Giving Thanks Menu
While making WOVEN’s “Giving Thanks” holiday menu, Food Siren got inspiration from some fabulous kitchen alchemists who have created dishes perfect for this harvest season–delicious, soul-warming food that provides comfort and joy! Thankful for: The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, by Sean Sherman with Beth Dooley; Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant, by the Moosewood Collective; Passionate Vegetarian, by Crescent Dragonwagon; and Minimalist Baker.
Appetizer
Amaranth Crackers
Makes 24 crackers
1 cup amaranth
3 cups water
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1. Cook the amaranth and water in a medium pot over a high flame. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the amaranth becomes sticky and forms a thick dough. Stir in the sunflower oil and allow to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly grease or use a silicone mat. Working with a teaspoon, place small mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly flatten with your hands until they are as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch. Bake until firm, about 1 hour. Allow to cool thoroughly before removing from the sheet or mat.
3. Alternatively, shape little patties with your hands as thin as possible and set on a food dehydrator. Dehydrate until very crisp.
From The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman & Beth Dooley
Roasted Crimini Mushrooms with Pine Nuts
Serves 6
18 large mushrooms
1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1. Wipe the mushrooms clean if necessary. Gently pull the stems out of the caps and set them aside. Coat a 10-inch pie plate or some other shallow bake-and-serve dish with some of the olive oil. Dip the mushroom caps into the lemon juice and place them stem side up, snugly fit together in the dish.
2. Dice the mushroom stems. Sauté them in the rest of the olive oil along with the garlic, until the garlic turns golden. Stir the pine nuts and the bread crumbs. Add the red pepper flakes, plenty of black pepper and salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
3. Spoon the sautéed mixture into the mushroom caps, sprinkling any extra on top. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.
From Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by the Moosewood Collective.
Starter
Squash and Apple Soup with Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 wild onion, chopped, or ¼ cup chopped shallot
2 pounds winter squash, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tart apple, cored and chopped
1 cup cider
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon maple syrup or more to taste
Salt to taste
Sumac to taste
Cranberry Sauce or chopped fresh cranberries for garnish
1. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion, squash, and apple until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the cider and stock, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
3. With an immersion blender or working in batches with a blender, puree the soup and return to the pot to warm. Season to taste with maple syrup, salt, and sumac. Serve with a dollop of cranberry sauce.
From The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman & Beth Dooley
Main
Spicy Whole-Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Parsley Sauce
Sides
Maple-Sage Roasted Vegetables
Serves 4 to 6
1 small winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 pound sunchokes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 pound turnips, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Pinch of coarse salt
2 teaspoons chopped sage
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons maple vinegar
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Toss the vegetables with enough oil to generously coat. Spread out on a baking sheet so that they are not touching, and sprinkle with a little coarse salt and fresh sage. Roast, shaking the pan often until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup, maple vinegar, and mustard, and brush over the roasted vegetables. Return to the oven and roast another 7 to 10 minutes to glaze. Remove and serve warm.
From Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by the Moosewood Collective
Vegan Butternut Squash Gratin
Serves 4 to 6
Cooking Spray
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, roots and all but 2 inches of green removed, slit down the middle, very well washed, and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons water, preferably spring or filtered
5 ounces firm silken tofu, preferably reduced-fat
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup plain soy or rice milk
1 teaspoon Rapidura, brown sugar, or honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
½ cup soft breadcrumbs
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium gratin or casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Place half of the oil in a skillet. Add the leeks and sauté leeks over medium heat, stirring often until limp, about 10 minutes. Add the squash and water, stir well, and cook, uncovered, stirring often for 5 minutes more. Lower the heat, add the garlic, stir well, and cover the skillet. Let cook for 20 minutes more, or until the squash is very, very soft. Mash it slightly with the back of a spoon.
3. Place the tofu, cornstarch, soy milk, and Rapidura in a food processor and buzz until smooth.
4. Turn the tofu mixture out into a bowl. Stir in the squash mixture. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Scrape the mixture into the prepared gratin dish and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and bake until golden brown, crusty, and firm, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
From Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon
Non-Stuffing
Wild Rice Pilaf with Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Chestnuts and Dried Cranberries
Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons sunflower or walnut oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms, cleaned
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1/2 cup chopped wild onion or shallots
1/2 cup corn stock or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chestnuts
1 tablespoon maple syrup, to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked salt, to taste
1. Use the sharp point of a small knife to score an X on the flat side of each chestnut, and place them on a baking sheet. Roast in a 350 F oven until the skins begin to peel back. The amount of roasting time will depend on the freshness and size of the chestnuts, and will range from about 10 to 25 minutes. Remove, and when cool enough to handle, peel and chop.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms, sage, and onion. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, wild rice, and cranberries and cook until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in the roasted chestnuts. Season with maple syrup and smoked salt to taste.
From The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman & Beth Dooley
Salad
Minted Beet Salad
Serves 3 to 4
1/4 cup hazelnut or walnut oil, or any mild vegetable oil (such as corn, canola, or peanut oil; do not use olive oil here)
3 tablespoons vinegar, preferably raspberry or blueberry, but a good balsamic also works here
3 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 to 8 beets, baked, peeled, chilled; quartered if large, halved if medium, left whole if tiny
About 1/3 cup finely minced spearmint leaves
1. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, vanilla, salt, and pepper. Add the beets and toss well. Add the spearmint and toss again. Chill well, and taste again for seasonings just before serving.
From Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by the Moosewood Collective
Dessert
Chocolate Pecan Bites
Makes 12 to 14 bites
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
2 cups pecans, lightly toasted
Pinch of salt
1/2 vanilla bean
3 tablespoons agave, to taste
1. Line a small tray or flat plate with parchment paper. In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the cocoa butter. Stir in the cocoa powder and set aside.
2. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, grind the pecans into a paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Slowly add the cocoa butter mixture, salt, the seeds of the vanilla bean, and agave, and continue blending until smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and, using a teaspoon, shape small balls or bites and set on a parchment-lined tray. Put into the refrigerator until set. Serve at room temperature.
From The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman & Beth Dooley