The Main Menu: Enjoying our abundant harvest of fruits and veggies

By JAN MAIN

Get your apron out again. It’s been tucked away all summer but now, with back to work, back to school: there’s cooking to be done! It’s the time to transform our plentiful harvest into recipes both for the present and to “put by” for the slimmer, more expensive months to come.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you may want to experiment with the abundance of fruit and vegetable in as many different recipes as possible.

Here are some posssibilites:

Peach, Nectarine or Pear Spice Cake

My friend Carol Laschinger made this yummy cake for my birthday in the form of a layer cake with a whipped cream frosting and filling decorated with sliced peaches and candles of course!

However, the cake can be made into a Bundt cake form or a 13 x 9- inch (3 L) cake ideal for large events or simply as two 8-inch layer cakes as she did.

If you opt for the Bundt cake or the large 13 x 9- inch cake you can top it with a crumble topping (recipe below) for another version of this dessert.

Any way you slice this cake, you are going to love the light spiciness with the fresh fruit flavour of our seasonal peaches, nectarines or pears.

2 1/4 cups (550 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
1 tbsp (15 mL) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) each, cinnamon and fresh grated nutmeg
Pinch salt
2 eggs (always use large for baking)
1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt or sour cream
2 cups (500 mL) peach, nectarine or pear chunks cut into 1/2 inch (1.2 mL)
Leave skin on fruit after washing and drying
1/4-1/3 cup (50-75 mL) finely chopped crystallized ginger

Crumble Topping (if desired for Bundt cake or large 13 x 9-inch cake)

1/4 cup (50 mL) soft butter
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon

Whipped Cream Frosting (8-inch layer cake)

2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1-2 tbsp 15025 mL orange liqueur

Additional fruit slices for decoration between layers and on top of cake. (Well washed and dried fresh fruit with skin on)

Whipped Cream Frosting for Layer Cake

In a deep bowl, (I use large yogurt containers) beat whipping cream until peaks form.

Gradually beat in sugar and liqueur until stiff peaks form. (One way of knowing you have beaten the whipping cream enough is you can turn the whipping cream container upside down and if the cream stays in the container, you know the cream is beaten enough. If the cream starts to slide out; quickly return container to upright position and continue beating until cream stands in peaks and stays in container.)

Note: this is always a good trick to captivate an audience!

Wash and dry peaches, nectarines or pears and slice neatly. Arrange some in between the cake layers and decorate the top as well arranging the slices in a concentric circle.
Cake and frosting may be prepared the day before. Cover and refrigerate. Serves 8.

Citrus Glaze for Bundt cake or 13 x 9- inch cake

1 cup (250mL) orange juice
1/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp, each lemon juice and orange liqueur

In a stainless- steel saucepan combine orange juice, sugar, lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer about 5 minutes; cool then stir in liqueur. Pour over cooled cake

To Make Cake: Line baking pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray if desired.

In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until light and creamy, Fold creamed mixture into flour mixture alternately with yogurt or sour cream; fold in peaches, nectarines or pears and crystallized ginger.

Spoon batter evenly into the 2 prepared cake pans. If you want a streusel topping, sprinkle evenly over one of the layer cake or the 13 x 9 or Bundt cake.

Bake Layer cake and 13 x 9 inch cake for 40 – 45 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch and golden brown. For Bundt cake, bake 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on rack before frosting.

Streusel cakes may be glazed with a citrus or amaretto glaze and served warm with a scoop of ice-cream.

If desired, the layer cake may be served with additional whipped cream.

Wash and dry peaches, nectarines or pears and slice neatly. Arrange some in between the cake layers and decorate the top as well arranging the slices in a concentric circle. Cake and frosting may be prepared the day before. Cover and refrigerate. Serves 8.

Nutty Rice Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Apples and an Orange Vinaigrette

My Book Club friend, Susanne Barbieri made this scrumptious salad for our potluck luncheon this past summer.

It was a favourite with our group and we all agreed it would be a great addition to a Thanksgiving potluck but also delicious anytime!

1 cup (250 mL) wild rice or brown rice, well rinsed and drained
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) grated orange zest
1 cup (250 mL) pecans or walnuts, toasted — see instructions
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tart apple, such as Honey crisp, cored and diced
1/2 cup (135 mL) dried cranberries
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh chopped parsley, (preferably Italian)

Orange Vinaigrette

1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh orange juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (25 mL) liquid honey
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each, fresh black pepper and salt

Cook rice according to package directions. Cool and set aside. Once cool, stir in orange zest, pecans (to toast, place in single layer on baking sheet and bake in pre-heated oven about 8 minutes or until fragrant).

Remove and cool before stirring into rice with celery, cranberries, apples and parsley. Set aside.

In a food processor, add orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour over rice mixture and toss well to coat. Serves 6.