Culinary Fall Trends by Executive Chef Tony Schmidt

The first fall favorite I would suggest testing out in your kitchen is Fall Salsa. It has all of the classic ingredients of traditional salsa but adds fall staples.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 Roma Tomatoes – 450775 Peak Tomato Roma • 1 Large Onion cut into large chunks – 544346 Peak Onion • 10 Garlic Cloves – 275595 Peak Garlic • 1 cup Sweet Potato – 569611 Peak Sweet Potato • ½ cup Pumpkin Puree – 71174 Seneca Pumpkin Purre

• To taste - Chipotle Peppers – 522520 Contigo Chipoltle Peppers in Adobo • To Taste – 493485 Contigo Fire Salsa

• To Taste – Salt and Pepper

Begin by roasting the tomatoes, onions and garlic until tender with charred edges. These will be roughly pureed to become the base of the salsa. I also add roasted sweet potatoes. These are reserved to fold in at the end. We also add canned pumpkin for the recipe. Be sure it’s pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which are two entirely different products. For the tomatillo and chipotle chile I opted to use the canned versions. After a few quick pulses in the food processor, fold in the roasted pumpkin cubes. Serve warm.

Pickled Brussel Sprouts

The next recipe you should take a look at is Pickled Brussels Sprouts. These are great as an appetizer, adding to a sandwich, or a skewered garnish for a spicy Bloody Mary. They are flavored with peppercorns, mustard seeds, garlic, bay leaf, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. The sprouts are made in the refrigerator, so no water bath is necessary. After four days of pickling, the Brussels sprouts turn tangy, bright, pungent, and are ready to eat.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts – 19627 Packer Brussel Sprout Med

• ¾ cup water • 1 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt – 56291 Morton Kosher Salt • 10 Black Peppercorns – 264668 Roma Black & White Peppercorns •¼ tsp Yellow Mustard Seeds – 986042 McCormick Mustard Seed • 1 Sliced Garlic Clove -275595 Peak Garlic • Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper – 264698 Roma Crushed Red Pepper • 1 Bay Leaf – 883686 McCormick Whole Bay Leaves Cook 10 trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts in a large stockpot of boiling water until bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Bring 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt to a simmer in stockpot over medium; simmer until salt dissolves. Combine 10 black peppercorns, 1/4 tsp. yellow mustard seeds, 1 sliced garlic clove, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and 1 fresh bay leaf in a sterilized pint jar. Place Brussels sprouts in jar; add hot vinegar mixture. (You may have some leftover liquid.) Cool to room temperature. Cover with lid, and chill 4 days or up to 2 weeks before serving. Store covered in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Pistachio Butter

The last item you should add to your menu this fall is Pistachio Butter. It has a funky color but tastes intensely of pistachio. This can be enjoyed on savory or sweet dishes. Try adding it to a cheese board, spreading it on toast mixing it in a smoothie or yogurt. If you heat it up you can drizzle it over vanilla gelato.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz Pistachios – 957479 Hillsons Shelled Pistachios • 1 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt – 56291 Morton Kosher Salt • Honey – 273152 West Creek Clover Honey