Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1 leek (or onion), white and green parts only, quartered lengthwise, sliced thin
• Salt and pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 - 2 cups water
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne pepper
• sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Microwave squash in a covered bowl until paring knife glides easily through the flesh, 14 to 18 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer squash to colander set in bowl and drain for 5 minutes; reserve liquid.

2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, leek, and at most 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until squash pieces begin to break down and brown fond forms in bottom of pot, 10 to 13 minutes. Make sure not to let it burn at this stage.

3. Add 2 cups broth and scrape bottom of pot to incorporate fond. Add the remaining 2 cups broth, reserved squash liquid, 1 cup water, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and cayenne. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are fully tender, about 6 minutes.

4. Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Use immersion blender to process soup until smooth, thinning with up to 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve with sour cream if desired.

Adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe. 

Fresh Berry Gratin

INGREDIENTS

• Fruit Mixture  
• 4 cups berries e.g. raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, (hulled and left whole if small, halved if medium, quartered if large)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Kirsch, Cointreau, other fruit brandy
• pinch table salt
• Topping  
• 3 slices bread, torn into quarters
• 2+ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• pinch ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Toss fruit gently with sugar, cointreau, and salt in medium nonreactive bowl and transfer to 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan.
2. 2. Pulse bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over fruit and bake until crumbs are deep golden brown and fruit is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes and serve.

Rice Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

For rice:

1.5 cups brown rice

2 tsp salt

2 tsp lime juice

For mix:
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, minced
5 scallions, sliced thin

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add rice and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Drain rice, transfer to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, and spread into even layer. Drizzle rice with lime juice and let cool about 15 minutes.
2.  2. Whisk olive oil, honey, garlic, lime zest and juice, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Transfer cooled rice to large bowl. Add tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, and dressing; toss to combine. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. 3. Add ¼ cup scallions and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining scallions and serve.

Filet Mignon and Cognac pan sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 4center cut filet mignons, 1 1/2 inches thick, 7 to 8 ounces each, dried thoroughly with paper towels
• 4-8teaspoons olive oil (try 2t per steak to prevent burning)
• salt and ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Place rimmed baking sheet on lower middle position in oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (not nonstick) over medium or medium high heat on stovetop until very hot, about 2-3 minutes (do NOT heat on high in our stainless steel pan - the steaks will burn).
2. 2. Meanwhile, rub each side of steaks with 1/2 or 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place steaks in skillet and cook, without moving steaks, until well-browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn steaks with tongs and cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, and use tongs to transfer steaks to hot baking sheet in oven.
3. 3. Roast 2 to 4 minutes for very rare (cherry red center), 4 to 6 minutes for rare (red centers), or 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare (pink centers). Transfer steaks to large plate; loosely tent with foil, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.
   
   
   After transferring steaks to oven, proceed with the pan sauce:
   
   

   INGREDIENTS for 4 steaks

   • 2shallots or  some red onion, really minced or put through garlic press (about 1/4 cup)
   • 1teaspoon brown sugar
   • 1/4cup Cognac
   • 3/4cup chicken broth
   • 1tablespoon lemon juice
   • 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
   • 3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
   • 2teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
   • salt and ground pepper

   INSTRUCTIONS

   1. 1. To the same skillet used to cook steaks (do not clean skillet or discard accumulated fat), add shallots and sugar off heat; using pan’s residual heat, cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are slightly softened and browned and sugar is melted, about 45 seconds.
      2. Return skillet to high heat, add cognac and broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes.
      3. Add lemon juice and mustard; cook to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer.
      4. Off heat, whisk in butter until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy. Add tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper; spoon over steaks and serve immediately.
      
      Notes:
      - This sauce comes out rather sweet and would be good over poultry or pork as well. Maybe tone this down for filet mignon: less mustard and more chicken broth.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

Biscuit Mixture:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening or lard

Berry Mixture: 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter or lard 
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries 
1 cup fresh huckleberries, or raspberries 
1 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 
2 tablespoons whiskey 
1 recipe Sweet Biscuit Mix, recipe follows 
3/4 cup water Confectioners' sugar, for garnish 
Sweetened Cream, for accompaniment


Preheat the grill to medium high, or an oven to 375 degrees F. Place the butter or lard in a small, round cast iron Dutch or camp oven (5 to 6 quarts), or large cast iron skillet and place over the grill or in the oven to melt. Remove from the heat.

For berries: 
In a bowl, toss the fruit with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and whiskey. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

For biscuits:
In a different bowl, combine all the ingredients except the shortening in a bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle in the water and mix until just combined. Pat out the dough into a large round and place in the bottom and up the sides of the pot or skillet.

Spoon the fruit mixture over the dough and cover with any juices. Place on the grill, or in the oven and bake until the dough is golden brown and risen, and the fruit is bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. 

Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with sweetened cream, if desired.