MORE FLAVOR NO FUSS
5-ingredient recipes showcase fall in a jiffy
Relax. It’s autumn. Time to grab your hiking boots and enjoy a leisurely walk through vivid tree-lined trails. Perhaps you’d rather see the colors from a different perspective, on a final peaceful excursion by kayak or paddleboard before the snow flies. And, of course, a few trips to the orchard or farmers market to peruse that fresh fall produce you’ve been waiting for all year are also in order. With so many fun-filled activities awaiting you, setting aside time to cook up that basket of fall apples, pears and root vegetables might not make your to-do list. So let the foods of the season shine by using recipes that focus more on flavor and less on fuss. With just five ingredients each, and a minimum of time and effort, you can create five easy, delicious dishes that say “hello, autumn!”
Start with a salad
Brussels sprouts have been enjoying a culinary resurgence. Steamed, roasted or raw, these delicious cabbage-shaped autumn gems are a sure sign that fall is in the air.
If you visit a farmers market, you may even find sprouts on the stalk. At home, grab a paring knife and carefully cut off each sprout, ending with a good rinse under cool water in a strainer. Uninvited guests (bugs, that is) love to take refuge between those bright green sprouts.
A raw salad is a perfect way to enjoy their full flavor. Trim off the tough ends and then cut them in half. The sprouts will need to be very thinly sliced for a raw salad. Make the job a snap by using a food processor fitted with a slicing attachment.
All that’s left to do is whisk together a simple lemon and olive oil dressing. Add some chopped walnuts or pecans along with some grated Parmesan cheese and the perfect fall salad is ready in a snap.
The best part? It gets even better sitting in the fridge for a day.
Warm up with a panini
A warm grilled sandwich can make the perfect fall lunch or light dinner. Thinly sliced prosciutto, creamy fontina cheese and sliced ripe pears create a winning panini combination. Pears like D’Anjou or Bartlett hold up well to heat, making them a good selection. Look for pears that are blemish-free and slightly firm to the touch.
Fancy panini sandwich presses are available online as well at a variety of culinary stores. If you happen to have one, butter up those panini and get pressing.
No panini maker? No problem. Create your own stovetop version by using a heavy pan (cast iron works great). Place the panini in a hot pan coated with melted butter. Place another heavy pan or pot on top to create a makeshift press. Flip the sandwich and cook the other side.
For distinctive grill marks on your stovetop panini, use a heavy grill pan.
Dress up a sweet potato
With a few simple cuts of the knife and a pair of chopsticks, a lowly sweet potato can be transformed into a gourmet-looking side: Hasselback sweet potatoes.
Cutting 1/8-inch slices almost all the way through a potato creates an accordion-looking spud.
The cutting technique is easy. Place two wooden chopsticks horizontally on a cutting board, about 2 inches apart. Set the potato horizontally between the chopsticks, each side resting against a stick. As the knife blade goes through the potato to make a cut, the blade will stop when it meets the chopstick, ensuring that the cut does not go all the way through.
The unusual name is derived from the potato’s origin at the Hasselbacken Hotel Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.
The potatoes can be prepared in a savory version with melted butter, garlic, herbs and cheese, or a sweeter version with maple-infused butter and chopped nuts. Use a pastry brush to evenly distribute the flavored butter of your choice between the potato slices, then bake.
Not crazy about sweet potatoes? Both hasselback potato recipes can be used with almost any type of potato. Depending on size, the roasting time may need to be adjusted. Look for larger oblong potatoes. Cutting will be easier with a larger potato, and the end result will be more dramatic.
Just wing it
Certain aromas alert your senses that it is fall: the fragrant burning of a bonfire, the scent of cinnamon and cloves from a warm cup of apple cider and, of course, the sweet smell of pigskin. With autumn, football season is finally here.
For the perfect football-watching spread, let chicken wings take center field. Make an easy wing glaze that’ s both sweet and savory by combining whole cranberry sauce, dried cumin, lime zest and juice and chopped cilantro.
For wing selection, look for pieces labeled party wings or drumettes. The whole chicken wing is divided into three sections: the tip, flat wingette and the drumette.
The drumette is the largest portion of the wing and gets its name because it looks like a small chicken leg. There is one main piece of bone in the middle and a high ratio of meat to skin, making the piece the meatiest and easiest part of the wing to devour.
Marinate the wings in half the cranberry mixture for 30 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet pan and bake, followed by a quick finish under the broiler.
Apples are a must
What better way to finish a meal than with a bowl full of warm apple crisp laced with fall spices and a crisp oatmeal topping? Better yet, bake it in that cast-iron skillet that’s been stuck in the kitchen cabinet all summer.
Look for firm baking apples like Pippin, Cortland, Braeburn or Granny Smith. Unsalted butter, whole oats and brown sugar make up the crispy topping.
Get all the flavors of autumn in one container by having pumpkin pie spice in your cupboard. The blend of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and ginger is an essential addition to any fall dessert recipe.
The easy-to-make apple crisp benefits from one additional ingredient: a generous mound of vanilla ice cream. I doubt anyone will say “no” to that final sixth ingredient.