. Serve.

I
f we ever decide to
sell our house, I’ll have this gratin warming in the oven when prospective buyers drop by. The aroma of baking pears, celery root, and potatoes with cream and cheese generates an irresistible atmosphere of comfort. A specialty of the French alpine region of Savoie, gratins were designed to take advantage of the heat of a cooling bread oven. Thinly sliced autumn and winter vegetables would be layered in a shallow ceramic or glazed earthenware dish, covered with heavy cream or broth, and baked uncovered at a low temperature until the liquid was completely absorbed. This gratin could serve as the main course of a meal for 6, or more as a side dish.

I’ve made some adjustments, using a deeper baking dish than usual and cutting the typical 4 cups of cream back to 2 since most of us won’t have the opportunity of working off the previous night’s dinner by milking a herd of cows or setting off on an alpine trek the next morning.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
A 3-quart baking dish is essential for this recipe. You need at least 1½ inches of space between the top of the vegetables and the rim of the dish. This is to accommodate the 4½ cups of liquid that are added after the gratin is constructed, as well as the layer of plastic wrap and foil that need to be pressed down on top of the gratin.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, and swirled vigorously in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices (or see the variation that follows)

3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced? inch thick

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 celery root (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick

2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (6 to 8 ounces)

1½ cups cooked and peeled chestnuts (see page 244); If you can’t get chestnuts, substitute 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

1 fennel bulb, trimmed of stalks and tough outer layers, cut lengthwise in half, cored, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

1 pound winter squash (butternut, buttercup, or Hubbard), peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick

1 cup dried cranberries, soaked in ¼ cup warm water

2½ cups milk

2 cups cream

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When it
has melted, add the leeks and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

3.
Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then heat 2 more tablespoons butter over medium heat. As soon as it melts add the pears and sauté until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4.
Rub the bottom and sides of a 3-quart baking dish with the final tablespoon of butter. Layer half the potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of the sage. As you add each subsequent layer, season it the same way. Use all of the leeks for the next layer, followed by all of the celery root. Top with 1 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with the chestnuts, then use the fennel, squash, cranberries, and pears for the subsequent layers. Finish with the remaining potatoes. Pour the milk over the top of the gratin. Press a layer of plastic wrap against the potatoes, then follow it with a layer of aluminum foil, tucking the foil around the edges so it both sits on the gratin and is fastened snugly to the dish. The plastic wrap will prevent the potatoes from drying out.

5.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven. Carefully peel back a corner of the foil and plastic wrap and pour the cream over the top of the gratin, then replace the wrap and foil. Bake for 30 minutes longer.

6.
Remove the foil and plastic wrap. The tip of a sharp knife should easily penetrate the gratin without any resistance; if the vegetables are still somewhat firm, cook for another 15 minutes and test with a knife again. Sprinkle the gratin with the remaining 1 cup cheese and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese has formed a golden crust.

7.
Allow the gratin to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Gratin with Caramelized Pears

If you love pears, you can prepare a spectacular variation on this gratin by substituting a topping of roasted caramelized pear halves in place of the layer of sautéed pears. Peel 8 Bosc pears, cut them in half, scoop out the cores, and toss with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the pears cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 450°F until they are tender and the cut sides are a deep caramelized brown, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use (you can prepare them a day ahead).

Prepare the gratin, omitting the layer of sautéed pears. While the gratin is baking, allow the caramelized pear halves to come to room temperature. After adding the final cup of cheese in Step 6, top with pear halves and return to the oven for 10 minutes, then run it under the broiler for another 3 minutes to bring up the color in the pears.

T
urnips and chestnuts and prunes,
oh, my. At various times, I’ve matched each of these ingredients with duck. To bring all of them together in the same duck preparation would seem like inviting jealous suitors to dinner on the same night, an invitation to a fight. But without the duck’s powerful attraction, the turnips and chestnuts and prunes discover they have quite a bit in common, especially with the help of a Madeira glaze. Be sure to reduce the liquid in the pan to just a glaze, or the dish will taste unfinished.

When buying turnips, select those that feel dense and heavy for their size, whether small or large. The fresher the turnip, the heavier it feels. In the spring and fall, this isn’t a problem because young turnips between 4 and 6 ounces are readily available at farmers’ markets and high-quality produce departments. In the late fall and winter, however, the only available turnips tend to be larger—and older. Avoid turnips that are spongy, feel light, or are heavily scarred from knocking around in storage.

This recipe easily doubles or triples, if you’re considering serving it at a holiday meal. Leftovers reheat well. You can also chop them coarsely and mix with an equal amount of bread crumbs for an impromptu stuffing for chicken or Cornish game hens.

MAKES 4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 small purple-top turnips (about 1½ pounds), peeled and cut into quarters

8 chestnuts, cooked and peeled (see page 244)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

4 sage leaves

½ cup Madeira

1 cup Chicken Stock (page 31) or high-quality canned low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup pitted prunes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DO AHEAD:
The turnips can be peeled a few hours in advance, but keep them covered with water. If exposed to air, they’ll discolor.

1.
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the turnips and chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add the shallot, sugar, and sage, toss to coat the turnips, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Madeira and cook for 3 more minutes or until it has reduced by half. Remove the chestnuts and set aside. Add the chicken stock, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the turnips are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch the pan carefully. By the time the turnips are done, the liquid should have reduced to a glaze. If not, remove the turnips and continue reducing the liquid until only a glaze remains, then return the turnips to the pan.

3.
Return the chestnuts to the pan. Add the prunes. Stir until everything is heated through. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

I
remember when Dean
&
DeLuca, a
New York gourmet store, introduced sun-dried tomatoes from San Remo almost twenty years ago. No other single food product in my experience has been embraced with such enthusiasm or proven so enduring.

Sun-dried tomatoes piqued my interest in other techniques for preserving tomatoes, especially slow-roasting and slow-braising (see the next recipe). Unlike that of their sun-dried cousins, the flesh of tomatoes roasted in the oven for several hours at a low temperature is still juicy; something of their freshness still lingers. “SDT"s are like dried porcini—they need to be restored or used in a medium that will restore them.
Slow-roasted,
tomatoes are like prunes—they’re fine as they are. Their texture reminds me of the strawberries in strawberry jam. In fact, one of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is slow-roasted tomatoes spread on toasted Italian bread, with a little salt. We use them in pasta and salads, as a side dish for a picnic with bread and cheese, as a topping for pizza, and as a special addition to baked fish dishes.