Seasonal Recipes

As the leaves turn vibrant shades of crimson and gold and the crisp, autumnal breeze fills the air, it’s time to embrace the delicious flavors of the October season. In this collection of seasonal recipes, we invite you to embark on a culinary journey that celebrates the essence of fall. From the hearty and indulgent Pork Chop au Poivre with Red Wine–Shallot Sauce, perfect for those seeking a savory delight, to the comforting Sweet Potato Sticky Buns with Toasted Marshmallow, a sweet treat that embodies the coziness of this season, and finally, a plant-based masterpiece, the Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie, designed to satisfy both your taste buds and your ethical convictions. This October, let your kitchen become a haven of warmth and flavor as we explore these delectable recipes that encapsulate the essence of autumn.

Pork Chop au Poivre with Red Wine – Shallot Sauce

^{PHOTO: PHOTO BY VICTOR PROTASIO / FOOD STYLING BY TORIE COX / PROP STYLING BY CLAIRE SPOLLEN, Recipe by Food & Wine}

Total Time	Servings
35 minutes	2

1 (1-pound) bone-in pork loin chop (1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground peppercorn blend
2 teaspoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small shallot, chopped
1/4 cup (2 ounces) dry red wine
Steamed baby Yukon Gold potatoes, for serving

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pork chop on a plate; pierce with a fork at 1/4-inch intervals. Flip pork, and pierce opposite side. Press salt and peppercorn blend evenly onto both sides.
Step 2 Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over high. Add pork chop; cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to preheated oven. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 130°F, about 10 minutes.
Step 3 Remove skillet from oven; transfer pork to a plate or carving board. Return skillet to heat over medium; add 1 tablespoon butter, and let melt. Add shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and translucent, about 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a simmer over medium. Simmer, undisturbed, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter; remove from heat, and swirl skillet until butter is melted and emulsified into sauce. Carve pork; serve with sauce and potatoes.

Sweet Potato Sticky Buns with Toasted Marshmallow

^{PHOTO: AUBRIE PICK ,Recipe by Food & Wine}

Time	Servings
5 Hours 50 Minutes	6

Sweet Potato Filling

2 medium-size (about 12-ounce) sweet potatoes
½ vanilla bean pod
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

Dough

¾ cup whole milk
4 cups all-purpose flour (about 17 ounces), plus more for dusting
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup non-fat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon instant yeast (from 2 [1/4-ounce] envelopes)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 1/2 ounces), softened, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, plus more for greasing molds
Cooking spray

Cinnamon Butterscotch Glaze

1 ¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Fluff

¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ vanilla bean pod

Certain elements can be made ahead: Cinnamon Butterscotch Glaze can be stored and saved in the fridge before applying as well as the Sweet Potato Filling

Directions

Make the Sweet Potato Filling

Prick sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Place on a plate, and microwave on HIGH until softened, 9 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time. Alternatively, roast sweet potatoes at 375°F until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop flesh into a medium bowl; discard skins. Using a fork, mash flesh until almost smooth; let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Transfer 1 1/3 cups mashed sweet potato to food processor; reserve any remaining mashed sweet potato for another use.
Using the blade of the knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean pod half into food processor; discard pod. Add brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt to food processor. Process mixture until blended and very smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, and stir in crystallized ginger. Cover and chill while preparing dough, at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Make the Dough

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until it registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool to 110°F, 10 to 15 minutes.
Whisk together flour, sugar, milk powder, yeast, salt, and cardamom in bowl of a stand mixer; add eggs and egg yolk. Attach bowl to machine fitted with dough hook attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until crumbly, about 30 seconds. With mixer running on medium-low speed, gradually stream in warm milk. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until dry ingredients are well combined, about 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on medium speed to incorporate between additions, 2 to 3 minutes total. Continue beating on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and shiny, about 10 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer dough to prepared pan, and press into corners to form an even layer, greasing hands lightly with cooking spray if needed to prevent sticking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Let stand at warm room temperature (about 80°F) until dough has doubled in volume, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Proofing the dough in a square pan, as opposed to a bowl, makes it easier to roll the dough into a rectangle.)
Invert dough onto a lightly-floured work surface, and roll into a 12- x 10-inch rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Spread sweet potato filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along 1 long side. Starting at opposite long side, roll dough up jelly-roll style, pinching to seal. With a thin, sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, slice dough log evenly into 6 (2-inch) rolls. Grease 6 (4-inch-round, 1-inch-tall) metal rings with butter, and arrange rings evenly spaced on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Place rolls in prepared rings, and gently press to flatten to about 1 3/4 inches tall. (Alternatively, arrange rolls evenly spaced in a buttered 13- x 9-inch baking pan, pressing gently to flatten to about 1 3/4 inches tall.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Let stand at warm room temperature (about 80°F) until rolls have expanded to completely fill ring molds (or are just touching each other in the 13- x 9-inch pan), 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While rolls are proofing, make the Cinnamon Butterscotch Glaze

Combine brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, over medium. Boil, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 220°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour glaze into a medium bowl, and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Stir in vanilla.
During final 30 minutes of proofing, preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third position.
Uncover proofed rolls, and bake in preheated oven until rolls have risen and are golden brown, 24 to 28 minutes. Remove from oven; let buns cool in rings, 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove rings. Let buns cool completely on baking sheet (or in baking pan), about 30 minutes.

When ready to assemble, make the Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Fluff

Cook sugar, 1/4 cup water, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 240°F on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. When sugar mixture reaches about 230°F, beat egg whites in the very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar to egg whites, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. (The sugar mixture should reach 240°F at the same time the egg whites reach soft peaks.) When the sugar mixture reaches 240°F, with mixer running on medium speed, gradually drizzle sugar mixture into egg white mixture. With mixer running on medium speed, scrape seeds from vanilla bean pod half into mixture; discard pod. Increase mixer speed to medium-high; beat until marshmallow forms glossy, stiff peaks, and mixer bowl is warm (not hot) to the touch, about 2 minutes.

Assemble the Buns

Stir the glaze. If baked in ring molds, dip the top third of each bun into glaze, letting excess drip back into bowl. If baked in a baking pan, spoon about 3/4 cup glaze evenly over buns. Reserve remaining glaze for another use. (Refrigerate glaze up to 3 days; drizzle leftover glaze on ice cream or apple pie.) Mound vanilla bean marshmallow fluff evenly (about 3/4 cup each) on top of buns. Using a kitchen torch, lightly toast marshmallow. Alternatively, broil buns on a broiler-safe baking sheet about 8 inches from heat source until marshmallow is lightly toasted, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie

_{Photo by Andrew Bui, Recipe by Lena Abraham}

Total Time	Servings
2 Hour 15 minutes	6

1 medium yellow onion
2 medium carrots, peeled, divided
2 stalks celery, divided
3 garlic cloves, divided
3 sprigs thyme, divided
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 c. dried porcini mushrooms
Kosher salt
4 c. cold water
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if needed
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary
2 tsp. freshly chopped sage leaves
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 to 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen peas (if frozen, rinsed and drained)
1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley
8 14″-x-18″ sheets phyllo dough, defrosted if frozen
Flaky sea salt

Directions

Start the vegetable broth: Cut the onion, 1 carrot, and 1 stalk of celery in half. Place one half of each in a medium sauce pan. Crush 1 clove of garlic and add to the pan along with 1 sprig of thyme, the bay leaves, and the porcini mushrooms. Add a big pinch of salt, then cover with 4 cups cold water. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, bring to low simmer, and cover almost completely with a lid. Let simmer while you prep and cook the pot pie filling.
Meanwhile, dice the remaining onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces. Peel and thinly slice the remaining garlic cloves and pick the leaves off the remaining thyme sprigs, adding the stems to the broth pan and reserving the leaves. Preheat oven to 400°.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cremini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Stir, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden on the cut sides and slightly tender, 4 to 5 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mushrooms to a plate. Lower the heat to medium, add another tablespoon olive oil, and repeat process with shiitake mushrooms. (You may have to cook the shiitakes in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.) When shiitakes are cooked, transfer to the same plate as the creminis and wipe the skillet clean.
Return skillet to medium heat and add another tablespoon of the oil to the skillet. Add the onions and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and carrots are slightly tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add celery, sliced garlic, reserved thyme leaves, rosemary, and sage. Cook until garlic and herbs are fragrant, about 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and remove skillet from burner.
Strain broth: Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove and discard carrot, celery, onion, garlic clove, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Strain broth into a large measuring cup, reserving the porcini mushrooms. Transfer porcinis to cutting board and chop into small pieces. You should have around 3 cups of broth; if you have less than 3 cups, add cold water to stretch your broth to 3 cups.
Return skillet to medium heat, and when ingredients start to sizzle, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour has darkened slightly in color and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. (If your skillet is looking dry, add a splash of olive oil.)
Add white wine and half the prepared vegetable broth, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Bring up to a simmer and cook until a thick gravy forms, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining broth slowly, stirring continuously, until all is added and fully incorporated. Bring back up to a boil and simmer until a velvety gravy forms, 8 to 12 minutes. To test the gravy’s thickness, stir it with a wooden spoon, then immediately trace a line on the back of the spoon with your finger, through the gravy. If the line fills in with liquid, the gravy needs to simmer longer. If the line remains visible, the gravy is good to go!
Stir prepared cremini, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms into the gravy. Taste for seasoning, then add soy sauce 1 teaspoon at a time, until seasoned to your taste. Remove from heat and stir in peas and parsley. Transfer mixture to a 9”-x-13” baking dish.
Pour remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil into a small bowl. On a dry, clean surface, carefully unroll the phyllo dough. Keep the sheets covered with a kitchen towel while working with individual sheets. Place one sheet flat, then use a pastry brush to coat the entire sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. Place another sheet on top and repeat the process.
When all 8 sheets are oiled and stacked, carefully transfer to baking dish. Any excess dough can be loosely folded around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and use a sharp knife to cut 3 slits in the crust.
Bake pot pie until phyllo is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.