I cook with wine…

This is one I should have posted long ago, when persimmons were in season. I’m actually fairly new to this fruit and have generally just eaten them raw, ideally wrapped inside some prosciutto. However, I found myself craving pie and thought these little Fuyu beauties would pair well with apples, for a new twist on an American classic. Since neither fruit is terribly sweet and I wanted to keep the filling low on sugar, I did overindulge a bit with a sweet and crunchy topping. If you’d like to keep it low sugar, I believe some strips of pastry topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon would do just as well.

Ingredients:

One frozen pie crust (I used a whole wheat version found at Whole Foods)

Filling

2 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 persimmons, peeled, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour (you can sub all-purpose)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

1 cup pecans, chopped

¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (same as above)

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together all filling ingredients and pour into pie crust, spreading evenly.

Combine all the dry topping ingredients in a large bowl and then cut in butter, using a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread evenly over the top of pie.

Bake in over for approximately 25 minutes or until topping is browned. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Bon appétit!

I was tasked with bringing something healthy and vegetarian to a Super Bowl party this past Sunday. I had already planned a big trip to the farmers market on Saturday, so I also chose to stick with seasonally appropriate ingredients. Here were the delicious results of this quest. Apologies for the lack of pictures, I was running a little too late to take time to photograph.

Ingredients:

Salad

1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

2 large carrots, sliced into ½ inch thick disks

1 pound (approximately) Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and sliced in half

5-6 medium-sized golden Yukon potatoes

2 bunches kale, cut into approximately 2-inch squares

Olive oil

Sea salt

Dressing

1 head garlic

Juice of three lemons

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

¼ cup grated parmesan

1 red onion, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the top off of the garlic, exposing the tips of the cloves. Place in a large enough square of aluminum foil to cover and pour a tablespoon of olive oil on top. Wrap foil around garlic and place in the oven. Roast for approximately 45 minutes or until cloves are soft and light brown in color.

Meanwhile, toss the kale with approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few dashes of sea salt. Spread evenly over two large baking sheets and cook in the preheated over for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Remove kale from oven, place in a large bowl to cool.

Toss the rest of the vegetables with approximately 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a few more dashes of sea salt. Spread evenly over the two baking sheets. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cauliflower begins to brown and potatoes are soft. Remove from over and let cool.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Chop roasted garlic into very small pieces. Mix onion and garlic with lemon juice, tahini, and parmesan. Add salt and pepper and adjust any other elements of the dressing to suit your specific taste.

Combine vegetables and dressing in a large bowl and toss to coat. Serve with an additional sprinkling of parmesan cheese, if desired. Can be served warm or cold.