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Chef Foster: With temperatures in the 90s, it’s hard to think about cool weather food that’s on the way


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Fall officially began Thursday and I have no doubt that within a few days it will still be in the 90’s with hot winds and withering sun.

Not the best time to be thinking about cool weather food, but trust me it’s on its way. Tomatoes and corn have seen their apex, now we’re looking to process and freeze large quantities of both to have a little come January. Zucchini is scarce, summer squash is becoming delicata and spaghetti, herbs are dusty, dry and in most cases flowering (don’t forget to save some seeds).

Stoves and ovens come back on, grills are always an option and with school back in session time is of the essence. Restock the pantry; dried pasta, rice, cans of plum tomatoes, olives and olive oil, artichokes, hearts of palm. Look for quality ingredients to blend in with the continued flood of local produce, stay away from the easy processed food in favor of quick cooking methods.

Beets, broccoli and carrots should be showing up soon, so dust off the roasting pan and fire up some quick slaws. Spinach and lettuces will begin again provided the heat subsides meaning quick stir fries, a dinner size salad with local eggs, peppers, oven dried tomatoes, leftover roasted chicken and a creamy herb buttermilk dressing. Speaking of eggs, and bacon, ham and sausage there are brunch and “brinner” opportunities that take very little time and energy to produce.

Cooking is back on the weekends as we spend most nights re-heating or quick cooking. Don’t sneer at leftovers they are a life saver, and properly planned they can extend in several directions at once. Leftover rice is a stir-fry one night, a burrito on another and part of a chicken and rice soup on a cool Monday night.

What was easy when the warmth of the summer was upon us becomes more of a puzzle in the fall. With less fresh ingredients, eaten raw, cooking takes on a focus that can be onerous to some. Don’t fall back on the fast food track, if eating out eat local, even consider take-out at these places. We notice at The Sage Rabbit that when the weather changes, in conjunction with school back in session and lives getting busier our take-out goes up. Same great food, ready when you are, enjoyed when and where you want.

Farmers will continue to produce wonderful food; this isn’t their first rodeo after all. I’ve been promised tomatoes through the holidays in addition to all the cool and cold weather crops that come back around. The problem seems to be with the time it will now take to coax flavor or texture out of some of these vegetables. Zucchini is wonderful sliced thin and dressed with our lemon vinaigrette, but delicata squash gives us color and sweetness to compliment that same vinaigrette.

The difference lies in the cooking method and the time involved. Both squash, both viable choices, one that needs some cook time. Planning now takes center stage and as long as you’re willing to spend some off time prepping a bit and some grocery and market time planning more fully you should ease into a fall routine of satisfying dishes that make their way to the table with a modicum of fuss.

Sorry kids, the days of eating a tomato sandwich at the kitchen sink are over but there is plenty of good food to be cooked and enjoyed.

The Sage Rabbit Red Light Sauce

I will get admonished for giving this one away to you but no matter, food is communal. This is a great stir fry condiment, additive to ramen and just plain good.
2 tablespoons Siracha
1 tablespoon ginger syrup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy
1 tablespoon honey

The most extensive thing you’ll do for this recipe is make ginger syrup; 1 cup chopped ginger to 2 cups water and two cups sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the sugar is dissolved and ginger permeates everything.

Once done, combine and whisk the ingredients together, straining out the chunks of ginger. Keep covered in the fridge for 2 weeks tops…bet it won’t last that long.

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John Foster is an executive chef who heads the culinary program at Sullivan University’s Lexington campus. A New York native, Foster has been active in the Lexington culinary scene and a promoter of local and seasonal foods for more than 20 years. The French Culinary Institute-trained chef has been the executive chef of his former restaurant, Harvest, and now his Chevy Chase eatery, The Sage Rabbit, in Lexington.

To read more from Chef John Foster, including his recipes, click here.


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