November Recipes and Highlights

The local harvest is still very generous in November with local Spartan and Macintosh apples available from local orchards. A neighbour offered quarts of healthy crabapples for jelly reserves and fresh desserts in season.

Aromas of tangy Sweet Pumpkin Marmalade and Pumpkin Chutney filled our cosy house early in the month while later the kitchen filled with the rich scents of Apple Sage Roasted Chicken.

Most economical purchases were apples from local orchards, Bosc and Bartlett pears, local sweet peppers, cabbage, carrots, beets and of course, the pumpkin. With one pumpkin, I was able to set aside over 50 250 ml. Jars of chutney, marmalade and pickles!

November

Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

Apple Cider Pumpkin Chutney Soup

Vegetables Au Gratin with Pumpkin Chutney topping

Leek Tart (Flamiche)

Leeks in a Sidedish

Apple Beet Sidedish

Barley and Beet Risotto

Apple Sage Roasted Chicken

Chicken with Apricots and Herbes de Provence

Jambalaya

Apple Peach Clafouti

Crabapple Crisp

Chocolate Cheesecake with Coffee Liqueur

Dessert Crepes with Seasonal Fruit

Pumpkin Pickles

Pumpkin Chutney

Pumpkin Marmalade

Sweet Pepper Relish

Pear Liqueur

Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly

Rosehip Jelly

Apple Butter

Spiced Crabapple Jelly

Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

In late fall, harvest or purchase more than one pumpkin. Early Canadian pioneers had many uses for the late harvest vegetable in addition to creating a jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. The colour of this rich creamy soup is simply autumn itself in Ontario.

4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

3 golden onions

4 cloves of garlic

2 large yams or sweet potatoes

2 c. peeled and diced pumpkin

1 c. orange concentrate

2 tblsp tarraon

salt and pepper to taste

8 cups water

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Dice and sautee onions. Finely dice garlic and add to saucepan. Add water. Prepare sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Cook until tender. Puree the soup, add orange concentrate and return to saucepan to add tarragon, salt and pepper.

Vegetable au Gratin with Pumpkin Chutney Topping

This dish uses cooked vegetables and serves delightfully well, without the monotony of thinking that you’re eating leftovers…..again. The delicate taste of the vegetables comes through with a lovely bouquet of rosemary.Serves 8-12.

8-10 c. winter vegetables (squash, parsnips, carrots)

1 ½ c. 35% whipping cream

3 eggs

1 tblsp butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated edam or gouda cheese

½ cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

2 golden onion

optional: 1 cup pumpkin chutney

Prepare winter vegetables by cutting them in large sections placing them in a bowl and drizzling them with 1/3 cup olive oil. Place them in the oven at 325 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until cooked but not extensively soft. Remove from the baking dish and let cool for 30 minutes. In the same baking dish, melt butter and sautee onion in the oven. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Peel the cooked vegetables and add them to the baking dish along with herbs, crumbs, and cream and cheese. Cook for 40 minutes until cream has been absorbed and top is golden. Finally add spoonfuls of Pumpkin Chutney.

Apple Peach Clafoutis

The French has a country classic called the ‘clafoutis’ that is a richly flavoured custard dessert that presents fresh and preserved fruit and their flavours in a luscious and honest way without a dominant sweet taste. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

¾ c. all purpose flour

½ c. sugar

1/8 tsp. Salt

3 large eggs

3 tblsp rum

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 c. milk

1 lb apples unpeeled in slices

1 c. Peach Almond Conserve

icing sugar for dusting

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Prpare eggs beating them and gradually add the flour mixture. Add rum, vanilla and milk and beat vigorously until mixture is smooth. Pour into a deep buttered casserole that has already received an attractive arrangement of sliced apple and Peach Almond Conserve (see Preserves). Bake for 45 minutes or until the clafoutis is browned but still soft. Serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar and perhaps a dollop of vanilla ice cream.