Ironic Chefs - Harvest

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Mashed Potatoes with Sundried Tomatoes

From Bon Appétit, November 1999 by Jim Fobel (via Epicurious.com)

Makes 8 servings

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil; about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup (packed) grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Pour enough hot water over to cover tomatoes; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain. Return tomatoes to bowl; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and oil.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add milk, half and half, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, nutmeg and pepper to potatoes. Mash until smooth.

Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Spread half of mashed potatoes in prepared dish. Sprinkle sun-dried tomato mixture over. Spread remaining mashed potatoes over. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake potatoes uncovered until heated through and top is golden brown, about 35 minutes (or up to 45 minutes if refrigerated).

Apple-Filled Acorn Squash Rings with Curry Butter

From Bon Appétit November 2001 (via Epicurious.com)

Makes 8 servings

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced (about 2 1/3 cups)
2/3 cup apple juice
1/2 cup dried currants
8 1-inch-thick unpeeled acorn squash rings (from 2 medium), seeded

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add apples, apple juice, and currants. Sauté until liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer curry butter to bowl. Brush 2 large rimmed baking sheets with some curry butter. Arrange squash in single layer on sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scoop filling into center of rings. Drizzle remaining curry butter over squash and filling (mostly on squash). Cover with foil. Bake squash rings until squash is tender when pierced with skewer, about 40 minutes. Using spatula, transfer squash rings with filling to plates.

Pumpkin Nutmeg Dinner Rolls

From Gourmet, October 1991 (via Epicurious.com)

a 1/4-ounce package (about 2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk, heated to lukewarm
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 large whole egg, beaten lightly
2 cups fresh pumpkin purée or a 16-ounce can pumpkin purée
an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl proof the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar in the milk for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy. In a large bowl combine well 7 cups of the flour, the nutmeg, the salt, and the remaining sugar and blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the whole egg, the pumpkin purée, and the yeast mixture and stir the dough until it is combined well.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a well-buttered large bowl, and turn it to coat it with the butter. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it into 14 pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Fit the balls into a buttered 10-inch springform pan and let them rise, covered with a kitchen towel, in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until they are almost double in bulk. Brush the rolls with the egg wash and bake them in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let the rolls cool slightly in the pan, remove the side of the pan, and serve the rolls warm. The rolls may be made 1 week in advance and kept wrapped well and frozen. Reheat the rolls, wrapped in foil, in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes, or until they are heated through.