Autumn

Fall is my favorite season, and while we didn’t really have much of a summer this year, I anxiously await cool mornings and evening and the delicious foods fall brings.

I know that you can find pretty much anything year round if you are willing to pay the price, but I am trying to prepare local, organic foods as much as I can.  I truly believe that it is better for my family and the planet, not to mention my local farmers.  As more and more families start eating this way, the cost comes down as well.

I love fall vegetables:  acorn squash, artichokes, broccoli and cauliflower are at their best, Brussels’ sprouts, kale…  I could go on and on.

I woke this morning knowing that I was going to make a pot roast for dinner.  I think the thought of it was finally what made me get out of bed.  We are a week and half into fall, and Indian summer is upon us, so no cool evening, sitting out on our patio eating roast.  Don’t get me wrong, we will be on the patio eating roast tonight, but it will be warmer than I like.  It makes me a little sad.  My youngest son’s reaction as he walked in while I was browning the roast cheered me up immediately:  “that smells so good.”  Yes, yes it does.  Just you wait.  In five hours it is going to taste so good too.

Little did he know that I forgot to preseason the roast, so there I was patting seasoning into the remaining sides that needed browning.  Am I worried?  No.  Braising is quite forgiving, lends itself to cheap cuts and once you put it in the oven, there isn’t much to do but wait [or in my case laundry, snap some photos (it’s a long story) and write a blog].

Is it wise to braise a roast for four hours when it is in the mid 70’s outside?  Maybe not, but it is AUTUMN, damn it, and my oven is only set at 250˚, so I’m going with it.

Do you think I’m weird that I am planning on pulling out my boots and sweaters and long skirts this week and am anxiously awaiting thunder showers on Wednesday?  They say isolated thunder showers which I doubt will even make it as far south as me, but a girl can hope.

I was born and raised in California and I have never liked the heat.  I dream about four seasons.  Fall actually falling: yellow, orange and red leaves gently drifting to the ground.  I love roasted foods so much, that we eat roasted cauliflower all summer long, and so that I don’t heat up the house, I’ve perfected a barbequed version.  People ask me why I don’t move back east, and I have to say, it’s the weather.  While I’m not a fan of the heat, I’m not a fan of having to dig my car out of the snow to get to work, tape my windows for impending hurricanes, ice storms or flooding.

This year there were maybe 10 days that were honestly just too hot.  I know we didn’t really have a summer and a lot of people are sad about that, but there is one happy girl over here, roasting away (in the kitchen that is).

 Roasted Cauliflower

1 medium head of cauliflower

1 Tbsp butter

Salt

Pepper

Core the stem from the cauliflower, removing the leaves but keeping the head intact.

Rinse well and let drain a few minutes.  Place on a microwave safe plate and loosely cover. Microwave on high until just tender, about 3 – 4 minutes.  You may also steam the cauliflower in a steamer.  Do not cook all the way through.

Let cool slightly and break into florets.  Toss with butter, adding salt in pepper to taste.

On a hot barbeque, place florets in a barbeque wok and stir fry until slightly charred and brown, about 6 minutes.

The first time I made this my sons said they didn’t like cauliflower.  I told them they had no idea what roasted cauliflower tasted like.  They love it and eat it up.  If your kids are picky eaters, I can’t say if this will work for you or not.  My kids eat Brussels' sprouts too.

Braised Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables

3.5 – 4 pound boneless cross rib roast (chuck roast)

Garlic salt

Pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 small sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed

Heart of celery with leaves (or 2 stalks celery), thinly sliced

1 10 ¾ oz can mushroom soup

1 10 ¾ oz French onion soup

½ can water

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 250˚ (use oven thermometer if you are not sure of your oven’s temperature gauge accuracy).

Heat oven proof, heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat.  (I use a Le Creuset 7 ¼ quart Oval Doufeu Oven.)

Rub garlic salt and pepper over entire roast.  Add oil to hot pan and brown roast on all sides.  To ensure even browning, do not shake or move roast while a side is browning.  Turn after about three minutes per side.  I brown top, bottom and all four sides of roast, but it will depend on the shape of your roast.  You may need to hold roast up on its side with tongs to keep it in place while browning.  The more surface area you brown, the better it will taste.

Once roast is evenly and well browned remove from Dutch oven to a plate.

Add onions, garlic and celery to pan with a bit of water and scrape up any browned bits.  Sauté onions until they begin to soften and water evaporates.  Stir in mushroom and French onion soups, water and Worcestershire sauce.  Continue to stir until liquid comes to a boil.  Add roast on top of sauce.  Cover tightly.  Place in oven for 3 ½ to 4 hours without disturbing.

Remove roast from gravy and tent with foil.  If gravy is too thin, simmer, uncovered on stove for a few minutes.  If gravy is too thick, add additional water, stir and simmer briefly.

Slice meat and serve with a generous amount of gravy and roasted vegetables.

Steamed green beans make a nice side dish.

Roasted Vegetables

1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes

½ pound baby carrots

½ large acorn squash cut into 8 slices

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Toss vegetables with oil, salt, pepper and rosemary.  Place in 9 X 13 baking dish.  Bake in oven at 375˚until tender, about 1 hour.  Stir vegetables once or twice during cooking.