5 Things to Make in Charleston This Fall
Suzanne Pollak
1. Rye Cocktail
2 ounces of rye whiskey, 1/2 teaspoon demora sugar, 2 dashes of Angostura, 2 dashes of Orange Bitters. Pour over large ice cubes. Makes one cocktail.
And yet another great drink. . .
2. Wild Mushrooms on Puff Pastry
Serves 4
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 pound wild mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 package of Dufour's Puff Pastry
1 egg
Melt the butter in a hot skillet and when the foam subsides lower the heat and add the shallots. After two minutes add the mushroom and cook until they release most of their liquid. Add the cream and thyme and heat until hot and the cream has reduced by half.
Meanwhile, thaw the pastry and cut into a square and line the outside of the square with strips of pastry to form a box. Brush with the egg. Bake according to directions and when puffed and golden remove from oven. Place mushrooms in the center of the pastry and serve.
Serve with a tart side salad for a lunch or a light dinner. So woodsy and autumnal. Dean-licious.
3. Charleston Banh Mi
Fill soft rolls with roasted sliced okra, peanuts, mayo, herbs, sweet soy and jalenpeos, shredded carrot and cucumbers.
The key to a Banh Mi is a soft roll.
4. Benne Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard
1 chopped shallot
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon benne seeds
Whisk together. Use on any lettuce.
5. Fall Vegetable Melange
2-3 large yellow beets
1 large butternut squash
2 onions
1/4 pound wild mushrooms,
Flat leaf parsley
Olive oil
Place large yellow beets, scrubbed clean, in a shallow casserole. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and a splash of water. Cover with tin foil and roast at 425 degrees for 60-75 minutes, until a knife inserted in beet can pierce flesh easily.
After putting beets in the oven, toss large chunks of peeled butternut squash and peeled onion quarters with a little olive oil to lightly coat. Place on a baking sheet and roast on another rack in the same oven turning once, for 45 minutes.
Wipe any dirt off of mushrooms, cut off woody stems, toss very lightly with olive oil and place on baking sheet. When butternut squash comes out of oven, put mushrooms in the oven. Butternut squash and mushrooms should crisp at the edges.
When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into large wedges. Place all roasted vegetables in a large bowl, toss with chopped parsley leaves, coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Delicious hot, room temperature, or cold.