A Friend Writes...

About recipes for Fall!

"I made some delicious Autumn recipes a few weekends ago - started with the Lentil and Sausage Soup, which I served with crusty French bread of which I had half a loaf left over - so was then inspired to make the Panade which required day-old bread! The Panade is like a savory vegetable bread pudding - really delicious and surprisingly hearty for something that is totally vegetarian (though not vegan - lots of dairy - milk and cheese). Both will fill your home with delicious aromas while they cook on a weekend afternoon, and will keep for a few days in the fridge or freeze very nicely for leftovers."

Panade
Published in The New York Times Magazine, 9/8/10
Adapted from “Tartine Bread” by Chad Robertson

Ingredients
6 tblsps butter 2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
6 cups whole milk
Salt 4-8 slices day-old country bread or French bread, each 1 inch thick
1 small butternut squash, about 1 lb, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ thick slices
1 bunch black kale or Swiss chard, center stems removed
1 head cauliflower, about 1 ½ lbs, trimmed and cut into ½ thick slices
½ lb fontina cheese, thinly sliced

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 2 tblsps of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the milk, the remaining 4 tblsps butter and 2 tsps salt. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Cover the bottom of a heavy, ovenproof 5-qt pot with bread slices (I used my enameled cast-iron Dutch oven). Arrange the squash slices in an even layer on top of the bread. Pour in 2 cups of the hot milk mixture. Add a layer of bread slices, and then the kale/chard. Arrange the cauliflower slices over the kale. Press down to compact the ingredients if they don’t quite fit in the pot. Pour the remaining milk mixture over the top. Stop adding milk when the level is almost to the rim. Season with salt. Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 mins. Uncover and arrange the cheese over the top. Return to the over uncovered and bake until the liquid is absorbed and reduced and the cheese has melted and browned, 30-40 mins.

Lentil Sausage Soup
Adapted from the “Barefoot in Paris” cookbook by Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 lb French green lentils
¼ cup olive oil
4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tblsp minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tblsp salt
1 ½ tsps black pepper
1 tblsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium diced carrots (4-6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
¼ cup tomato paste
1 lb kielbasa or firm French-style sausage (I used a duck and fennel seed sausage from Trader Joe’s)
2 tblsps balsamic vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Method
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 mins. Drain. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and sauté for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the sausage and vinegar and simmer until the sausage is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.