What comes to mind when you think of eating pumpkin? If you’re like most Americans, your answer will almost certainly be pumpkin pie. Of course there will always be a few nonconformists who’ll vote for pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin muffins or pumpkin milkshakes. But I’ll bet that few, if any, think of pumpkin in savory (as […]
Julianne Glatz
Pumpkin soup baked in a pumpkin
The pumpkin isn’t only in this soup, it’s also the soup tureen. It’s delicious, and a real showstopper at the dinner table. Kids love eating it and love helping make it even more – with close adult supervision, of course! The only crucial thing – besides making sure that you don’t pierce the outside of […]
Savory pumpkin quiche
This quiche is perfect for fall. Though I’ve used various herbs for it, sage is my favorite. If you’d rather make a vegetarian pumpkin quiche, eliminate the bacon and use olive oil for roasting the pumpkin cubes and sautéing the onion. 1 partially baked tart shell, either a 9-inch regular pie pan, 10-12-inch for a […]
Colcannon/Seeskraut
The ISA’s 6th annual Harvest Celebration will be at the Inn at 835 in Springfield 5-9p.m. Sept 16. Space is limited. It’s advisable to get tickets as soon as possible. Tickets are $65 for members of ISA and $75 for non-ISA members. Call Dee at 217-528-1563 for tickets and/or more information. Colcannon/SeeskrautI hadn’t expected Dirks’ […]
Come and Get It!, the book and the event
Come and Get It! Could there be a more perfect moniker for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s sixth annual Harvest Celebration on Sept. 16.? Those who come to the celebration always get a fantastic meal, prepared by top area chefs. This year, as well as Springfield’s best, there are also phenomenal chefs from Bloomington and Champaign. […]
Yucatan Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are a common condiment throughout Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. A jar of these easy-to-make, beautifully pink onions can often be found in my refrigerator to use in sandwiches, tacos, omelets, salads and even as a garnish for Indian dishes. 1 large red onion, sliced about 1/8-inch thickness (you should have at least two […]
Paul Virant’s Sweet Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Virant says this pickle is reminiscent of his childhood spent just north of St. Louis: “My grandmother made this tomato salad that she canned; I reproduced those flavors with this pickle.” Virant uses the cherry tomatoes “as is” for garnishes and accompaniments, but also blends equal parts of the pickled tomatoes with their brine and […]
Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
These zucchini pickles have many applications, but perhaps their best is as a condiment for Cubanos, a Cuban signature sandwich, made with ham, roast pork, Swiss-style cheese, mustard and pickles on a crusty roll, often grilled panini-style. Many commercial versions use astringent ballpark mustard, dill pickles and (too often) flavorless pork. But when they’re made […]
Get pickled
“Eat what you can, can what you can’t.”–Motto of Perennial Virant Restaurant What’s old is new again. Chefs both haute and humble are making their own pickles, from homey classics such as dill or bread-and-butter pickles, to delicious innovations such as lemon-pickled turnips and smoked and pickled spring onions. Home cooks are getting in […]
Check the heat in your jalapeños
“They’re breeding the heat out of jalapeños, and it’s all because of poppers,” says Rick Bayless, addressing a group of us attending his seminar on the foods of the Yucatan. Bayless, with two acclaimed restaurants in Chicago, an ongoing PBS cooking show, multiple cookbooks and a nationally distributed line of salsas and sauces, is regarded […]
Jalpeño cheese cornbread
Most southern cornbread is fairly sweet and has a cake-like crumb – too sweet and too cakey for my taste. The base recipe for this cornbread comes from the Betty Crocker 1950 Picture Cookbook, which says it’s from Ohio. Regardless of where it originated, it’s my hands-down all-time favorite cornbread – with or without the […]
Here comes the judge!
From now on, I’d appreciate it if you would address me as “Your Honor.” I’ve been a judge at various food competitions over the years, including the Heritage Recipe Contest at the State Fair last week and, since 2006, at Springfield’s Blues and BBQs Festival. But this time I’m not just any schmuck who gets […]
