Kitchen Shrink: Kicking off autumn with some fun food games - Del Mar Times

As temps drop, days shrink, and chilly breezes bluster in, many of us wallow in the seasonal blues. Instead, let's celebrate the harvest with a rich bounty of hearty roots, fruits, and gourds, robust cheeses, and treasures from the sea all emblematic of autumn. Now let's play fall!

Catharine Kaufman

(File photo)

Go Fish

I still remember the first time I indulged in a spiny lobster dinner served Puerto Nuevo-style (deep-fried in lard) with pico de gallo and ramekin of clarified butter while vacationing along the Baja Coast many years ago. My jaw dropped in both awe and disappointment—alas, the claws were absent in this warm-water species. Yet the tail that practically played a mariachi song in my mouth more than compensated for the missing appendages These delightful crustaceans aka rock lobsters are abundant in early autumn caught fresh in San Diego Bay and ocean waters off Point Loma. So, get crackin' with a scrumptious, protein-packed, low-fat grilled or steamed spiny while they're good and plenty. These delicacies are loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s, iron, magnesium, B vitamins to ratchet-up brain health and mellow out jitters, zinc to boost immunity, and selenium for optimum thyroid functions.

Bobbing for Apples

Sink your teeth into an aromatic Pink Lady, tart Granny Smith, delicate Honeycrisp, or one from the exciting crop of new hybrids like the super sweet and crunchy Cosmic Crisp, stunning magenta-skinned Pacific Rose, and SnapDragon exuding spicy vanilla notes all carrying a diabetic-friendly, low-glycemic load. They're also a great source of antioxidants, especially the Northern Spy and Ida Red varieties with an anti-cancer crunch concentrated in apples' peels.

Endowed with the richest source of pectin of all fruits, apples have been found to lower bad cholesterol levels, and reduce high blood pressure. Rich in quercetin, the mighty pomme acts as a histamine buster to ease some allergic reactions. So "an apple a day does keep the doctor away," as J.T. Stinson professed.

To stave off cut apples from turning brown, dip in a solution of one-part lemon juice and three-parts water.

(Cheese) Board Games

To pick the best autumn cheeses for an impressive charcuterie board follow the wedding proverb—something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Mix it up with a variety of semi-soft and hard cheeses from cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk along with plant-based options. For something old select a savory aged Cheddar or Gouda like Teffenhardt with caramel nuances and a nice bite. Something new from the many non-dairy offerings, typically crafted from almond and cashew-milk bases, pea protein, tofu, or coconut oil. Something borrowed from the alps of Italy, France, and Switzerland, especially the dense and tangy Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gruyere, and Appenzeller. As for something blue, try the fudgy Bayley Hazen Blue from raw whole cow's milk, or other savory, peppery autumn-aged blues.

Pickleball, Anyone?

The time is ripe to pick a peck of pickled peppers, along with cucumbers, beets, peaches, apples, pearl onions, green tomatoes, and watermelon rinds to preserve the summer and early fall harvest, and enliven everything from burgers and brats to lobster rolls and even ice cream (for pregnant cravings). One of the oldest methods of food preservation, pickling traces back 5,000 years when Mesopotamians soaked vegetables and fruits in briny baths of salt, vinegar, herbs, and spices until they became nicely fermented.

Today, pickled delights are king of condiments with a diverse line-up to suit sweet, sour, tangy, and spicy palates using any amalgam of pickling spices and liquids, including bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice, cardamon, crushed chilis, sugar, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and cider vinegar.

Let's Play Squash

Winter squashes have invaded farmer's markets, pulling you in with the interesting assortment of shapes, colors, and textures:

The ever-popular Acorn, palm-sized with delicate, nutty nuances makes an elegant side stuffed with assorted grains, wild mushrooms, cheeses, or dried fruits showing off its golden-colored flesh;

 Spaghetti squash with pale, creamy flesh lacks the typical sweetness of other winter squashes making it suitable for savory dishes. It beautifully blossoms into a mound of noodle-like strands when cooked, frequently served like its namesake pasta topped with marinara and shredded Parmesan;

The mild-flavored Delicata reminiscent of sweet potatoes and resembling a large, green-striped banana makes a nice change-up, whether stuffed and roasted, shredded in green salads, or sliced shoestring and baked or fried;

 The super-sized Hubbard bursts with big and bold flavors in its sweet, vibrantly orange flesh similar to a sugar pumpkin. Hubbard stands up well in soups, stews, quick breads, and pies;

Japanese Kabocha, a squat, dark green pumpkin doppelganger boasts high levels of antioxidants from the bright orange flesh with a nutty, pungent kick, versatile in both sweet and savory dishes;

Turban squash, which brings to mind a cockeyed and flamboyant version of the headdress, enhances holiday tablescapes;

Delicate Butternut pairs well with autumn spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves). This beige-skinned, pear-shaped beauty lends well to purees and soups as it lacks the stringy fibers of its squash siblings;

Now the Buttercup, a squat, green-skinned gourd with sweet, nutty, dense flesh gives an oomph to casseroles, baked goods, and this divine soup (recipe below) that encapsulates autumn in a steamy bowl.

Buttercup squash soup

(Courtesy of Chef Bernard Guillas and Gregory Bertolini)

Buttercup Squash Soup

Serves 6

2-tablespoons butter

½-cup minced shallots

2-tablespoons brown sugar

¼-teaspoon (each) ground cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cayenne

pepper

2 3-pound buttercup squash, peeled, seeded, chopped

2-quarts vegetable stock

1-cup white wine

1 stalk lemongrass, split

¼-cup maple syrup

1-teaspoon grated fresh ginger

¼-cup heavy cream

to taste sea salt and ground white pepper

In large pot over medium heat melt butter. Add shallots, sugar, and spices. Cook 2 minutes without browning.

Add squash, stock, wine, and lemongrass. Bring to simmer. Cook 25 minutes or until squash is tender. Discard lemongrass. Puree soup in blender until smooth. Strain through sieve into pot.

Whisk in maple syrup, ginger, cream. Bring back to simmer. Season to taste. Ladle into warm shallow bowls. Place dollop of rock lobster salad in center (see recipe in this column online at delmartimes.net).

— Courtesy of Chef Bernard Guillas