Ellen Ecker Ogden

 

My cooking always starts the same way: I heat a little olive oil, simmer onions and garlic, then dash to the garden to see what I can harvest. Cooking from the garden does not always follow a recipe, but it is helpful to build a repertoire of fast, easy and healthy ways to feed yourself and your family.

Here are a few of my favorites, which change with the seasons. Featuring my favorite winter dishes: Soup, savory tarts, fingerling potatoes and Brussels sprouts with pumpkin pie for dessert.

From my kitchen garden to yours,

Ellen Ecker Ogden

Carrot and Tarragon Tart

Makes one 8-inch square tart (8 servings)

Tarragon and carrot are a winning combination, and this colorful tart makes a perfect appetizer or side dish.

1 square frozen puff pastry crust, (defrosted)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

6 medium carrots ( about 2 cups grated)

1 shallot, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs

1/2-cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Remove the pastry crust from the freezer and defrost at room temperature for 40 minutes until pliable. Dust with flour and roll out to fit the tart pan and transfer. Using the back of a spoon or a rolling pin, neatly trim the edges. Set aside.

3.  Grate the carrots and measure out 2 cups. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and lightly sauté the shallot.  Set aside.

4. To assemble, paint the pastry with mustard, sprinkle with cheese, shallots, red pepper, carrots and the tarragon leaves.

5. In a small bowl, whip together the eggs and the milk until frothy. Pour evenly over the vegetables.

6. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake 30 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from the pan. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold.

Ginger Carrot Soup with Creamy Lime Garnish

Makes 4 servings

I’ve recently discovered that if I bake the squash first it is easier to peel and adds flavor to the soup. The creamy lime crème fraiche garnish adds a refreshing flavor to this harvest season soup.

6 carrots, scrubbed

1 butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1-teaspoon curry powder

1-teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup crème fraiche

Zest of 1 lime

Preheat Oven to 350*

1. With a large knife, cut the butternut squash in half and again in quarters. Place open side down on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the carrots and cut into 1inch coins. (about 3 cups).
2. When the squash is tender, remove from the oven, scoop out the cooked squash removing the skin and the seeds and reserve in a bowl.
3. In a 4-quart stockpot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. (Shallots brown more easily than onions, so keep an eye on them.)
4.  Stir in the ginger and the other spices. Cook for about 5 minutes to allow the fragrant oils from the spices to release. Stir in the carrots and the squash, and cook for another 5 minutes for the vegetables to absorb all the flavors.
5. Pour in the vegetable stock and lower the heat to simmer the soup for about 30 minutes, until everything is tender. Test for doneness by spearing the larger pieces with a sharp knife. Remove from heat, and purée with an immersion blender to a smooth consistency. Serve the soup warm in a small bowl, combine the crème fraiche with the lime zest and add as a garnish.

Brussels Sprouts with roasted pecans

Makes 6 servings

Brussels sprouts are delicious paired with sweet roasted pecans and a hint of hot pepper.

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1/2 cup pecans

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-tablespoon sugar

1/2-teaspoon ground cumin

1 cayenne hot pepper (or 1/8 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper)

Zest of 1 orange

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Trim stems and outer leaves from Brussels sprouts. Set aside.
3.  In a small baking dish, toss the pecans with the butter, sugar, and cumin. Seed and finely dice the cayenne pepper and stir in with the pecans. Place the pecans in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Set aside.
4. Bring a pot of lightly salted boiling water to a boil. Place the sprouts in a steamer basket and lower into the pot. Cook until tender, about 6- 8 minutes depending on the size of the sprouts. Drain and add to the roasted pecans, toss with the orange zest, season with salt and pepper to taste and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Makes 6 servings

Tahini is a thick paste of ground sesame seeds, delicious as a dressing in this potato salad to highlight the naturally earthy flavor of the potatoes. Fingerling potatoes are best for salads and will not crumble as easily as other varieties.

2 pounds fingerling potatoes (about 8 potatoes)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3-cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3-cup tahini

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ red onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Scrub the potatoes, and leaving the skins on place them in a steam basket and lower into the boiling water. Cook until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes, depending on size. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice or quarter them.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by combining the lemon juice, oil, tahini, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the potatoes in a salad bowl along with the red onions, and toss with the Tahini dressing.  Serve warm or cold on a bed of lettuce or meslcun. greens.

 Pumpkin Tart with Amaretto Cream Cheese Crust

Makes one 9-inch tart

Pumpkin pie takes a Caribbean vacation in this delicious tart. Dark rum, coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves give it a complex flavor that matches perfectly with a cup of chai laced with milk.

Crust

1 1/4 cups white or whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

4 tablespoons cream cheese, chilled

Filling

1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3 large eggs

1 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted, for garnish

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 11-inch round or 8-by-12-inch rectangular tart pan.
2. Prepare the crust: Combine the flour, almonds, 1 tablespoons sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely ground. Add butter once piece at a time, and then cream cheese by the tablespoonful, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan (it will be crumbly), spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust. Bake the crust until set but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cook on a wire rack.
3. To prepare the filling: Bean the pumpkin, 3/4 cup sugar, rum, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in eggs, once at a time, until combined. Beat in coconut milk. Place the tart on a baking sheet and pour in the filling.
4. Bake the tart until the filling is just set (the center may still appear soft, but will become more solid as it cools,) 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wide rack and let cool to room temperature. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until chilled. Remove the pan sides before slicing. Garnish with the coconut.

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