SPICED SWEET POTATOES AND CHICKPEAS

I am not sure there is a group of people more partial to fall, than the food blogger demographic. I have read countless posts and tweets about the elation brought to most via soups, squashes and pumpkin baked goods. Autumn is like the big hug we all get before the pale skin, freezing toes and overdose of holiday jingles. I do like me some good fall foods, but they seem to require a bit more time, ingredients, number of pots to clean and what forth. The pay off, is the complexity of layered flavors, the tenderness of braising and roasting and aromas that linger for hours. The art of delayed gratification. It's supposed to be 80' here this weekend, so the chilled leftovers of this dish are going to be heaped on a nice plate of spicy greens. I've got my arms out and ready for that hug autumn, where are you?

Note that yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing, but either could work here. Yams are slightly less starchy, but in this recipe, the taste is not compromised. Be creative with the spices, if you like it spicy add a bit of red pepper, a squeeze of lime at the end if you enjoy citrus or more ginger if you like the zing.

SPICED SWEET POTATOES AND CHICKPEAS // Serves 4 as a side

I suggest serving this side, on a wide or long platter, not a bowl. When all the warm potatoes sit on top of each other, they continue to steam and get mushy.

1 Cup Dried Chickpeas/Garbanzos ,soaked in water overnight

3 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled (about 3 lbs)

¾ Cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onion

2 tbsp. Melted Butter

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tsp. Cinnamon

2 tbsp. Honey

2 tsp. Fresh Nutmeg

1 tbsp. Fresh Grated Ginger

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 tsp. Salt

1 Lime Zest and Juice

Fresh Ground Pepper

3 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, leaves removed

Oven to 425’

1. In a medium pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the soaked beans. Gently boil for about 50 minutes until the beans are cooked through. Drain.

2. In the meantime, prepare the peeled potatoes. Cut off the ends and chop them into one inch cubes. Try to make them equal in size, shapes can vary. Put them in a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice, melted butter, oil, garlic, salt, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Pour the mix over the big bowl of potatoes, stir. Add the drained garbanzos, onions, 2 tbsp. of the fresh thyme and gently fold to cover everything in the spice mixture.

4. Spread the goods evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425’ in the upper third of the oven for 35-40 minutes, gently stirring halfway through for consistent browning.

5. Let cool a bit before serving, sprinkle fresh pepper, squeeze of lime,taste for salt and sprinkle remaining thyme on top.

AWAY.

I needed this recent trip to San Francisco for a number of reasons. A few I didn’t realize until I was home, back into my routine. It is a city of passion; of a good handful of crazies, but people are themselves. A man singing, full volume, while walking down the street. A number of open kitchens, inviting diners to watch chefs of all levels, articulate their craft. People playing musical instruments by the Embarcadero, eyes closed and internalizing the music they're creating. There seemed to be more ‘life’ happening than you see on a given day in a suburbia, and I loved it.

The intention was to make a quick trip, as Hugh had a engagement session to shoot, and the remaining free time was very food focused. Following a number of recommendations from Heidi, we were well fed. Hugh holds Anthony Bourdain in high regard, (it’s tough not to trust someone so frank),so we trekked a number of miles to his recommendation for Red Java Hut. I can get giddy about food destinations, and this was Hugh’s turn to be giddy. Can you tell how interested I was by the pictures below?He is a man of consistency, and regardless of the variety up there, I think he always settled on some form of pizza or cheeseburger the entire three days.

As I mentioned, the passion truly comes through in the food. Perfect cappuccinos, some of the richest ice cream I’ve tasted (thank you for your spot on description, Tea!), and certainly an affinity for seasonal and local ingredients. I looked up about two dozen menus, and I think ‘sand dabs’ were on every single one. There is a food culture in San Francisco that even those not intrigued by gastronomy, can respect. I had no idea there was a sand dab season. Thank you, San Francisco.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED TOFU SALAD

I'm a bit under the weather. While most people usually lose their appetite when they're sick, I can always seem to find mine. I fought through the desire for cookies alone, and decided something with a more impressive nutritional profile would make a better lunch for my wellness. I am also impressed that Hugh will eat tofu without hesitation. You can't say that about too many 6'5 men. Reason #987,543,222 why I adore him.

Curdled beans. Coagulated soymilk. Tofu is not exactly the beauty queen of vegetarian protien sources, but her possibilities are endless. It's skin deep, my friends. I've eaten my fair share of tofu, but have never crusted it as follows, so this was a learning experience. If you cover a bland bean cake with all of these flavors and give it a crunchy crust, this fall-ish salad will suprise you. Farmers markets are brimming with greens, so shop well and even the lettuce will contribute to the flavor here.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED TOFU SALAD // Serves 2 (with tofu leftovers)

If you don't use bread crumbs often, you can toss a piece of toast in a blender and wa-la. Single serving of bread crumbs.

4 Cups Baby Greens

1 Large Asian Pear

3/4 Cup Green Onions, sliced thin on a bias

1 14 oz. Package Organic Firm Tofu, drained and pressed*

1 Cup Toasted Pistachio Nuts

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

3 Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Whole Grain Bread Crumbs

2 Tsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. Oregano

1 Tsp. Mustard Powder

2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Pepper

//DRESSING//

1/2 Cup Cilantro (big handful)

1/2 Cup Parsley (big handful)

2 tbsp. Capers

1 tbsp. Agave/Honey

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or nut oil if you have some)

2 tbsp. Yogurt/Sour Cream

A pinch of Salt and Pepper

*Press out as much water possible. Set it on a plate with a paper towel and under something heavy to press out remaining moisture.

1. For the dressing, add the first 5 ingredients in a blender and blend. Add the yogurt/sour cream and give it a pulse. While running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk up the egg whites until they are lightly frothy. Add the cornstarch and continue to whisk another minute to combine.

3. Grind the pistachios and bread crumbs and put that mixture in a medium bowl. Add the salt, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and mustard powder to the nut mixture.

4. Slice the tofu in half width wise, and then diagonally to form triangles. Working with one piece at a time: Pat the tofu dry, dip in the egg mixture, then the nut mixture, and place on a baking tray. Repeat with each slice of tofu. * At this point, if you prefer the tofu cold, you can chill them in the fridge. Or, continue with directions for warm tofu.

5. Set oven to 350’. Coat the bottom of a saucepan with oil and warm over medium heat. Fit in tofu pieces without touching, you will probably need to do two sets. Sear for about 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy, return to baking tray. Repeat with all tofu chunks and pop the tray in the oven to warm through.

6. In the meantime, Slice the asian pear into matchsticks. Toss the greens, green onion with desired amount of dressing. Plate with asian pear slices and tofu chunk on top.