The Fall Dinner Menu You’ve Been Waiting For

Food & Drink

November 21, 2019

Leave it to Chef Thea Baumann to create a trio of fall dishes deserving of their own holiday celebration. With a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, the former Goop food editor and co-author of It’s All Easy is a beacon of kitchen wisdom (we’ve been making her summer recipes on repeat–it’s not too late)! When she’s not teaching private cooking classes or crafting cookbooks, she’s delivering chef-centric content through Short Stack Media—trust us when we say it’s a foodie’s dream. So, when we were itching for some dishes to dig into this fall, we knew just where to turn.

Fall consistently delivers the perfect excuse to embrace all things homey and hearty. When the days get shorter, holidays descend upon us, and temperatures call for favored layers, we can’t help but flock to the kitchen—it’s our favorite space to connect with the modalities of the season.

With Chef Thea’s menu in hand, there’s certainly no shortage of comfort and connection: give new life to those traditional Thanksgiving sides with a tantalizing mushroom medley that moonlights as a farro risotto; whip up a fruity granita for your in-laws that’s worth every inch of freezer space, and reset with an escarole, celery, and Asian pear salad that’s the definition of savory simplicity.

If there’s one piece of advice we have about entertaining and cooking for yourself and your friends during the holiday season, it’s to take the opportunity to put your own spin on the classics. There’s always room for turkey and mashed potatoes on a holiday table (trust us, they’ll make their way into your rotation in some way), but if the menu is in your hands, try dishes that reimagine what fall means to you. From earthy mushrooms to crispy sage, crumbled blue cheese, and juicy pomegranate, this mix of flavors will have your guests impressed and your palate satisfied.

Fall Salad with Escarole, Celery, and Asian Pear
Farro Risotto with Mushrooms and Crispy Sage
Citrus and Pomegranate Granita

Recipe

Fall Salad with Escarole, Celery, and Asian Pear

Servings: 4-6
Units:

Ingredients

1 small shallot thinly sliced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and lots ofpepper
2 handfuls frisee cleaned and dried
2 handfuls escarole cleaned, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
2 celery satlks thinly sliced
1/2 Asian pear core removed and thinly sliced
4 oz 113 g crumbled blue cheese

-To make the dressing, combine the sliced shallot, red wine vinegar, and a generous pinch of salt in a small bowl; let sit for 10 minutes.

-Whisk in the olive oil, and season to taste with more salt and lots of cracked black pepper.

-Combine the remaining ingredients in a large serving bowl. Toss with the dressing and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe

Farro Risotto with Mushrooms and Crispy Sage

Servings: 4-6
Units:

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter divided
4 Tbsp olive oil divided
1 small leek diced
salt and pepper
1.5 cup 355 ml farro
2 garlic cloves + 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 lb 1/2 kg assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster, and chanterelle), cleaned and torn or sliced
12 sage leaves (from one large sprig)
1/2 cup 118 ml grated parmesan plus extra for serving

-Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the butter is foamy, add the leek, onion, and a large pinch of salt, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

-Add the farro and 2 of the garlic cloves to the pot. Sauté for 1 minute, then pour in 3 cups of water, and season generously with salt. Bring the mixture up to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the farro is tender but retains some bite (the amount of time will vary depending on the type of farro you buy, so follow the cooking time on the package instructions).

-Meanwhile, heat the largest sauté pan you have over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan.

-When the butter is foamy, add the mushrooms and season with salt. Cook the mushrooms until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

-Transfer the mushrooms to the cooked farro and add a little water as needed to loosen the risotto.

-Return the sauté pan to medium-high heat. Throw in the last 2 tablespoons of butter and the sage leaves; cook until the sage is fragrant and crispy and the butter is starting to brown.

-Stir the Parmesan into the farro mixture, season to taste with more salt, and transfer to a serving platter. Pour over the brown butter and crispy sage.

-Serve immediately with a little more Parmesan cheese on the side.

Recipe