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Oct 28

Fall Fruit Desserts

FAVORITE FALL FRUIT DESSERTS

As we move further into fall, we seem to lose our craving for fresh fruit, especially as snacks and desserts. It’s as if we consider that, along with the other trappings of Summer, to be over. But that’s just not so! There’s as much variety, and perhaps more diversity, in the fruit crops of autumn as there is in those of Spring or Summer.

Apples, grapes, pears and cranberries are all fall fruits. Maybe because they’re available all year, grapes and apples, except for their presentation candied on sticks, seem to have lost a bit of seasonal identity.  Fresh pears, once very popular, have become considered more of a gourmet item, possibly because their juice has found such wide commercial use. Fresh cranberries visibility has also shrunk from a couple of months to a few weeks in November, again possibly because their juice is in demand. (TIP: Grab a few extra bags while they’re in market and throw them in the freezer. They keep beautifully for months, just in their bags and make great winter desserts)

Juice is a uniquely distinguishing feature of fall fruits from that of other seasons.  Each of these fruits produces enough juice to support manufacture of widely distributed commercial beverages. Grapes and apples go further, providing not only apple jack, cider, juices and wine, but also vinegars. Cranberry juice is popular as a tasty, healthy drink and as a ‘mixer’ but the surprise is pear juice. It is the base of most of the fruit drinks on the market, especially the ‘juice boxes’ sold in packs.

So why do we seem so hesitant to showcase the fall fruits in other than their traditionally accepted ways? Apples show up in pie, or like cranberries in sauce; grapes and pears are thought of as ‘snacks’ or salad ingredients. But they can be so much more, contributing to all courses of meals. The embedded links below will take you to posts with lots of suggested recipes for different dishes using fall fruits. This post will start you on the way by giving you a sampling of recipes for my favorite fall fruit desserts, more are in the linked posts. Remember, these desserts are also wonderful holiday options for those who don’t like pumpkin.

RECIPES

GRAPES   Oct. 29, 2020      Nov. 7, 2019
Red Grape Clafoutis: Serves 4-From Frenchmomcooking.com
1 lb. red seedless grapes (the darker, the better)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
5 Tbs.  sugar  
4 Tbs butter
5 Tbs.  flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Pluck grapes and wash them. Melt the butter in a 1 ½ qt. baking dish in the oven. Whisk or beat the eggs in a large bowl, mix in the salt and sugar, add vanilla and flour and mix until well incorporated. Add the melted butter to the bowl. Use a paper towel to spread the residual butter, greasing the dish. Gradually stir in the milk to the egg mix, lastly stir in the grapes. Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 45 min. Let the clafoutis cool a bit and eat while warm, or chill. Either way optionally garnish with powdered sugar.

Grapes in Sweet Sour Cream: Serves 4
2 lb. seedless grapes –red makes a better presentation
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup sugar- or to taste
¼ tsp. cinnamon-or to taste
Remove grapes from stems, wash and dry well. Stir the cream, sugar and cinnamon together and taste to adjust seasonings. Gently stir in the grapes and chill well. Serve in compotes. Can be transported separately and mixed before serving. Cream can be mixed a day or two in advance. Garnish with more cinnamon sprinkled  lightly over.

PEARS     Dec. 3, 2020,   Nov.16, 2017
Pear-Ginger Upside-Down Cake: Serves 8-10
6 pear halves preferably fresh from 3 Anjou pears. (1) 16to17oz can of pear halves can be
used, see below **
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup – -pancake can be used
½ cup chopped pecans Or 6 tablespoons craisins
1 box gingerbread mix
If using canned pears, skip this paragraph. Peel, halve and core the pears. Place cut side
up in a microwave safe dish, with enough water to cover half way up the sides and ¼ cup
sugar. Cook on high, @ 3 to 4 min., depending on the oven wattage, or until just fork
tender. Allow to cool in the liquid.
Preheat the oven as per cake box directions, and grease a spring form pan well. Melt the butter, mix in the sugar and syrup, blending well, and pour into the bottom of the cake pan. Drain the pears, reserving the juice, and arrange them, cut side down, attractively in the bottom of the pan, on top of the sugar mixture. Sprinkle the nuts, or craisins, in the spaces between the pears.
Mix the cake according to directions, substituting the pear juice for equal amount of
required liquid. Pour the batter on top of the pears. Bake according to directions, plus five
minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave the cake to
cool in the pan for at least 20 min. allowing the bottom to set. Invert pan on a plate to
remove the cake.
*Fitting the pan bottom with a round of greased parchment paper helps the cake to
flip out easily. Once it’s plated, simply peel off the paper
** Fresh pears are better for this cake, because, once cooked, pears are very fragile.
Canned ones, having been boiled until soft, are harder to handle, and might not
support the weight of the batter, or additional cooking as well as fresh.

Pears Poached in Red Wine: Serves 6
6 pears-ripe but still firm-peeled but uncored-stems on-bottoms trimmed slightly to stand upright
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 bottle red wine
½ cup sugar
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Zest of a small lemon
Zest of a small orange
Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 Tbs . of wine. Heat the rest of the wine with the spices, zests and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears and poach gently 25-30 min. until tender, turning occasionally. With a slotted spoon remove the pears to a deep serving dish. Strain the wine and return to the pot, adding the cornstarch mix. Simmer and stirring until sauce thickens, pour it over the pears and leave to soak until cold. Serve room temp or chilled.

APPLES   Oct. 1, 2020,   Sept. 27, 2018    Nov. 2, 2017     Oct. 26,2017

 Easy Apple Strudel: Serves 6-8-FromRecipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
2 ½ cups compote
5 Tbs. unsalted butter-melted
7 sheets phyllo dough
lay sheets of phyllo on a flat surface and coat each lightly with butter using a pastry brush, restacking them as you do. Spoon apple compote parallel to one of the short sides of the phyllo leaving a 3 inch margin. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Place, seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush top with remaining butter and bake in a 375 deg. oven for 25min. Cool and serve in slices. Best within 3 hrs. of baking, do NOT refrigerate, not even leftovers.

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*Apple Compote: Yield 3 cups—It’s useful in desserts as an ingredient, but can be served as alone as a fruit course, as an accompaniment to meat or as a dessert with whipped or ice cream. A few tablespoons can be stirred into hot or cold cereal.

It’s useful in desserts as an ingredient, but can be served as alone as a fruit course, as an accompaniment to meat or as a dessert with whipped or ice cream. A few tablespoons can be stirred into hot or cold cereal.
6 large cooking apples –Golden (NOT Red) Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome etc.
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
¼ cup raisins—optional
¼ tsp. cinnamon—optional
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts-for optional garnish
Peel, core and dice apples in ½ inch chunks. Bring sugar and water to a boil; add apples, raisins and juice. Cook until fruit is tender but not mushy. Taste if more sugar

French Apple Pie: Serves 6-8

3-4 lb. cooking apples-peeled, cored in ¼ inch slices
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Successively layer the apple slices so they lay flat, in the pie shell; a circular pattern looks best for presentation. Sprinkle each layer with some sugar and cinnamon. When the crust is filled, pour the melted butter over all, and then garnish with sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven 10 min, then at 350 deg. for 30-40 min. until apples are tender and crust is crisp. Best done serving day, but can be done the day before. Store at room temperature.

* My Crust Recipe for single crust pie   
1 cup flour
1/3 cup shortening- Crisco
3 Tbs. + if needed ICE water
In a deep bowl, cut shortening into flour with 2 knives until pea sized crumbs form. Add the water a Tbs. at a time mixing until dough holds together. Form into a ball cover and chill 30 min. Roll on a floured surface until slightly larger than the pan. Line the pan with the dough, cutting off or tucking excess under and crimping edges. Crust can be frozen, chilled or baked ahead according to pie directions.

CRANBERRIES    Dec. 17, 2020     Nov.29, 2018     Dec. 7, 2017       Nov. 30,  2017

My Cranberry Orange Walnut Ice Cream: Serves 6-Very quick and easy to make.
2 cups cranberries
¾ cup sugar
1 orange –quartered, seeds removed
½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream- softened
Coarsely chop berries and orange, with rind. Stir in sugar and blend fruit mix, making sure the orange rind is pulverized, add walnuts and stir into softened ice cream. Pour into a mold and freeze until firm. Unmold and serve garnished with cranberries and walnuts. Or spoon ice cream into a freezer container; a couple of hours before serving fill a decorative freezer-proof bowl with individual scoops of ice cream and spoon them into dessert dishes at table
*This ice cream recipe is packed with fruit. I love it this way but some people, especially children, may prefer it if the quantity of vanilla ice cream is doubled in proportion to the fruit.
NOTE: Keeps as long as commercial ice cream in the freezer.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Pie: Serves 6-8-From The Journal Cookbook
(1) 9 inch pie shell-almost baked
20 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 ½ Tbs. flour
¼ tsp. EACH orange and lemon zest
Pinch Salt
3 eggs, +1 egg white
2 Tbs. cream
½ tsp. vanilla
TOPPING
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2 Tbs. sugar
1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. EACH lemon juice and zest
Whip the cheese fluffy; add the next 4 ingredients and beat to mix well. Add the eggs and white separately, beating well after each; add the cream and vanilla and mix until well blended. Pour in the pie shell and bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven 7 min. Reduce heat to200 deg. and bake 15 min. Cool.

Combine first 3 topping ingredients in a saucepan and stir over low heat until clear; blend in juice and zest. Cool and spread over cheese filling. Chill until serving.

Oct 21

The Perfect Halloween Dinner

A HALLOWEEN DINNER AT HOME

Over the years I’ve written posts on dinner for Halloween night, approaching the subject from the standpoint of dealing with trick-or-treaters-in the family, at the door or both. That tradition, however, changed with the pandemic but Halloween is still a popular holiday. So this year, I decided to create a dinner menu to share with family, or a few friends. Here are my suggestions. The dishes are quite simple but convey the spirit of the holiday. Oh! The Biersuppe is fine for kids, and they love the idea of the ingredients-especially boys. It became a family favorite of ours.

If you still have trick-or-treaters to consider, below is a list of my posts, with embedded links. They discuss the pros and cons of options from casseroles able to be served in shifts, to fast food, to finger-food dinners. All suggestions are offered with an eye to being easily consumed without danger to costumes.

October 14, 2015- Great Dinner Ideas For Trick Or Treat Night
October 20. 2016–6 EASY TRICK-OR-TREAT SUPPERS–
September 27, 2019 –TRICK OR TREAT SUPPERS

RECIPES

Halloween Cheese Ball: Yield about 2 cups
(1) 8 oz. package cream cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbs. sour cream
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. paprika
½ cup black sesame seeds
Process first 6 ingredients until smooth, adding more sour cream by the teaspoon if mix seems too stiff. Chill mixture on waxed paper until firm enough to roll into a ball. Combine last 3 ingredients and roll the cheese ball in it until completely covered. Chill until ready to serve.

Sun Dried Tomato Pate: Yield 1 ½ cups
½ cup sundries tomatoes in oil
8oz. cream cheese softened
¼ cup=1/2 stick butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp. each dried oregano and basil
½ tsp. rosemary

Combine all ingredients in a processor. Pulse until smooth, pausing often .to scrape the sides. Chill at least 4 hrs. before serving.  Can be served with toasted slices of Italian bread .Leftovers make good sandwiches.
Serving Suggestion: Break bread sticks in half. Using a Q-Tip or small paint brush, paint fingernails on the rounded ends of the bread sticks with black food coloring.

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Biersuppe: Serves 4-From recipeland.com
1 ½ Tbs. flour
1 ½ Tbs. butter
(2) 16 oz. cans or bottles bock beer
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tsp. to 1 Tbs. sugar-to taste
2 egg yolks
½ cup milk
1 slice bread per serving-diced in croutons and toasted-suggested Jewish rye
Brown the flour in the butter, then add beer. Add cinnamon and sugar and bring to a boil. Whisk together the egg yolk and milk and stir into the hot (but no longer boiling) beer. Strain and serve garnished with toasted croutons.

Stew in a Pumpkin; Serves 6-8
3 Tbs. butter
2 lbs. beef for stew cubed
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 large onions diced
3 tomatoes chopped
2 Tbs. butter
¼ tsp. EACH salt and pepper
3 cups beef stock
½ lb. prunes
½ lb. dried apricots
3 sweet potatoes sliced
(2) 10 oz. packages corn –thawed and drained
1 pumpkin, top cut off and reserved, cleaned of pulp and seeds.
Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a Dutch oven. Roll the meat in the cornstarch and brown. Set aside. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a separate pan and sauté vegetables until tender. Add to meat with juices. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin, cover and simmer 1 hr. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ladle stew into the pumpkin; set in a roasting pan with 1 inch of water, and bake for 1 hr. Carefully transfer pumpkin from the pan to a serving dish and replace its top as a lid for garnish. Serve at once scooping out some of the pumpkin meat as you ladle out the portions.
Single servings can be made using individual tiny pumpkins or delicata squash. Reduce oven time to 45 min.

NOTE: I save clean-up by sautéing the vegetables in the Dutch oven first and then browning the meat. It’s one less pot. Also if you have it on hand, replace one cup of stock with beer. It deepens the flavor.

Carrot Slaw; Serves 4
4 medium-small carrots
1/3 cup dark raisins. optionally plumped in water
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts- optional
¼ head of iceberg lettuce
Choice of dressing*
Peel carrot skins and using a vegetable peeler, slice them one half the length at a time, into a “slaw”. Toss with the dried fruit and set aside. If not using right away, keep chilled Cut the lettuce into very thin slices and then cut them in half lengthwise, removing the tough core pieces . Arrange the lettuce equally on 4 plates. Toss the carrots with choice of dressing and divide among the plates. Garnish with nuts.
*This salad goes well with several dressings. French. Peppercorn Ranch, Vidalia onion, Cole Slaw, Caesar.

Chocolate-Orange Sour Cream Pie: Serves 8-10
Crust
2 Cups crushed plain vanilla cookies
(1) stick butter= ¼ lb.-melted
3 Tbs .unsweetened baking chocolate powder
Mix the ingredients and press into the bottom, up the sides and over the rim of a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 8 min. in a preheated 350 deg. oven, remove and cool.

Filling

(1) 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk MIXED WITH
Sour cream-sufficient to equal 2 cups – about 2/3 cup
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbs. orange zest
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbs. orange liqueur-Optional
½ cup dark chocolate-grated or chopped chips.
Soften the gelatin by soaking 5 min. in the orange juice. Combine the Condensed milk, sour cream and zest in a bowl. Dissolve the gelatin by heating the orange juice in the microwave 30 sec. If it doesn’t dissolve easily, heat it an additional 5 sec. or so, but be sure it is completely liquid before proceeding. Add the juice with gelatin to the bowl with the
milk, sour cream, liqueur, if using, and zest. Whisk well to incorporate. Pour the filling mixture into the pie
shell, sprinkle over chocolate morsels and chill at least 2 hours until well set. Serve cold.

Oct 14

Start Holiday Prepping NOW

WHY AND HOW TO START HOLIDAY PREPPING NOW?

I had always dealt with holidays as they came up but then, several years ago I got a big shoppers’ shock. We decided to prepare Thanksgiving communally and I had drawn desserts. It was October and as I began to consider selections, I noticed all the market flyers had deep specials on things I needed-baking ingredients and dairy products, especially sugars and butter. As I took advantage, I realized those bargains usually appeared closer the holidays and hoped it was an indication of food pricing for the whole season. I still had Christmas to do on my own.

The abundance of specials continued into November, but switched focus to frozen items, holiday needs like cranberry sauce and, of course, turkeys. Traditionally, there had always been lots of specials on products specific to the winter holidays, so I had become confident that the trend would continue in December.

The surprise came the week after Thanksgiving when I shopped for ingredients for Christmas cookies. All the items had not only reverted to the price of several months before but some were actually higher and several products were sold out, not to be restocked soon-several ice cream flavors, colored decorating sugar, red and green inexplicably, poultry seasoning, many dried fruits and nuts. There weren’t even leftover unsold bags of fresh cranberries and the turkeys were 4 times the price of the previous week.

Store managers assured me that the shown prices would hold for the month. One even advised me to take advantage, because costs would probably rise in January and, in fact, they did. I watched the scenario repeated again the next year but by then I had learned our government had ceded all control of America’s food supply to the private sector, in his case international conglomerates. So many crops are now grown all around the world that pricing is determined by global economy and scheduling rather than those of any one nation. For an explanation please see the post Footnote*

I realized that I would have to adapt my holiday food preparations to this new agenda and by October 2014, felt confident enough to share my plans. Since then, I’ve written one or more posts in October every year as I’ve improved my scheduling-some are quite detailed, most include recipes and all are helpful. I’m summarizing them below and all you have to do to get the information, is click the embedded link above the summary.  

Please take a look at the last listing for October 8, 2020. It’s a different type of foods to prepare ahead. Social distancing restrictions prompted me to investigate and discuss DIY ways to share your holiday feast with those who would normally be there to enjoy it with you. These are ways to personally say “I miss you’

October 29, 2014-PREPARE AHEAD FOR THE HOLIDAYS
This post recounts the reasons why I became so interested in preparing ahead for the winter holidays. Planning is the important first step, determining the obvious items which can be bought early and stored and even foods which can be made or partially made, weeks in advance. Included are stuffing tips, and recipes for cheese spreads and fruit bread.

October 27, 2016– AMORTIZE HOLIDAYS-SAVE MONEY, TIME, STRESS=PRICELESS
Prepping ahead lessens the financial burden of the holidays by amortizing the food expenses. Time can also be ‘amortized’ by preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them, mainly by freezing. Nothing is a greater relief during the hectic holidays than realizing something is ready and waiting, without having to gorge a chunk out of your busy schedule to do it, except, perhaps, knowing the cost has been defrayed. This post focuses on the importance of scheduling, both in shopping and cooking, and gives advice on how to plan.

October 5, 2017-SHOP HOLIDAY FOODS NOW

I believe that organized planning and informed shopping are key and a LIST is the most valuable tool to managing any situation involving food preparation.  Since the sales on the items you’ll need for various occasions will be appearing intermittently in the same time period, you need an over view, a master list. However, to avoid confusion the master list should be clear as to separate events. Sound difficult? Not really. To construct a working master list answer four questions, omitting any that don’t apply. Then follow the directions.

October 12, 2017-PREPARE HOLIDAY FOODS AHEAD

Advance preparation is straightforward but has 4 simple rules discussed in this post. It’s also highly rewarding but completely individual depending on each cook’s abilities, schedule and storage space.  The best way to illustrate the overall process is to share my Holiday Timeline to give a general idea and allow you to adapt it to your situation. I can tell you, I now wonder how I coped with the holidays before I had this.

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October 19, 2017-RECIPES TO MAKE AHEAD
The next step is to look at what type of recipes lend themselves to this treatment and if they need be altered to do so. I discuss freezing methods and recommend several of my previous posts which give detailed directions on freezing different types of foods. I also include tips on how to extend the life of refrigerated dishes and include 9 recipes for dishes I always have made in advance.

October 4, 2018- AMORTIZE THE HOLIDAYS –SAVE TIME, MONEY, STRESS
Revisiting how taking advantage of the pre-Thanksgiving sales prices saves money and relieves stress with the knowledge that when it’s time to tackle a kitchen project, everything needed is at hand. Above all, it lessens the financial burden of the holidays by amortizing the food expenses. Time can also be ‘amortized’ by preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them, mainly by freezing. It’s a relief during the holidays to know something is ready and waiting, with the cost defrayed

October 11, 2018– SCHEDULE FOR MAKING HOLIDAY FOOD AHEAD

Preparing food ahead for events is less stressful than cramming it into a busy day. This doesn’t actually save time it amortizes it. A dish takes a given amount of time to prepare no matter when it’s done but spending it during a free period is far less stressful than squeezing it into a busy one. Here is a schedule for the weeks prior to the winter holidays, illustrating which types of dishes can be prepared and when.

October 18, 2018- HOLIDAY RECIPES TO MAKE AHEAD
Once convinced of the convenience of having dishes prepared in advance, the next step is to look at what type of recipes lend themselves to this treatment and if they need be altered to do so. Here are 9time- tested recipes, with links to many more and tips on making, preserving them and others in their categories, plus leftover storage and serving suggestions.

October 3, 2019– PREPARE AHEAD FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Merchants always prepare months ahead for holidays, and what we don’t realize is the food industry has begun to do the same. Prices on holiday supplies, especially baking supplies and canned goods are featured at lower prices October through Thanksgiving. In December, though often showcased, items reflect regular prices. One theory is that the tactic masks a general price hike in January. In any case, NOW is the time to shop for items in these categories….. 

October 17, 2019- PREPARING HOLIDAY DISHES AHEAD
If food shopping in advance for the holidays, it’s logical to discuss dishes able to be prepped in advance too. Of course the ones with more perishable ingredients go first, but how well they store and retain their freshness matters too. I’ve been doing this for years and have worked out a general schedule, printed here, for you to use as a guide.

October 8, 2020–HOME KITCHEN HOLIDAY GIFTING 2020-A NEW LOOK
Every year I write about preparing ahead for the holidays, which includes making gifts. This year DIY gifts will have new meanings. They aren’t just personalized ‘Thank You’s or special ways to wish friends a happy holiday. They carry a deeper message, saying “I made this for you because I want you to know I care for and will miss you. I am truly saddened by this situation, pray next year things will be normal again and we will be together.” It’s the thought and effort that goes into making such gifts which really carries the message. The personal touch conveys more than words and fortunately, several will stand up to shipping, because, if this pandemic continues, it will curtail travel. Here are 10 items worth considering.

————————————————————————————————————-* Footnote: The story is simple. When a very efficient exfoliant was developed during the Vietnam era, its commercial value was apparent but crops had to be created which were impervious. Prior to that time agricultural experimentation in the U.S. had been done in colleges and universities under federal grants, which made any results government property.  However, private labs became involved in this project, with greater funding and developed a ‘super’ soy bean seed.

In the early ‘80s history was made when the first U.S. patent for a living organism was issued, not for the seed, but for the process which created it. After that, the process could be freely applied to other plants, corn, wheat etc. Naturally, the holder of the patent controlled the seed and consequently controlled the price of the crop. Please note the greatest price changes in the above accountings.

Now this process, in some form, has been applied to the seeds of most produce plants making them GMOs.  Included is fodder for our livestock which takes the axiom from above one step further. The one who controls the feed crops controls the husbandry industry and, consequently, the prices on meat and dairy.

If you have any doubts about the global scope of the situation, the next time you’re in a supermarket, take note of the origins, especially of the produce and seafood items, fresh, frozen and canned. You’ll see many products are now farmed internationally according to climate, not limited to their country of origin and transported to markets worldwide. Also note that 99% of packaged items contain soy or corn products, unheard of 50 years ago, when soy was rarely used in the U.S. as other than a cover crop. It helps to explain the complete control international conglomerates have on our food supply and understand why prices are no longer influenced by the economy of any one country and that the reality that the situation can‘t or won’t be altered for many years, if ever. 

Oct 7

Marvelous Mushrooms

MARVELOUS MUSHROOMS

I love mushrooms, so, lucky for me, I live near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, a small town on the Delaware boarder.  This is the proclaimed Mushroom Capitol of the U.S., possibly of the world, producing over 500,000 lbs. per year, 65% of the mushrooms consumed in North America. 

Restaurants for miles around, in both states, feature mushroom dishes and every September there’s a delicious Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square. This year it reminded me that I haven’t discussed them for several years, and now is the perfect time, since they’re considered a fall crop. The reason is, though they’re commercially grown indoors all year, naturally they prefer temperatures between 55-65 deg. the more frequent rains of autumn and the less intense light. No matter the improvements in modern farming, mushrooms have stubbornly stuck to the same requirements.

One of the reasons I love mushrooms is because they are a great way to dress up any vegetable or meat dish. If it happens to be one with a gravy or sauce, especially cream, mushrooms can elevate it to the point of deserving a name. They’re the ‘miracle makeover’ for leftovers. Aside from the fact that mushrooms are delicious in themselves, this ability to glamorize foods makes them a must to have on hand for a holiday season. 

Moreover, they have an equal nutritional value to zucchini, are reasonably prices, readily available and easy to prepare. The only prepping fresh mushrooms need is a wipe with a damp cloth. Stubborn soil can be removed by gently swishing them in a bowl of cool water but be sure to dry them on towels. To remove the stem, hold the cap and twist. It will pop off. A thin slice removes a dried tip, if necessary. Often recipes suggest using a spoon to scrape off the gills, but I find they add flavor, preserve structure and allow a bit of space to leaven stuffing.

There are many species of edible mushrooms, but only three, actually two, can do this type of all-purpose work; the common white Button, the Portabella and the Porcini, also called correctly, Baby Bellas. Buttons are uniformly tender and the first choice to use raw. Portabellas, even Babys develop a meaty, nutty taste when cooked, which brings out the best in them.

Buttons and Porcini cooked or raw, marinate well and are the proper size to stuff for appetizers. Large Portabellas are great grilled or broiled as additions to entrees or filled and baked as a main course . Not only do they exceed ‘bite size’, but like many vegetables allowed to fully mature, they’re less tender. The majority of recipes can be made using raw mushrooms as well as commercially packaged or fresh ones that have been processed at home. Processing them at home preserves them, lengthening their shelf which allows advance preparation, a real help during this busy season. Below are the main ways to do that.

Here’s a list of a few of my favorite recipes to serve mushrooms throughout a meal. If you want to see more , visit my postings for Dec. 21, 2017, and  Oct. 25, 2018 by selecting those months from th drop down menu in the right margin of any page in this blog.

RECIPES
First a note on how to prepare mushrooms for the most common presentations.

Pickled: Tiny mushrooms, even canned or jarred ones can be pickled by boiling for 2 min. in a solution of 1/3 vinegar of choice and water to cover,1 clove garlic and 1 bay leaf, then marinating for 1-2 days. Serve them, drained, in a bowl with toothpicks.

Marinated: For 1 lb. mushrooms, stems removed first: Mix ` cup white wine vinegar, 2 tsp. oil, 1 clove chopped garlic, 1 tsp. Sage, 2 tsp. parsley, in a bowl. Add mushrooms and let stand 12-48 hrs. stirring occasionally. Serve drained with toothpicks or stuff.

Cooked: Mushrooms cook quickly and become wrinkled and tough when overdone. They can be steamed for about 15 min. in a double boiler with a bit of butter, but the more flavorful ways are to sauté them in butter or oil, or on a buttered cookie sheet, bake for about 8 min, at 375 deg. or broil them for about 5 min. turning once just until they release their juices. Toss them to mix and cool.

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STUFFED:
Recipe quantities may vary because of difference in mushroom sizes. Additionally, several recipes can be used for raw, processed or cooked. Mushrooms shrink when cooked or pickled. If preparing ahead for guests, remember raw has a shorter shelf life, a few hours at most when stuffed.

My Stuffed Mushrooms: Serves about 24
24 medium-small marinated mushroom caps
4-5 oz. liver pate-I like Sell’s by Underwood Co.*
½ small onion grated
Dijon mustard to taste
Dash lemon pepper
! Tbs. mayonnaise-only enough to smooth
Dash hot sauce or pinch cayenne –optional
Dried parsley to garnish
Mix the liver with the next 5 ingredients, stuff mushrooms and garnish, Serve chilled or at room. temperature.
* ¼ lb. Deli liverwurst may be an acceptable substitute, but test for taste when adding the other ingredients.

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: Serves 30- From the Everything Low Carb Cookbook by Patricia M . Brutus
30 medium mushroom caps—steamed or pickled
2/3 cup small curd cottage cheese
3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
1 lemon pepper to taste
½ tsp. olive oil
1 Tbs. dried dill weed + more to garnish
Mix ingredients 1-5 and stuff mushroom caps. Garnish and serve chilled.

Cream of Mushroom Soup 1: Serves 6
1/3 cup butter
1lb. mushrooms –sliced
1 quart chicken or beef stock
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
Salt and pepper
½ cup sweet or dry sherry-optional
Saute mushrooms in butter until juices render. Add stock, cover and simmer 15 min. Drain mushrooms, return stock to pot, placing ½ cup in a lidded jar, add flour to jar. Puree mushrooms and return to stock . Shake jar to dissolve flour and add to soup. Bring to a simmer, stirring until thickened slightly. Add dairy and seasonings and heat through. Add sherry before serving.

Cream of Mushroom Soup 2:  Serves 6
Modifications to above ingredients:
¼ cup butter
1Tbs.flour
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
¼ tsp. EACH paprika and caraway seed
½ lb. puff pastry dough
1 egg lightly beaten
Dill weed
Follow the above directions adding the seasonings and sherry with the dairy . Pour soup into 6 custard cups and roll out pastry cutting 6 circles to fit the cup tops and brush the cup edges with egg. Cover the cups with pastry, poke air vents in each and bake at 400 deg.for20 min. until golden. Serve garnished with dill.

Mushroom and Celery Soup: Serves 4- Modified from 400 Soups by Anne Sheasby
4 ½ cups chopped mushrooms
4 thinly sliced celery sticks
3 garlic cloves- mashed
4 Tbs. sherry or white wine
3 cups beef stock
1 tsp. EACH Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Over low heat, cook the mushrooms, celery, garlic, wine and ½ cup stock about 30 min. covered, until soft. Add I cup stock and puree. Return to pot with the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, season and serve, garnished with celery leaves.

My Mushrooms in Wine Sauce: Serves 2
12 or 16 large button mushroom caps- stems off and roughly chopped
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup white wine—Vermouth works wells
Salt and pepper
4 thin slices rye bread –toasted—preferable Jewish Rye with seeds
2 Tbs. fresh parsley- chopped R 1 Tbs. dried
Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter and sauté the caps until golden. Remove to a warm oven. Melt the rest of the butter and sauté the stems adding salt and pepper to taste . Add the wine and the rest of the butter and boil a few minute to reduce slightly. Place 2 slices of toast on each plate, divide the mushroom caps equally between the toast slices and pour the sauce over them. Garnish with parsley and serve hot

Library Mushrooms: Serves 4-6
1 lb. medium mushrooms-stems off, large caps sliced in half
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. soy sauce
Sautee mushrooms in butter until beginning to brown, Add soy sauce and toss to mix.* Cover and cook on low 5 min. Serve hot with meat.
*Mushrooms and sauce can be sealed in a foil packet, leaving a steam vent, at this point and heated with the entrée at a later time.

Mushrooms Provincial: Serves 4
1lb. mushrooms-stems off and trimmed
¼ cup oil
2 small cloves garlic crushed
1Tbs . balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. dried or 2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley, sage or bay leaves or a mixture of all
4 Tbs. fresh breadcrumbs-optional
Saute the mushroom caps in 2 Tbs. oil until brown. Remove to a plate. Saute the stems, garlic and herbs adding 1 Tbs. oil if needed, on low, for 3 min. Stir in vinegar, mix well and pour over caps. Optionally, sauté bread crumbs in 1 Tbs. oil until golden and scatter over mushroom mix. Can be served at once, but recommended to cover the plate and let stand 1 day for flavors to meld.

Mushrooms Au Gratin: *Serves 4-From the Everything Low Carb Cookbook by Patricia M. Butkus
1 lb. small button mushrooms-stems on and trimmed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs. brandy
¼ cup oil
1 small shallot chopped
2 Tbs. EACH sour cream, tomato paste, honey and Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. bread crumbs
2 Tbs. Gruyere cheese or Monterey Jack
Marinate the mushrooms in the lemon juice and brandy for 10 min. Saute the shallot in the oil for1 min without browning, add the marinade and reduce for 2 min. add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 min . Remove the mushrooms to a shallow casserole. Add the cream, tomato paste, honey, salt, pepper and cayenne to the skillet and boil stirring for 2 min.; add the mustard but do not allow to boil. Pour this sauce over the mushrooms and top with bread crumbs and cheese. Run the dish under a preheated low broiler until golden. Serve hot on toast rounds.
* This can also be served as a side

Portabellas with Seafood Stuffing: Serves 2
4 large portabella mushroom caps
1 cup crabmeat, scallops or cooked, diced fish or shrimp*
¾ cup white sauce**
¼ cup + Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
1tsp. dried herb of choice- tarragon, dill, bay
1 Tbs. Dry sherry- optional
Grated Parmesan
1Tbs. dried parsley
Mix the seafood, sauce, seasonings and herbs with just enough bread crumbs to bind. Divide the filling among the mushrooms, top with the cheese and garnish with the parsley. Place on a buttered surface, pan or cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven until puffed and golden. Serve at once.
* Equal portions of chopped chicken, turkey or ham can be substituted. Change herbs and liquor accordingly.
** A bottled white sauce such as Alfredo can be substituted. To make ¾ cup white sauce: Bring 1 ½ Tbs. butter to foaming. Remove from heat and stir in 1 ½ Tbs. flour to make a smooth paste or Roux. Quickly add ¾ cup milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened about 3 min. Do not allow to boil.