COOK AT HOME

Let Vegetables Steal the Show

Photos by Sunny Frantz

Roast turkey. Spiral ham. Roast beef. Leg of lamb. I’ll never understand why our winter tables always put meat front and center, and shove vegetables off to the side. I might be biased (I am an organic vegetable farmer after all), but even in winter, I believe seasonal vegetable dishes deserve the spotlight a little more often. With their vibrant colors, varied textures and playful flavor combinations, these vegetable platters are sure to make your winter gatherings a whole lot more interesting.

No holiday feast in Wisconsin is complete without a relish tray. I was brought up with a sprawling relish tray served as an appetizer at every party and honestly, I loved it. But as I’ve grown older, I can’t help but wonder why we serve broccoli red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes on our relish trays twelve months of the year. It’s time for something more seasonal.

Serves 6–8 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 90 minutes (if making all three spreads)

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sweet potato, halved and cut into ½-inch slices 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise if large ¼ cup olive oil, divided ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved ½ baguette, sliced Quick Pickled Beets (recipe follows) Cashew Aioli (recipe follows) Walnut Mushroom Pâté (recipe follows) Garlic Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows) 1 bunch radishes, greens removed, roots thinly sliced 2–3 watermelon radishes, halved and thinly sliced 8 carrots, quartered Crackers, optional Microgreens, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 2. On one sheet pan, toss the sweet potato and fingerling potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. On a second sheet pan, toss the Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, toss and roast until the edges of all veggies are crisp, about 10–15 minutes longer. You may need to remove the pan of Brussels a couple minutes before the potatoes. 3. To make the crostini, add the baguette slices to an additional baking sheet (or combine all roasted vegetables on one sheet when finished). Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. 4. Pour the pickled beets and spreads into serving bowls and place them on a very large platter. Add the roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes and Brussels to the platter while still warm. Lastly, add the crostini, radishes and carrots, as well as the crackers and microgreens.

Quick Pickled Beets

INGREDIENTS

2 medium beets, peeled and very thinly sliced 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar ½ cup hot water 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the sliced beets in a pint mason jar. 2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegars, water and salt. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. 3. Pour the liquid over the beets and seal the jar. Place in the fridge until ready to use. Can be made an hour before serving or up to 2 months in advance.

Cashew Aioli

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup raw cashews 1 cup water, divided 2 peeled garlic cloves 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cashews with ½ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the liquid is gone, 5–8 minutes. Add the cashews to a food processor with the garlic and remaining ½ cup water. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt, and blend until just combined. Serve warm or chilled.

Walnut Mushroom Pâté

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter 1 medium shallot, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms 3 ounces oyster mushrooms 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons dry red wine 3 ounces goat cheese ½ cup toasted walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute a minute longer. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. 2. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Once the liquid is reduced, add the goat cheese and cook until it’s incorporated into the mushrooms. 3. Add the mushroom mixture to a food processor along with the walnuts and process until combined but still retaining a bit of a crunchy texture. (This can also be made up to 2 days in advance. The flavor gets better with time.)

Garlic Yogurt Sauce

INGREDIENTS

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small skillet, roast the garlic over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes until the skins are blackened in places. Allow to cool and then peel and roughly chop. 2. Add the garlic to a small bowl followed by the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Recipe by Lauren Rudersdorf Raleigh’s Hillside Farm and The Leek & The Carrot

Red cabbage is one of winter’s most overlooked and truly beautiful foods. Braised here with some of the bacon from Dan Fox’s own farm, Willow Creek Farms, and a healthy amount of vinegar, it takes on a complex flavor that will have you seriously excited about cabbage.

Serves 4–6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon juniper 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1–2 sprigs fresh thyme 3 ounces bacon, diced small (Heritage Tavern uses Willow Creek Farms bacon ends) 1 red onion, julienned 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 head purple cabbage, cut into quarters, core removed, julienned (food processor works well) 1 tablespoon kosher salt ¾ cup red wine vinegar ⅓ cup dry red wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Combine the juniper, coriander, peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme in a tea infuser or cheesecloth bundle. 3. On the stove top, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Render the bacon until cooked partway through, then add the onions and garlic and cook until they sweat (do not let them color). Add the cabbage and the salt to help it break down. Sweat the cabbage until it loosens up, a few minutes. 4. Deglaze the pot with the red wine vinegar and red wine, and add the sachet of herbs and spices. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in the oven to braise for about 20 minutes. 5. See how much liquid is left, and if there’s a lot, continue to cook until it reduces and the syrup becomes like a glaze.

Recipe by Dan Fox of Heritage Tavern and Willow Creek Farms

Warm Winter Salad

with Roasted Butternut, Lacinato Kale & Hazelnuts

Always trust a farmer to bring a big, delicious bowl of greens to the winter table. This one, adapted from Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, brings together creamy squash with crunchy butternut and hazelnuts on a bed of kale.

Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed 5 slices sourdough bread 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 6 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon finely diced shallot 1 clove garlic, crushed and finely diced 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. On a baking sheet, drizzle the oil and salt over the butternut squash. Roast until soft and starting to brown, about 35–40 minutes. 3. To make croutons, chop or tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place them on a second baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Roast until brown and crispy, 10–15 minutes. 4. Toss the sliced onion with red wine vinegar and let sit for at least 20 minutes to macerate and mellow the intensity. 5. Place the butter in a wide saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once it’s melted, whisk it continually while it bubbles until it clears and you start to see little brown bits at the bottom. It should smell like butterscotch. Immediately take it off the heat and allow it to cool. 6. Add the finely diced shallots and garlic to the balsamic vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes to macerate. Add the cooled brown butter along with the black pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until smooth. 7. Place the hazelnuts in the saucepan you used for the brown butter. Toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they smell nice and nutty, about 8 minutes. Set aside. 8. Mix the kale and half the croutons in a large salad bowl with half the brown butter vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 minutes. 9. Add the remaining croutons, squash, hazelnuts and macerated onions with red wine vinegar to the salad bowl. Dress with the remaining vinaigrette and season with additional salt as needed.

Baked Mashed Potatoes with Leeks

Recipe by Lauren Rudersdorf

The one vegetable that is never forgotten at festive winter tables is the star of storage season: the potato. This recipe brings a bit of extra energy to otherwise ordinary mashed potatoes. Sautéed leeks are folded into creamy mashed potatoes before heading into the oven to puff. Think twice-baked potatoes without that pesky skin getting in the way.

Serves 6-8 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 pounds leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved and sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 2½ pounds gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into large chunks 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup whole milk ½ cup Greek yogurt ½ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until the leeks are fragrant and tender, about 10 minutes. 3. In a large stockpot or soup kettle, cover the potatoes with an inch or two of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, strain and return to the stockpot. Add the cream, milk, yogurt and pepper. Mash until the potatoes reach desired smoothness. They will have a bit of texture due to the potato skins, which is just fine, because the leeks will add some texture too. 4. Add the sautéed leeks and garlic to the pot along with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Fold the leeks into the mixture.

Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish (or 9x13 pan). Decoratively swirl the surface. 5. Bake until golden brown and slightly puffed, 30–35 minutes.

Recipe by Lauren Rudersdorf Raleigh’s Hillside Farm and The Leek & The Carrot