Just like my Kale and Brussels Salad Base for All Winter Long, this recipe is simple and versatile, and just as good (if not better) made a few days in advance. The zest of both orange and lemon imparts a welcome brightness during these colder winter months, the shallot and scallions just enough bite, and the parsley a touch of green.
KALE PESTO PASTA WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND MINT
Kale and squash are two of my kitchen staples in the fall and winter. In fact, they have already been so heavily in rotation around here that you’d think I was on a mission to see how quickly I can burn myself out. (For the record, I’m not even close.)
While they are a perfect match in salad, sometimes a girl just wants pasta – kale pesto pasta with roasted butternut squash and mint to be exact. The kale lends its signature grassy flavor to the pesto, which is captured by the curves and grooves of al dente fusilli. The deeply roasted butternut squash provides caramelized sweetness and the mint a hit of freshness.
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RED WINE BRAISED LAMB AND FIGS
With temperatures finally dipping down into true fall territory here in New York City, we’re entering my favorite cooking season. (Note, I did not just say “season” there, I prefaced it with cooking. These shorter, cooler days? No, no, no, I don’t like where this is headed.)
Our farmers markets are still stocked with tomatoes and eggplant, those beauties of late summer. But tables are also laden with winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, kale and other cold weather produce.
On top of that, it doesn’t seem sacrilegious to have my oven on for hours at a time. In fact, I want to have it on for hours to combat the cold air seeping through my windows and to fill my home with the comforting smells of something delicious. That’s exactly what inspired this recipe: red wine braised lamb and figs.
Hygge Holiday Mulled Wine
Being Scandinavian, I was raised on my father’s stories of his childhood in Sweden. He described long winters accented by warm and comforting meals, lots of social interaction, and a good amount of singing. I remember my grandfather bouncing me on his knees while singing to me in Swedish, mocking me for disliking herring and deeming me “knickity pickity.” He called me this as if it were my name, accompanied with a devilish grin and a poke in the ribs. (If only he could see me now, and understand how deeply I took his insult to heart by forcing myself to become the adventurous eater and cook that I am today.)
Nordic people have a beautiful outlook on life. A big part of that is something called hygge, a concept that is hard to grasp and difficult to define:
“Generally, hygge is defined as a feeling or mood of comfort, wellbeing, coziness, happiness, charm, safety, friendship. Simplicity, pleasure or intimacy. Hygge means living in the moment, savoring all that it has to offer.”
I try my hardest to embrace this part of my heritage, especially during the holidays. I light candles and put up twinkly lights, savor every moment spent with family and friends, and make dishes that fill my home with familiar scents and memories of holidays past. Food is central to hygge afterall.
But beverages can be hygge too! What is a dense shortbread cookie without eggnog to chase it with? How can one send wishes of good health without a toast to raise in accompaniment? Beverages, especially ones spiked with a little something extra special, refresh the palette, warm the soul and add to the jolly mood of all holiday social gatherings.
Every Christmas since I can remember, the evening’s focal point has been a slow-simmered mulled wine called Glogg. This is a Swedish holiday tradition that I refuse to skip. The concoction is warm from spices, barely sweetened by dried fruit, and deeply nutty from the addition of slivered almonds. It is also deceivingly strong due to the addition of vodka. This combats the loss of alcohol content when cooking the wine, or so my ancestors say. All of this goes into a pot over low heat to marry the ingredients together. The biggest obstacle is being patient enough to wait until it is ready!
So, for this holiday, my gift from me to you is my own family recipe for Swedish mulled wine.
With Love, Kristina
Ingredients
- 2 bottles dry red wine
- 2 cups aquavit or vodka
- 8 oz chopped dried figs
- 2 oranges peeled without the pith
- 10 whole cloves
- 6 cardamon pods
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 1/2 cup sugar
Method
- Pour the wine and the vodka into a pot and heat on very low, just below a simmer.
- Add the chopped orange peel, dried fruit and spices to the mixture and continue to cook on low for two hours in order to let the flavors marry.
- Stir in the sugar until dissolved and adjust to taste.
Pumpkin Pie Spice and Everything Nice!
There are a lot of things I love about the fall. Football, colorful crunchy leaves, thick socks and most of all – the abundance of pumpkin EVERYTHING. As I was going through Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cook book, “Sweet”, I stumbled upon a delish spice cake recipe that uses pumpkin pie spice! So in the spirit of Halloween, I had to test it.
Growing up, my mom would make the most delicious spice cakes every year (she’s an amazing baker and constantly gets asked to make her famous rum cakes, spice cakes and chocolate rolls). So, as I try to channel my mom and Ottolenghi, here is what I came up with! Of course I had to give it a flare, so I added toasted hazelnuts, fresh sage and dates to the batter. And let me tell you, the kitchen smelled AMAZING.
Recipe
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
¾ packed cup dark brown sugar
¾ packed cup light brown sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 heaping tsp pumpkin pie spice (YUM)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple cider vin
Rian’s Mix In’s (add anything you like! )
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
½ cup sliced dates
1 tsp flour
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Grease a standard 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
- Place the butter, sugars and orange zest in a bowl and beat until lightened and smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth
4. In another separate bowl (lots of bowls!), sift the flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt together.
5. In alternate batches, slowly mix the egg mixture and flour mixture in with the butter and sugars. When almost combined, stir the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl until it fizzes and add to the mixture.
6. In my version of the recipe, I added in toasted hazelnuts, dates and chopped sage to the batter! Stir the additional ingredients with a pinch of flour. This will ensure that they won’t sink to the bottom of the cake. Mix to combine.
7. Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.
8. Allow the cake to cool and serve with a glass of wine or a hot coffee (I prefer the wine). I smothered mine with homemade butternut squash and cream cheese icing, but the cake itself can stand alone. Enjoy! And have the happiest Halloween!!
xoxo,
Rian