September is the month that marks the turning of the seasons from summer to fall. Temperatures often start out in the 90s, but dip into the 50s by the end of the month.
The bounty of local produce makes a similar transition, crossing over from warm to cool growing seasons, and crops like apples, pears and turnips begin showing up in markets.
September also is a time when the craving for simple, hardy food sets in, as dinner becomes an occasion to gather around the table, again, for a family meal after a busy work or school day.
With that in mind, we asked Atlanta chef Robert Phalen of One Eared Stag to come up with a menu suited to September. He obliged, with a little help from pastry chef, Krista Paz.
At One Eared Stag, Phalen is known for his ever changing menu that may be the most adventurous in the city. Think whole roasted tuna collar with fennel, arugula, fried bread and crisp ham, or rabbit rillettes with duck fat roasted carrots, or bacon consomme with a soft quail egg.
At home, though, Phalen makes meals with his wife. And what’s ever changing there is the likes and dislikes of their three small children, all under five years old.
“Thinking about the transition from summer to fall, I wanted to come up with a meal we would do at home,” Phalen said. “What my kids would actually eat, and what a family would eat — something that’s sort of rustic and friendly and easy and familiar. That was my mindset.”
To that end, Phalen designed a menu around whole pasture raised chicken, with some chef touches, including brining, marinating, and pressing the bird flat, before roasting it under a brick in a cast iron skillet. On the side, there are pan-roasted baby turnips with salsa verde.
“A nice, juicy, crispy chicken screams fall to me,” Phalen said. “And baby turnips are great around this time of year. They’re really nice and crisp in the fall. We do turnips with salsa verde in the restaurant a lot. With the herbs and a bit of spice, it’s all so nice together. And the chicken and turnips make a hearty meal.”
To start the meal, Phalen put together a marinated apple salad with Manchego cheese, walnuts and rosemary.
“It’s a classic Spanish combination, putting fruit with cheese,” Phalen said. “And then you throw in the walnuts, and you use walnut oil and cider vinegar to reflect each element a little more. You can use whatever cheese you like. White cheddar would be good.”
For dessert, Phalen instructed Paz to create a dish with pears. She came up with a version of classic red wine poached pears, stuffed with a unique almond “ricotta” and topped with butter almond crunch.
“It’s a classic, in that I’m poaching the pears,” Paz said. “And there’s a little bit of spice with star anise and lemon zest. But the different take is the almond ricotta, and then the butter almond crunch. It’s an easy thing to get going on the stove while you do other things. It’s a beautiful dessert, but it’s pretty simple.”
Recipes
These summer-to-fall recipes from One Eared Stag chef Robert Phalen and pastry chef Krista Paz use ingredients such as apples, pears and turnips to create a meal that’s perfect for September.
Marinated Apple Salad With Manchego Cheese, Walnuts and Rosemary
This marinated salad captures the flavor of early fall with crisp apples, hearty cheese, and walnuts.
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 60 minutes, including 30 minutes for marinating Serves: 6
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into medium dice
2 cups Manchego cheese, or other hard mild cheese, such as white cheddar, cut into medium dice, the same size as the apples
1 cup walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine
¼ cup walnut oil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the walnut halves on a baking sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. While the walnuts are toasting, peel and dice apples and dice cheese. Place the apples and cheese into a mixing bowl. Roughly chop walnuts into pieces about the same size as the apples and cheese. When they are cool to the touch, combine the walnuts and remaining ingredients into the bowl with the apples and cheese. Mix to combine well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the salad marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may also prepare the day before and refrigerate it overnight, just remember to let it sit out at room temperature for a half an hour before serving.
Per serving: 369 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 12 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 30 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 26 milligrams cholesterol, 76 milligrams sodium.
Pressed “Brick” Chicken Roasted In A Cast Iron Skillet
Brining and marinating adds layers of flavor to this whole chicken, pressed and roasted under a brick in a cast iron skillet.
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 90 minutes plus overnight for brining the chicken
Serves: 4
1 whole pasture raised chicken
1 gallon chicken brine, see recipe
Chicken marinade, see recipe
¼ cup canola oil
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, slightly crushed by hand or back of knife
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
You’ll need a large bowl or container for brining the chicken, a clean brick wrapped in heavy duty foil, and a large cast iron skillet.
To prepare:
Brine the whole chicken overnight in a large sealed container placed in the refrigerator. The next day, remove the chicken from the brine and rinse well. Using poultry or kitchen shears, cut the backbone out of the chicken starting at the neck and working your way back to the tail on both sides. Using your index finger, locate both sides of the wishbone and using a paring knife, cut out the wishbone while carefully pulling it out. Trim off the rib bones with your shears and any remaining protruding bones. Place the chicken skin side down on the cutting board and, using both hands, gently press down the sides of the chicken to make it as flat as possible. Rub the chicken marinade over the flattened bird and let marinate for at least an hour or up to four hours.
Preheat oven to 350. Gently wipe away the marinade and season with salt and pepper. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is slightly shimmering and just about to smoke, place the chicken skin side down into the skillet and sear for about 5 minutes. Gently press the brick or other heavy weight on top of the chicken and place in the oven. Roast for 30-45 minutes, depending on size, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 on an instant read thermometer. About 10 minutes before removing the chicken from the oven, add the thyme, bay leaves, and butter to the pan, baste the chicken a few times and place back in the oven to finish.
To serve:
Remove the skillet from the oven, remove the brick, and remove the chicken from the pan. Place skin side up on a platter or sheet pan with a cooling rack and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. Cut the chicken into 6 pieces (breasts, thighs, and legs), and arrange on a serving plate.
Per serving, based on 4: 475 calories (percent of calories from fat, 72), 30 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 38 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 105 milligrams cholesterol, 467 milligrams sodium.
Chicken Brine
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour, including cooling Makes: 1 gallon
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
3 lemons, halved
12 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch thyme
¼ cup honey
12 garlic cloves
¼ cup whole black peppercorns
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cool the brine to room temperature. When cooled, use immediately or refrigerate in a large sealed container.
Per 1-cup: 33 calories (percent of calories from fat, 4), 1 gram protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 5,650 milligrams sodium.
Chicken Marinade
Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Makes: 1 cup
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, and under the skin if you want more flavor. Marinate for at least an hour or up to four hours in the refrigerator.
Per 1/4-cup serving: 485 calories (percent of calories from fat, 98), trace protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 54 grams fat (7 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.
Pan-Roasted Baby Turnips With Salsa Verde
For this recipe, Phalen uses quartered Hakeuri turnips, a Japanese baby variety that’s white, crispy and sweet, and flavors them with a spicy salsa verde. If you’re using larger turnips, cut them into a large dice.
Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 4
1 pound baby turnips, preferably Hakeuri, quartered
(for large turnips cut into large dice)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup salsa verde, see recipe
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped chives, to finish
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil has a slight shimmer and is just about to start smoking, add the turnips and season with a little salt and pepper. When the turnips begin to color, toss them gently to get even color on all sides. When the turnips are just turning tender, add the butter. When the turnips are slightly tender, yet still retaining a little texture, toss in the salsa verde and finish with chopped chives.
Per serving 4: 90 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 157 milligrams sodium.
Salsa Verde
Hand on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 Makes: About 2 cups
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped fine
1 cup cilantro, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, mix well to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 52 calories (percent of calories from fat, 70), 1 gram protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 15 milligrams sodium.
Red Wine Poached Pears With Almond Ricotta and Butter Almond Crunch
Hands on: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, plus overnight for soaking the almonds Serves: 6
This simple dessert from One Eared Stag pastry chef Krista Paz has an elegant presence on the plate with pears turned red from poaching in wine. The unique almond “ricotta” has the texture of the real thing with a sweet, nutty flavor.
For the pears:
6 pears
1 bottle red wine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon star anise
1 lemon rind, sliced into strips
For the almond ricotta:
1 cup blanched almonds, soaked overnight in water
Zest of half a lemon
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup almond milk
For the butter almond crunch:
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup brown sugar
To poach the pears:
Peel the pears and place them in a saucepot. Pour the wine over the pears and add the sugar and cinnamon, star anise and lemon rind. Place a piece of parchment or a small plate over the pears to ensure they stay covered in liquid. Place the pot over medium heat to slowly simmer the pears, poaching for about 35 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a pairing knife. Remove the pears when they are soft and set aside. Reduce the cooking liquid until syrupy, and then strain over the pears. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To make the almond ricotta:
Drain the almonds from the water and place in a food processor with the lemon zest and honey. Pulse until it resembles coarse sand. Move the mixture to a bowl, pour in the almond milk and stir until combined. If needed, add more almond milk until the texture resembles ricotta.
To make the butter almond crunch:
In a sauté pan over medium high heat, brown the butter. When the butter is browned, reduce the heat to medium, and add the almonds and brown sugar. Stir to coat the almonds and melt the sugar. Once the almonds are browned and fragrant and all the sugar is dissolved, spread the mixture on a parchment lined pan to cool. When cool, break into small pieces or pulse in a food processor for a finer mixture.
To serve:
Halve the pears and scoop out the seeds with a melon baller. Place a spoonful of the almond ricotta into the center of each pear half. Divide halves among six plates and top with the butter almond crunch. Drizzle the reduced wine syrup around the pears on the plates and serve.
Per serving: 423 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 9 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 26 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 10 milligrams cholesterol, 60 milligrams sodium.
About the Author
