The upside of fall's arrival for me is, of course, food-related. There is nothing more comforting on an evening that seems not just chilly, but prematurely dark, than a steaming hot plateful of something that has been simmering in the slow-cooker all day. So Heather, that is why this post is dedicated to you my dear. At least you will have something tasty and warm to look forward after you turn off that heater at work, and drive home :-)
The recipe comes from a book I recently bought called Simply Organic, by Jesse Ziff Cool. For those of you who are local, she is the one who owns the Flea Street Café in Menlo Park. The book was recommended to me (thanks Janel!) because although I would love to cook more seasonally, I don't always feel like I know how - what is in season when? And for convenience purposes, much of my shopping is done in a supermarket, where you can get most things year round, whether that is appropriate or not. This book, unlike most, is written by season, so for example, the recipe below comes from the section on 'Indian Summer'. Great idea, and some lovely looking recipes.
I served the dish with a side of soft polenta and some roasted delicata squash, which I have put recipes for below, as they went together beautifully. I have the October issue of Cooking Light to thank for the squash recipe.
Enjoy, and stay warm :-)
Harvest Pot Roast
Serves 8
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
12 oz mushrooms, quartered or thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup ketchup
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 chuck roast, about 3lbs, trimmed of visible fat
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1. Combine onion, carrots, mushroom, garlic and tomatoes in the slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Top the vegetables with half of this sauce.
3. Place the roast over the vegetables, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread remaining sauce over the beef.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
5. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing, and serve drizzled with sauce and vegetables from slow cooker.
Soft Polenta
Serves 8
3 cups water
3 3/4 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups coarse polenta/cornmeal
3 TBSP fresh grated parmesan
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water, milk and salt to a boil.
2. Gradually stir in polenta in a steady stream.
3. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and blended, and bubbles like lava (about 5 minutes)
4. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, while the mixture bubbles and thickens, and the grains become tender and creamy. This should take 20-30 minutes.
5. Stir in parmesan and serve.
Roasted Delicata Squash with Red Onions
Serves 6
1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 TBSP honey
2 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 12 oz delicate squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2" slices (no need to peel!)
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
cooking spray
3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add squash and onion and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle in 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper.
3. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet, coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until squash is tender, turning once halfway through.
5. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper and parsley before serving.
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