Celery Root Puree with Pear Anjou

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos. Excerpted from Roots by Diane Morgan.

Ingredients

• 1 large celery root, about 1 ½ pounds, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher or fine sea salt*
• 4 Anjou pears, about 2 pounds
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup dry vermouth
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream, warmed
• Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Fill 6-quart saucepan two-thirds full of water. Add celery root and 1 teaspoon salt, cover partially, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat so water simmers and cook until celery root is tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain celery root and return to pan. Place pan over low heat for 1 minute to evaporate any excess moisture.
2. Meanwhile, using vegetable peeler, peel, halve, and core pears and cut into 1-inch chunks. In large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add pears and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 5 minutes. Add vermouth and nutmeg and continue cooking until pears are very soft and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.
3. In food processor, combine half each of celery root, pears, and cream and process until completely smooth. Transfer purée to warmed serving bowl. Repeat with remaining celery root, pears, and cream and add to bowl. Season with salt and white pepper.
4. Serve immediately or keep warm in top of double boiler or cover and rewarm in microwave oven.

*Due to its larger crystal size, a single teaspoon of Kosher salt contains less sodium than a teaspoon of table salt, which is a finer grain texture. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation for sodium intake is 2300 milligrams or less per day, the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of table salt.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Time-saving tip: Purchase peeled, pre-cut squash and pumpkin.

Roasted Pumpkin and Kabocha and Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 sugar pie pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• ½ cup grape seed oil
• Kosher salt, to taste  

Directions

1. Peel squash and pumpkin. Cut each in quarters and remove seeds by using a spoon.
2. Place prepared pieces in bowl. Coat with oil and season with pumpkin spice and salt.
3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven until you can easily push a skewer through them. (About 45 minutes to an hour.)

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• Canola oil
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• Salt, if desired

Directions

1. In small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil.
2. Add pumpkin seeds. Cook seeds until coated with sugar, then strain off excess sugar water.
3. Fill half of large pot with canola oil to 350°F. Make sure there is room in the top so it will not boil over.
4. Fry seeds in small batches until golden brown.
5. Remove from oil and spread seeds over parchment paper.
6. Sprinkle seeds with salt and cayenne pepper.

Nutmeg Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ginger (peeled, finely diced)
• ¼ cup shallots (peeled, finely diced)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• Nutmeg (fresh, whole, mircoplane), to taste  
• ½ cup grape seed oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepan and sweat ginger and shallots, stir frequently.
2. When ginger and shallots are soft and translucent (but not brown), add vegetable stock. Reduce stock to 1/4 cup.
3. Add vinegar and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Plating for 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 pears (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup cooked kabocha (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup cooked butternut (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup sugar pie pumpkin (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 bunches watercress (washed and trimmed)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil
• ½ cup nutmeg vinaigrette
• ½ cup candied pumpkin seeds
• Salt and pepper, if desired

Directions

1. Place pear, pumpkin, and squash in bowl. Add 4 tablespoons nutmeg vinaigrette and mix till evenly coated. Place in center of plate.
2. Place watercress in bowl. Season if desired. Add 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette and mix.
3. Place watercress on top of pumpkin and pear, followed by candied pumpkin seeds.
4. Finish dish with drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and nutmeg vinaigrette.

Party Pears

Party Pears

• 3 Anjou pears, firm but ripe
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Honey Cheese Cream (see recipe below)
• Garnish: cloves and mint leaves

Peel and halve pears. Scoop out core with spoon. Rub each half with cut side of lemon to prevent browning. Place cut side down on lightly vegetable-sprayed baking sheet. Draw pretty designs on pears with tip of sharp knife, incising them about 1/4-inch deep. Brush with melted margarine, sprinkle each with one teaspoon sugar. Just before serving, place pears under preheated broiler. Grill until sugar carmelizes lightly. Pour Honey Cheese Cream in shallow dessert platter. Arrange pears on top and serve. Garnish each with a clove and mint leaf.

Honey Cheese Cream

Honey Cream Cheese

• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until blended. Honey should be at room temperature, other ingredients should be very cold. Serve cold, to contrast with warm pudding. If made in advance, store in refrigerator and give sauce a quick spin before serving so honey will be well blended with other ingredients.

Recipes from The Saturday Evening Post Health Cookbook for Family and Friends, © The Saturday Evening Post Society. All rights reserved.