There’s a pleasant nip in the air, and the Evanston Farmers’ Market is filled with squash, apples, persimmons, pears, cabbages, winter greens and root veggies. I love the autumnal vibes of it all.
The seasonal produce inspires me to prepare dishes filled with fall colors and warm flavors: soups, stews, roasted vegetables, pies and crisps. The summer of salads is over; long live the hearty dish.
Here are some ideas to get you excited about all that fall gardens and orchards have to offer.
Make a pot of pumpkin-turkey chili
This is an easy one-pot dish that allows you to fiddle with the spices to your taste. Dice an onion, a medium green bell pepper and a few cloves of garlic and sauté them in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot in some olive oil over medium heat until onions are opaque, about 5 minutes. Add a package (1+ pounds) of ground turkey (dark meat has more flavor than white meat, but you do you) and combine with sautéed veggies, breaking up meat and making sure to cook it through. Add in a few tablespoons of chili powder, a tablespoon of ground cumin, a teaspoon of kosher salt (or to taste), 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander and smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper...