Just Cook It: Fall into love with this season’s produce
Now that we have officially entered the fall season, it’s time for us to talk seasonal fall ingredients. The fall season, in all honesty, is my favorite season of the year. There’s just a feeling in the air that comes from transitioning from the hot weather of summer to the crisp cool feel of autumn.
Not only do we get to celebrate the push to and the fun of being in Buctober, but we also have the magical candy filled holiday of Halloween to look forward to. Halloween is of course followed by my all-time favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! We will have plenty of time in the future to discuss and dissect all things Thanksgiving, but until then we have an entire season to enjoy.
One of the wonderful aspects of the fall season is the fantastic assortment of seasonal produce available to enjoy. Not only do we still have a lot of the late summer fruits and vegetables still in the tail end of their peak season, but also we now have autumn ingredients just beginning their peak season.
This week, we are going to take a quick look, or overview if you will, of some of the seasonal fall produce coming into peak season. In future columns we can dive into each of these ingredients in more detail.
The first seasonal fall ingredient that we need to discuss are apples. Yes, apples are available all year long, however they are in their peak season and at their best from September to November.
There are too many apple varieties to mention. They range from tender to crisp and also from sweet to tart. Each variety is different and each variety is good for it’s own specific use. That being said, it is a good idea to try all different varieties so that you learn the nuances of each and more importantly – you learn what your personal apple variety preferences are.
When selecting apples, look for apples that are firm and vibrantly colored with no bruises or blemishes. They should also smell fresh and their skins should be tight and smooth.
The next seasonal fall ingredient that comes to mind are winter squash. Popular winter squash varieties include butternut, acorn, and spaghetti. Winter squash are generally picked in the fall season and stored until spring.
Selecting the best winter squash isn’t an exact science, but there are a few indicators that you should look for. First, the squash should feel solid and heavy with stems that are full and firm. The skin of the squash should have a deep color and a matte finish.
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite seasonal fall ingredients. Sweet potatoes come in two common varieties – pale-skinned and dark-skinned. Pale-skinned sweet potatoes have a thin light yellow skin and pale yellow flesh. After cooking, its texture is dry and crumbly and very similar to that of a traditional white baked potato.
Dark-skinned sweet potatoes are the potatoes that you most likely think of when you hear the word sweet potato. They have a thicker skin and bright orange flesh that is sweet and moist when cooked. These potatoes are delicious when baked and topped with butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and toasted or candied walnuts.
Much like apple season, fall is also pear season. When you think of pears you most likely think of eating them raw. However, pears can also be cooked much like apples and I must say, they are delicious when cooked. Simply sliced thin and saut茅ed in butter with brown sugar and toasted walnuts is a fantastic dessert spooned over vanilla ice cream.
Selecting ripe pears is an easy process. Select a pear with a fresh unblemished appearance. Then apply light pressure with your thumb near the stem of the pear. If the pear is ripe, you feel a slight give.
So, I love this next ingredient and I have made it a mini-mission of mine to convert others to loving it. I find that the best time to do this is during the fall and winter season when it is in season and at it’s best. The vegetable I am speaking of is the Brussels Sprout.
Brussels Sprouts have a widely accepted negative public opinion, which I believe is highly unwarranted. Brussels Sprouts are members of the cabbage family and actually resemble tiny heads of cabbage. They taste a lot like cabbage too. I like to coat them with softened butter and roast them at high heat until they are fork tender in the center and crispy on the outside.
Another member of the cabbage family that I love and that is also in season this time of year is the cauliflower. White cauliflower is the most common but if you look hard enough you can also find green, purple, and yellow cauliflower.
I like cauliflower prepared in all different ways, but I do have one favorite way at the moment. I like to slowly simmer it in heavy cream until it is tender. I then like to puree it in a blender with some of the cream it was cooked in. Finally, I finish it with some softened whole butter, sea salt, and ground white pepper. It becomes smooth, creamy, rich, and delicious. It is also fantastic with fish and seafood and a great alternative to mashed potatoes.
Now to my favorite fall ingredient, and it’s not what you’re thinking. It goes back to my childhood. When I was a young boy I had the privilege of not only visiting Italy twice, but to also stay in the house in Italy that my grandfather grew up in.
It’s an amazing house in an amazing little town. One of the things that sticks in my memory the most about my trips to Italy were, are you ready for this – the fresh figs. My grandfather planted a fig tree in the late 1930’s before coming to America and we got to enjoy the fruit from that tree on many occasions while visiting.
It was the best fruit I’ve ever eaten, and trust me when I say that I’ve eaten a lot of fruit in my so far short lifetime. Figs are interesting because they actually have two seasons – a quick early summer season and also a main crop starting near the end of summer that continues through the fall.
If you find fresh figs in the supermarket try them. They are sweet, delicious, and one of my favorites. You can’t judge fresh figs by looks alone, as a shrunken wrinkled fig may be a sweeter better choice. Ripe figs should be heavy for their size, so select heavier feeling figs and you will learn through experience, which are the best ones.
In closing – I know that I didn’t give most of you what you wanted. I didn’t mention the undisputed king of fall, the pumpkin. I did this because the pumpkin is the undisputed king of fall and with this title comes great responsibility and it’s own dedicated column in the future. Stay tuned, and I promise to appease all of you pumpkin loving maniacs out there! Until then…
Happy beginning of fall!
Mario Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, entrepreneur, author, and the host of Just Cook It Radio on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.MarioPorreca.com. Twitter: @MarioPorreca