No Room for Demons in My Kitchen

Leek and Onion Bread Pudding with Savory Fall Greens; Leek, Apple, and Mushroom Baked Barley Risotto

I don’t know about you, but pumpkin spice holds no allure for me. Halloween is not my bag. My kids knew not to ask to strew gravestones and skeletal remains all over our lawn. A reasonable concession to fit in with nature, I might have agreed to hanging cobweb netting on the porch railing and shrubbery on occasion. It’s not that I lack a mischievous spirit. Or that I’m one not to delight in silliness here and there. I’m just too focused on the rest of Fall, the leaves in bronze, vibrant yellow, and scarlet, apple picking, farmers markets, carnival, kabocha, and sweet dumpling squashes. As soon as September ends, I’ve got my fresh turkey order into the farm store, and I’m dreaming of vegetable barley soups, farro stews, and heads of Red Russian kale. Carving pumpkins doesn’t jive with toothy jack-o-lanterns; my mind goes to the nonna who made zucca gnocchi and zucca agrodolce for me at a little trattoria during my last trip to Sicily. So possessed by these recipes, I think about how to resurrect them.

By October’s end, I’m playing with greens, toasting barley, and caramelizing onions and root vegetables. The run-up to Thanksgiving inspires me to begin stocking the freezer with homemade chicken and mushroom broths. My elixirs will cure any ills through the winter. I’m already dreaming of what to cook for Thanksgiving weekend. The kids will come home to the roost, and the house will be full. They’ll veg on the couch to catch up on TV. It’s all good… they need a breather from oversubscribed days.

Leek and Onion Bread Pudding with Savory Fall Greens

That’s when I shift into higher gear to turn out nourishing dishes, taking every opportunity to sell them on greens and whole grains. Refined grains are highly  processed via milling to remove the bran and germ, discarding the part of the kernel where most of the nutrients and fiber reside. Nature intended the germ to support the growth of a seedling into a healthy plant; refining strips away good fats, Vitamin B and E, folate and important minerals and phytochemicals. We try to eat at least one serving of dark leafy greens daily… so much to choose from this time of year: broccoli, spinach, romaine, arugula, escarole, collards, bok choy, kale, Swiss chard, watercress, mustard greens, parsley, basil, cilantro, and turnip or beet greens, need I list more? Strong evidence links their consumption to reduced cardiovascular and ischemic stroke risk, and diets high in leafy greens reduce age-related macular degeneration in the eye and cognitive decline.

Nourishment is not simply about food on the table. It’s about our food memories, our associations, and the way our souls settle thinking of foods we ate in our childhood homes. So, forgive me for skipping over Halloween, a celebration which originated as a Feast for the Dead. I’m too busy fantasizing about what I’ll be cooking and planning my meals in order to crowd the demons out.

Leek and Onion Bread Pudding with Savory Fall Greens

Fresh dill brightens up this savory bread pudding chock full of greens and leeks. Serve it in place of crusty bread alongside a hearty root vegetable soup or a good roasted chicken. It makes an excellent alternative to traditional turkey stuffing baked in a gratin dish with the big bird. Serves 4.

4-6 cups of kale or Swiss chard, torn into 2 inch pieces

1/2 medium-large red onion

2 leeks, washed and cut into thin half moons

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black peper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

2 Tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup 2% milk

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4-6 slices good sourdough, crusts on, torn into one inch pieces

Set the oven to 300 degrees F.

Distribute the torn bread pieces on a sheet pan and toast in the oven 10-15 minutes to remove moisture. Remove from heat just as the toasts show slight browning. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauté pan. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the onions and sauté over medium-ow heat 6-7 minutes. Add the leeks and continue to sauté 5-8  minutes until the onions are well-caramelized and golden brown. Good caramelization requires time to concentrate flavor.

In a medium prep bowl, beat 2 eggs. Add 1 cup of milk, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper and blend to  combine. Add the bread croutons to the egg mixture and fold gently. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes. 

While the croutons are soaking, add 1 additional Tablespoon of olive oil to the onion mixture and heat over medium. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute taking care not to allow browning. Add the greens to the leeks and onions and sauté coating well in the oil 2 minutes until wilted and verdant green in color. 

Spread one third of the greens and onions in the bottom of a well-greased gratin or casserole dish. Add the remaining two thirds of the greens and onion mixture to the bread and egg mixture. Fold the ingredients to distribute well. 

Pour the bread and egg mixture over the greens in the casserole dish and spread out to cover the bottom, using a spatula if necessary. 

Bake uncovered in the oven 30-35 minutes. When fully set, place under the broiler 1-2 minutes to brown the top, watching carefully. 

Serve warm from the oven.

Leek, Apple, and Mushroom Baked Barley Risotto

I was looking to devise a ‘pudding’ using whole grains instead of typical starches like noodles, bread, or potato and settled on barley. I found this a common practice in Eastern European kitchens. Done in the oven, this recipe has the ease of a casserole but the feel of a stuffing and lots of earthy flavor from the complement of mushrooms, apple, and leeks.

Leek, Apple, and Mushroom Baked Barley Risotto

3/4 cup barley, cooked

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 leeks, grit soaked out in water, coarsely chopped

1 apple, peeled and cored, coarsely chopped

8 ounces sliced Baby Bella mushrooms

2 celery stalks, sliced thin

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or herbs de provence

​

Prepare barley:

In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and add 3/4 cup of barley. Cover, leaving an opening in the lid to vent to avoid boil-over, and simmer 25-30 minute. The barley will be tender but still chewy, and cooked through so the pearl center is uniform in color. Drain well.

Grease a 9 inch baking dish with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash the leeks to remove any grit. I cut them in half lengthwise and immerse in a water bath to remove any soil between the layers. Dry well and slice thinly.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onion over medium to low heat 10-15 minutes until deep brown and well-caramelized. Add the leeks and celery and continue to sauté 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and tarragon. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, over moderate heat another 2 minutes until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown.

Transfer the leek and mushroom mixture to a bowl. Add the barley and combine well to distribute evenly.

Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Place on a middle shelf in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes covered. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more until the top begins to brown. Serve warm from the oven.

Be sure to visit www.ellenkornmehlmd.com for more healthy recipes and @mdwritesrecipes on Instagram