Fall Produce Recipes
Cabbage, pumpkins and squash, oh my! Tomatoes, beets and eggplant, oh my! And we can’t forget about the apples. The fall produce is here. Be sure to check out the area Farmers Markets and produce stands to find locally grown produce for these recipes.
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Oven Roasted Eggplant
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yield: 4-5 servings
2 medium eggplants
3 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a tray with parchment/baking paper (optional - recommended for first timers so you don’t lose the caramelized surface).
Cut eggplant into large cubes - 1”. Place in large bowl, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
Toss well, spread on tray, roast 20 minutes. Turn, roast for a further 10 minutes - edges should be caramelized, soft inside, but they’re not shrivelled up and dismal.
Transfer to serving plate. Delicious served plain, but see below for some finishing options.
Finishing Options: 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, drizzle of fresh lemon juice, parsley, chives or green onions (for touch of freshness and color, not so much flavor), tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar (pop of tartness is terrific! OR drizzle of balsamic glaze), dollop of yogurt (creamy yogurt pairs really well with the juicy eggplant flesh).
Recipe Notes: Peeling - if you’re bothered by eggplant skin, peel “zebra stripes” down the eggplant. If you don’t leave at least some skin on, then the eggplant cubes are prone to collapsing and turning into mush - you need some skin to hold it together.
Bitterness & salting - In the past, the standard preparation method for eggplant including salting the eggplant to remove bitterness. The eggplant of today has largely had the bitterness bred out of it so unless you have a very old, very large one, you shouldn’t have this problem. I never have.
However, if you can’t get your head around cooking eggplant without salting it, here’s how: sprinkle the cubed eggplant with 1 tsp salt, toss, leave in colander for 30 minutes. Rinse then thoroughly pat dry, toss with oil and pepper (NO SALT), roast per recipe.
Select eggplants that are firm but have a bit of give, and feel heavy for their size (light = dried out inside).
Healing Cabbage Soup
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 75 mins
Yield: 8 servings
3 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 quarts water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1/2 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained and diced
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in water, bouillon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in cabbage. Simmer until cabbage wilts, about 10 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes. Return to a boil, then simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often.
Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
3 T. olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. minced fresh rosemary
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
2 lbs. stew beef, cut into 2” cubes
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 c. Marsala wine
1 lb. butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2” cubes
1/4 c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 c. beef broth
2 T. fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for serving
In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.
Eggplant Parmesan
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
2 lg. eggplant, cut into 1/4” thick rounds
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. almond milk
1-1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
1-1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tsp. oregano
2 T. fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sea salt, more for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
28 oz. Marinara Sauce
2 lg. balls fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/3 c. fresh basil leaves
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk the eggs and almond milk.
In another medium-sized shallow dish, combine the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then into the panko mixture. Place onto the baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 18 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
In an 8x12 or 9x13-inch baking dish, spread 1/2 cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, and top with 1 cup of marinara and half the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a few more pinches of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 4 or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil.
Simple Roasted Beets
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 4 servings
6 to 8 small or medium red or yellow beets
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 large navel orange
Sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
Handful of watercress leaves, or arugula or microgreens
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt, optional
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place each beet on a piece of foil and drizzle generously with olive oil and pinches of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil and roast on a baking sheet for 35 to 60 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender. The time will depend on the size and freshness of the beets. Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When they are cool to the touch, peel the skins. I like to hold them under running water and slide the skins off with my hands.
Use a citrus peeler to peel long strips around the orange, avoiding the white pith. Grated zest would work here also. Slice 3/4 of the orange into segments and reserve the remaining 1/4 wedge for squeezing.
Slice the beets into 1” wedges or chunks and place them in a bowl. If you’re using red and yellow beets, place each color into separate bowls so the red beets don’t stain the yellow beets.
Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar, then add the lemon juice, orange juice squeezed from the remaining wedge, and a few pinches of salt and pepper and toss. Chill until ready to serve.
Taste before serving and season with more salt (flaky sea salt, if using) and pepper or more vinegar (for more tang), orange, or lemon juice, as desired.
Serve on a platter with the orange segments, watercress, and citrus curls.
Sautéed Beet Greens
Prep Time: 3 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
1 bunch beet greens
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 T. golden raisins
Lemon wedge
1 T. chopped walnuts or pistachios
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Separate the stems from the beet greens. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the leaves.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the beet stems and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beet greens, a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté, tossing, until just wilted.
Turn off the heat, add the raisins, a big squeeze of lemon, and toss. Transfer to a platter, top with the walnuts and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Baked Stuffed Apples
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings
3/4 c. oats
3/4 c. flour
2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch kosher salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
4 Braeburn apples (Fuji will substitute)
4 tsp. honey
In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients and diced butter. Rub mixture briskly between finger tips until it forms small moist clumps in a loose sandy mixture. Refrigerate while preparing the apples.
Cut a small layer off the bottom of each apple to create a flat, stable bottom surface. With a small paring knife, cut a cylindrical cone out of the top of the apple, moving about 1-inch outside of the core, similar to removing the top of a pumpkin when carving a Jack O’Lantern. Remove the top and discard. With a melon baller or a teaspoon, remove the remaining core and seeds taking care not to puncture the base of the apple.
Place apples on a baking sheet or pie dish and fill each center with a teaspoon of honey. Spoon in mixture, packing lightly until heaped and overflowing over sides of the apples.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees on the top or middle rack for 40 minutes or until filling is golden brown and the tip of a paring knife can be inserted into the side of the apple with little or no resistance. Let apples stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Quote of the Week:
“Those who cry out that the government should ‘do something’ never even ask for data on what has actually happened when the government did something, compared to what actually happened when the government did nothing.”
~ Thomas Sowell