Now that summer has officially come to an end, it’s time to start thinking about heartier meals. These dishes are just the thing to make a seamless transition from summer to fall.
Photo by Karen Hermann
CHILI MAC
Serves 6
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup beef stock
8 ounces elbow or cavatappi pasta
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream, optional
In a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onions and peppers until onions are translucent. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and cook until brown. Add the all-purpose seasoning, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes.
Turn heat up to medium-high and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and stock. Add pasta, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.
When the sauce thickens and pasta is cooked, remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese slowly until melted. Adjust seasoning and serve with additional shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.
Garlicky Shrimp Scampi with Roasted Asparagus
Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 4
Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
Olive oil for drizzling
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Lemon zest
Grated Parmesan cheese
Shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4–5 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup dry white wine or clam juice
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup chopped parsley
Lemon zest
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange asparagus spears on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat all spears. Cook in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes. Remove to a serving dish and garnish with lemon zest and grated Parmesan.
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until just turning pink. Flip, and add wine and pepper flakes. Simmer for 2 minutes, until wine is reduced and shrimp is pink. Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, and parsley, then remove from heat. Garnish with lemon zest. Serve with roasted asparagus.
Roasted Duck Legs with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce on Egg Noodles
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
Serves 2
2 duck legs
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 large shallots, halved
1 cup dry red wine
1 ½ cups chicken stock
4–5 sprigs thyme
Egg noodles, cooked according to instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove excess fat from duck legs and pat dry. Using a skewer, gently prick the skin all over, avoiding the meat. Season legs with salt and pepper, and rub all over.
In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, sear the legs for 10–12 minutes until crisp. Turn over and cook for 2–3 additional minutes. Transfer legs to a platter, and pour off all but 1–2 tablespoons of fat.
Using the same skillet over medium-high heat, sauté mushrooms and shallots until brown, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up bits stuck to the skillet. Return the legs to the skillet, skin side up, nesting them among the mushrooms and shallots. Add enough stock to almost cover the meat, leaving the skin exposed. Tuck thyme sprigs around the meat.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and braise for about 1 ½ hours until the meat is tender. Remove legs to a serving platter and keep warm. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Adjust seasoning as required. To serve, arrange legs over noodles and spoon on sauce. Garnish with additional thyme leaves.
Seafood Gumbo
Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 8
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if preferred)
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more for garnish
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound white fish
1 pound lump crab
½ pound oysters, optional
3 cups frozen cut okra
½ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Cooked rice, optional
In a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and flour and combine well into a sand-like consistency. Stir constantly for 30–40 minutes to make a roux. The mixture will turn a light chocolate color. Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic, and continue stirring for 8–10 minutes. Gradually add chicken stock, thyme, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, salt, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and bay leaves, stirring until blended. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
Add shrimp, fish, crab, and oysters, and cook another 10 minutes until all seafood is cooked through. Remove from heat, add frozen okra and parsley, and stir. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve over rice or alone in a soup bowl. Garnish with additional parsley and Tabasco sauce if desired.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Okra tends to become slimy if cooked too long. Add it at the end of the cooking process, just before serving, so it remains whole and has a refreshing crunch.
When a recipe calls for lemon juice and lemon zest, zest the lemon first and then squeeze it for the juice.
To trim asparagus, take one spear, hold it at each end, and bend until it breaks. Use this as a guide to trim the rest.